1038 quotes by architects for you to enjoy

Working in Tokyo has convinced me that, contrary to what people think, it is actually one of the world's most beautiful cities. Tadao Ando

Beautiful Me People World Most Beautiful Think Cities Most Contrary Convinced Working Tokyo Actually

Japanese architecture is traditionally based on wooden structures that need renovating on a regular basis. Tadao Ando

Architecture Structures Wooden Japanese Regular Regular Basis Based Basis Need

If there is only one culture all over the world, that's not a good thing. Tadao Ando

Good Culture World Only Good Thing Over Thing

I hope America can also be the cultural leader of the world, and use this frontier spirit to lead and show others that we need courage to go places where we have not gone before. Tadao Ando

Hope Courage World Leader Before Gone Others Spirit Lead Also Go Cultural America Frontier Where Places Use Show Need

In Japan, there is less a culture of preserving old buildings than in Europe. Tadao Ando

Culture Old Preserving Buildings Than Japan Less Europe

Architecture is involved with the world, but at the same time it has a certain autonomy. This autonomy cannot be explained in terms of traditional logic because the most interesting parts of the work are non-verbal. They operate within the terms of the work, like any art. Thom Mayne

Work Art Time Architecture World Logic Like Most Involved Terms Operate Parts Because Within Traditional Same Any Same Time Cannot Autonomy Explained Interesting Certain

So I am totally aware that when I defend the autonomy of art I'm going counter to my own development. It's more an instinctive reaction, meant to protect the private aspect of the work, the part I am most interested in and which nowadays is at risk in our culture. Thom Mayne

Work Art Culture Own Nowadays Our Totally My Own Risk More Counter Part Development Instinctive Most Protect Reaction Am Private Going Which Autonomy Interested Aspect Meant Aware Defend

I'm often called an old-fashioned modernist. But the modernists had the absurd idea that architecture could heal the world. That's impossible. And today nobody expects architects to have these grand visions any more. Thom Mayne

Today Architecture World Impossible Visions Architects More Could Had Absurd Idea Nobody Heal Expects Any Often Grand Modernist Old-Fashioned

For me the meaning of my work is much more fluid. Thom Mayne

Work Me Fluid More Meaning Meaning Of Much

I've been such an outsider my whole life. Thom Mayne

Life Outsider Been Whole

The multiplicity of ideas is what I'm interested in. Thom Mayne

Ideas Interested Multiplicity

Do I provoke as a method of investigation? Of course. That's the essence of architecture. Do I do it with gusto? I do. Thom Mayne

Architecture Gusto Investigation Course Method Provoke Essence

I fought violently for the autonomy of architecture. It's a very passive, weak profession where people deliver a service. You want a blue door, you get a blue door. You want it to look neo-Spanish, you get neo-Spanish. Architecture with any authenticity represents resistance. Resistance is a good thing. Thom Mayne

Service Good You People Architecture Weak Good Thing Deliver Look Passive Very Authenticity Get Blue Any Represents Where Want Door Autonomy Profession Fought Thing Resistance Violently

In Paris, there has to be a presence. History becomes the most interesting when it's compared to the present. I mean there's a whole group of people that want to build new buildings that look like old buildings. Thom Mayne

History People Old Build Group Paris New Like Look Most Becomes Buildings Want Interesting Mean Whole Compared Presence Present

I'm not just influenced by the '60s - it's who I am. I grew up with Allen Ginsberg and Che Guevara. I flirted with various forms of communism when it was way out of style. It was this really strange and creative time in music and culture, and it was fabulous. Thom Mayne

Quotes by Architects