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Design Quotes

December 1, 2010 by Bob Borson 12 Comments

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Every now and then you need something to pick you up, distract you from the blank page, and let you know that everything is okay and that you are awesome (not necessarily in that order). Here are 25 of my most favorite design related quotes that just might do the trick. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

“I hate vacations. If you can build buildings, why sit on the beach?” – Philip Johnson

“Early in life, I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose honest arrogance and have seen no occasions to change.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

“God is in the details.” – Mies van der Rohe

“Architecture is the art of how to waste space.” – Philip Johnson

“Form ever follows function.” – Louis Sullivan

“Architects today tend to depreciate themselves, to regard themselves as no more than just ordinary citizens without the power to reform the future.” – Kenzo Tange

“Architecture is the will of an epoch translated into space.” – Mies van der Rohe

“Our time is so specialized that we have people who know more and more or less and less.” – Alvar Aalto

“A hundred times have I thought New York is a catastrophe and 50 times: It is a beautiful catastrophe.” – Le Corbusier

“Recognizing the need is the primary condition for design.” – Charles Eames

“Architecture begins where engineering ends.” – Walter Gropius

“No architecture can be truly noble which is not imperfect.” – John Ruskin

“Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light.” – Le Corbusier

“An idea is salvation by imagination.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

“To create architecture is to put in order. Put what in order? Function and objects.” – Le Corbusier

“But the building’s identity resided in the ornament.” – Louis Sullivan

“Less is more.” – Mies van der Rohe

“It was the spirit animating the mass and flowing from it, and it expressed the individuality of the building.” – Louis Sullivan

“Not many architects have the luxury to reject significant things.” – Rem Koolhaus

“A doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

“You’ve got to bumble forward into the unknown.” – Frank Gehry

“I don’t want to be interesting. I want to be good.” – Mies van der Rohe

“Nothing is as dangerous in architecture as dealing with separated problems. If we split life into separated problems we split the possibilities to make good building art.” – Alvar Aalto

“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.” – Frank Gehry

“Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose.” – Charles Eames

“There will never be great architects or great architecture without great patrons.” – Edwin Lutyens

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Here’s to having a great day and thank you for reading

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My “Serious” Disclaimer

The complimentary advice provided on ‘Life of an Architect’ is based on an abbreviated examination of the minimal facts given, not the typical extensive (and sometimes exhaustive) analysis I conduct when working with my clients. Therefore, anything you read on this site is not a substitute for actually working with me. Following my casual advice is at your own peril … if you want my undivided attention, I would recommend hiring me. Cheers.

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