1038 quotes by architects for you to enjoy

I believe that artistic activities change people. You do effect change. I see architecture as a political, social and cultural act - that is its primary role. Thom Mayne

You Change People Architecture Political Believe See Primary Cultural Effect Role Artistic Social Act Activities

I'm interested in conflict and confrontation. Thom Mayne

Conflict Interested Confrontation

New York is this cacophony - a collection of radical differences, an agreement of non sequiturs. The diversity and intensity are startling. Thom Mayne

Diversity Differences Radical Collection New York Intensity New York Agreement Startling

The age of recalcitrance is over. The best solution is no longer just to regurgitate a 19th-century design. Thom Mayne

Best Age Design Solution Longer Over Just

I lived in a state of rage from 12 to 20. Until college, I was beyond an outsider. I was a voyeur of life. Thom Mayne

Life College Rage State Outsider Beyond Until Voyeur Lived

We have to base architecture on the environment. Toyo Ito

Architecture Environment Base

The dreams of the 1960s began to disappear in the 1970s. The economy collapsed, and so did the optimism of the Metabolists. Toyo Ito

Dreams Collapsed Disappear Economy Began Optimism Did

The ultimate aim of all creative activity is the building! Walter Gropius

Creative Building Aim Ultimate Activity

Our guiding principle was that design is neither an intellectual nor a material affair, but simply an integral part of the stuff of life, necessary for everyone in a civilized society. Walter Gropius

The Bauhaus strives to bring together all creative effort into one whole, to reunify all the disciplines of practical art - sculpture, painting, handicrafts, and crafts - as inseparable components of a new architecture. Walter Gropius

Art Together Creative Architecture Painting Inseparable Components New Practical Disciplines Effort Crafts Sculpture Whole Bring

Man has evolved a mutual relationship with nature on earth, but his power to change its surface has grown so tremendously that this may become a curse instead of a blessing. Walter Gropius

Nature Relationship Man Change Blessing Power Become Tremendously Earth Evolved Mutual Instead Surface His May Curse Grown

Only work which is the product of inner compulsion can have spiritual meaning. Walter Gropius

Work Spiritual Only Compulsion Which Meaning Product Inner

The greatest responsibility of the planner and architect, I believe, is the protection and development of our habitat. Walter Gropius

Protection Responsibility Habitat Believe Our Architect Development Greatest Planner

The intellectual bourgeois of the old Empire - tepid and unimaginative, mentally slow, arrogant, and incorrectly trained - has proven his incapacity to be the bearer of German culture. His benumbed world is now toppled, its spirit is overthrown, and is in the midst of being recast into a new mold. Walter Gropius

Culture World Old Slow Arrogant Spirit Mentally Empire New Bourgeois Proven His Intellectual Overthrown German Trained Being Midst Incapacity Unimaginative Mold Now Incorrectly

With but a few exceptions, we don't have this personal study under masters any more. Craftsmanship has sunk very low. We no longer have any universally creative persons who are able to guide young learners not only in technical matters but also, at the same time, in a formal way. Walter Gropius

Time Creative Matters Few Young Guide Way Sunk Able More Only Exceptions Study Longer Also Learners Masters Very Personal Same Any Craftsmanship Same Time Formal Low Persons Who Technical Universally

We must forget the prewar time, which was totally different. The sooner we adjust ourselves to the new, changed world, to its new, albeit harsh, beauties, the sooner will each individual be able to find his own personal happiness. The distress of Germany will spiritualize and deepen us. Walter Gropius

Happiness Time World Will Own Changed Harsh Ourselves Adjust Must Distress Find Able Totally Individual Beauties Sooner New His Germany Forget Personal Different Which Us Each Each Individual Deepen Albeit

The development of the New Architecture encountered serious obstacles at a very early stage of its development. Conflicting theories and the dogmas enunciated in architects' personal manifestos all helped to confuse the main issue. Walter Gropius

Architecture Stage Confuse Architects Main Development New Obstacles Issue Encountered Very Personal Conflicting Theories Helped Serious Early

One of the outstanding achievements of the new constructional technique has been the abolition of the separating function of the wall. Walter Gropius

Has-Been Abolition Outstanding New Been Wall Achievements Separating Function Technique

As there is in Germany - as well as in Russia and Italy - no art which is not approved of by the government, any criticizing remark about the present policy made by me would easily be taken as a hostile act. I cannot have my name put up against an official report from Germany without risking very unpleasant consequences. Walter Gropius

Art Government Me Made Consequences Approved Easily Would Unpleasant Criticizing About Russia Risking Remark Hostile Taken Put Name Well Policy Without Italy Up Very Germany Report Official Any Cannot Which Against Act Present

Quotes by Architects