1028 quotes by architects for you to enjoy

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

Christianity, democracy, science, education, wealth, and the cumulative inheritance of a thousand years, have not preserved us from the vain repetition of history. Ralph Adams Cram

Education Democracy History Science Wealth Christianity Vain Preserved Thousand Thousand Years Years Cumulative Repetition Us Inheritance

If we had this back, and in full measure; if society were infused by it, through and through, and men lived its life, and in its life, philosophy would take care of itself and the nature of our institutions would not matter. Ralph Adams Cram

In revolt against this new and very evil thing came the republicanism of the eighteenth century, inspired and directed in large measure by members of the fast perishing aristocracy of race, character and tradition. Ralph Adams Cram

Character Evil Members Directed Inspired Aristocracy New Came Tradition Very Revolt Eighteenth Eighteenth Century Against Republicanism Race Century Measure Large Large Measure Fast Thing

Through the wholesale destruction of the representatives of a class that from the beginning of history had been the directing and creative force in civilization, a process began which was almost mechanical. Ralph Adams Cram

History Class Creative Destruction Beginning Directing Civilization Through Had Almost Force Been Began Representatives Process Which Mechanical Wholesale

Towards the end of the eighteenth century the industrial-financial revolution began. Ralph Adams Cram

Revolution Towards Began End Eighteenth Eighteenth Century Century

May I say, finally, that I have no illusions of grandeur; quite to the contrary, I am very humble in my knowledge that through forty years of my life my life has been an open book of service to my fellow architects and for the public good. Ralph Thomas Walker

Life Service Good Knowledge Humble Book My Life Finally Say Has-Been Architects Through Open Open Book Fellow Am Been Years Very Contrary Quite May Public Grandeur Public Good Forty Forty Years Illusions

Infrastructure is much more important than architecture. Rem Koolhaas

Architecture Important More Than Infrastructure Much

Quotes by Architects