One cannot make architecture without studying the condition of life in the city
What surprises me most in architecture, as in other techniques, is that a project has one life in its built state but another in its written or drawn state.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Architecture has different interpretations depending on whether it is constructed or represented in drawings.
Aldo Rossi highlights the duality of architectural projects, emphasizing that the essence of a design can change significantly from its conceptualization in sketches and plans to its physical manifestation in the built environment. This dichotomy invites reflection on how the intentions, aesthetics, and functions of architecture are perceived differently in each state, raising questions about the nature of creativity and construction.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on architectural theory, this quote can be used to illustrate the complexities of architectural interpretation.
More from Aldo Rossi
All quotes βOne can say that the city itself is the collective memory of its people, and like memory it is associated with objects and places. The city is the locus of the collective memory.
Similar quotes
The artist and the photographer seek the mysteries and the adventure of experience in nature.
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I lack the magnificent richness of color that animates nature.
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How are we going to make painters by lecturing to them? We are going to make questioners, doubters, and talkers. We are going to make painters by painting ourselves, and by showing the paintings of others. By working frankly from our convictions, we are going to make them work frankly from theirs.