DALLAS — Dallas City Hall was born out of tragedy. After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, city leaders sought to rebuild the city's image and turned to world-renowned Chinese American architect I.M. Pei to help shape its future. "At the time, he was seeking to help Dallas emerge out of that period of great sadness and despair," said Li Chung Pei, the architect's son. This story continues below.