There is an increasing awareness of the interrelatedness of things. We are becoming less prone to accept an immediate solution without questioning its larger implications.
Arthur EricksonRead
Does an architecture to assuage the spirit have a place in all this? Unfortunately we are no longer the interpreters of our culture's myths but the followers of that dubious client, the developer, who has little patience with the art of architecture, the fine detail and obscure promise, which can upset his financial activity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques the current state of architecture, emphasizing the tension between artistic integrity and commercial interests.
Arthur Erickson's quote reflects on the evolving role of architecture in society, highlighting the conflict between cultural expression and commercial development. He suggests that modern architects have become mere followers of developers who prioritize profit over artistic value, thus losing the capacity to interpret and convey the deeper myths and narratives that architecture can embody. This shift raises concerns about the future of architectural practice and its ability to resonate with the spiritual and cultural needs of society.
Themes
ArchitectureCultureDeveloperArtCommercialIntegrity
In practice
Example use cases
In a talk about urban planning, this quote can emphasize the importance of preserving artistic values in architecture.
More from Arthur Erickson
All quotes →We are not peddlers of the fashionable. We believe that good design defies fashion, is truly innovative, eminently sensible, yet a source of inspiration to those who have the pleasure of living with it.
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The tourist transports his own values and demands to his destinations and implants them like an infectious disease, decimating whatever values existed before.
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Space has always been the spiritual dimension of architecture. It is not the physical statement of the structure so much as what it contains that moves us.
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Great buildings that move the spirit have always been rare. In every case they are unique, poetic, products of the heart.
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The obsession with performance left no room for the development of the intuitive or spiritual impact of space and form other than the aesthetic of the machine itself.
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