1038 quotes by architects for you to enjoy

I'm a chameleon, so changeable. I see myself as a gadfly and a questioner. Philip Johnson

Myself Changeable See Chameleon

Concrete you can mold, you can press it into - after all, you haven't any straight lines in your body. Why should we have straight lines in our architecture? You'd be surprised when you go into a room that has no straight line - how marvelous it is that you can feel the walls talking back to you, as it were. Philip Johnson

You Architecture Walls Back Our Press Marvelous Feel Talking How Concrete Go Line Were Surprised Lines Any After Room Straight Straight Line Should Body Mold Your Your Body Why

The future of architecture is culture. Philip Johnson

Future Culture Architecture

Doing a house is so much harder than doing a skyscraper. Philip Johnson

House Doing Than Much Skyscraper Harder

I wouldn't build a building if it wasn't of interest to me as a potential work of art. Why should I? Philip Johnson

Work Art Me Build Building Potential Interest Should Why

I like to be buttoned onto tradition. The thing is to improve it, twist it and mold it; to make something new of it; not to deny it. The riches of history can be plucked at any point. Philip Johnson

History Plucked Something Something New Point Onto New Like Make Tradition Deny Improve Any Riches Mold Thing Twist

In my own work, I'd say I'm a classicist, but I look everywhere for my solutions. I don't study the toilet-living habits of my clients, although that's a popular approach. First, I think of every building in history that has been similar in purpose. Then I think of the functional program - that's a major part of the study. Philip Johnson

Work History First Building Own Every Think Approach Everywhere Say Has-Been Solutions Similar My Own Purpose Habits Part Study Major Look Major Part Although Clients Been Then Popular Functional Program

Anybody can build a building, putting some doors into it, but how many times have you been in a building that moves you to tears the way Beethoven's 'Eighth' does? Philip Johnson

You Tears Build Building Doors Way Some Putting Does How How Many Times Been Beethoven Times Anybody Moves Eighth Many

How does an artist know when the line that he just painted is good or not good? That's the catch. De Kooning was the greatest of my contemporaries in art, and he knew when he'd done a good line. When he didn't, he threw it away. I wish I'd thrown away some of mine. Philip Johnson

The people with money to build today are corporations - they are our popes and Medicis. The sense of pride is why they build. Philip Johnson

Today People Money Pride Build Sense Our Corporations Why

Purpose is not necessary to make a building beautiful. Philip Johnson

Beautiful Building Purpose Make Necessary

I get between nine and ten hours of sleep. Go to bed at 8:30 and get up at 6:00 or 6:30 if I oversleep. Philip Johnson

Nine Ten Between Hours Bed Go Up Get Sleep

There's no worse feeling than seeing my buildings and realizing the mistakes. Philip Johnson

Feeling Mistakes Worse Seeing Buildings Than Realizing

Houston is undoubtedly my showcase city. I saved all my best buildings for Houston. Philip Johnson

Best Saved City Houston Buildings Undoubtedly Showcase

You cannot not know history. Philip Johnson

History You Know Cannot

Glibness will get your anywhere. Philip Johnson

Will Get Anywhere Your

I play only classical music. My pianos are my only big indulgence, but they're a necessity. When I'm playing the piano is literally the only time I can be completely abstract and disconnected from the regular world and yet be connected - to my music. Rafael Vinoly

Music Time World Big Classical Classical Music Only Only Time Piano Pianos Abstract Indulgence Disconnected Literally Regular Connected Play Necessity Playing

Music, first of all, is completely about abstraction, which is exactly what architecture is not. In a way, it has been incredibly constructive to know what true abstraction is. So you don't fall into the trap of thinking that what you do is abstract. Rafael Vinoly

Buildings are forms of performances. Rafael Vinoly

Performance Buildings Forms

But freedom, liberty, is an attribute of the soul and it may exist even when the body is in bondage. Ralph Adams Cram

Freedom Soul Liberty Attribute Exist May Body Even Bondage

Quotes by Architects