The sun never knew how great it was until it hit the side of a building.
Louis KahnRead
Architecture is the thoughtful making of space
Interpretation
What this quote means
Architecture involves intentional design and creation of spaces that impact human experience.
This quote by Louis Kahn emphasizes the idea that architecture is not merely about constructing buildings but rather about the intentional and reflective process of designing spaces that thoughtfully cater to human needs and experiences. It suggests that genuine architecture goes beyond functionality to create environments that resonate emotionally and culturally with those who inhabit them.
Themes
ArchitectureDesignSpaceThoughtfulHuman Experience
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about urban planning at a community meeting.
More from Louis Kahn
All quotes βI sense a Threshold: Light to Silence, Silence to Light - an ambiance of inspiration, in which the desire to be, to express, crosses with the possible Light to Silence, Silence to Light crosses in the sanctuary of art.
Louis KahnRead
Greek architecture taught me that the column is where the light is not, and the space between is where the light is. It is a matter of no-light, light, no-light, light. A column and a column brings light between them. To make a column which grows out of the wall and which makes its own rhythm of no-light, light, no-light, light: that is the marvel of the artist.
Louis KahnRead
The room is the beginning of architecture.
Louis KahnRead
Architecture is the reaching out for the truth.
Louis KahnRead
The creation of art is not the fulfillment of a need but the creation of a need. The world never needed Beethoven's Fifth Symphony until he created it. Now we could not live without it.
Louis KahnRead
Similar quotes
Acutely aware of the poverty of my means, language became obstacle. At every page I thought, 'That's not it.' So I began again with other verbs and other images. No, that wasn't it either. But what exactly was that it I was searching for? It must have been all that eludes us, hidden behind a veil so as not to be stolen, usurped and trivialized. Words seemed weak and pale.
Elie WieselRead
I think the trouble with artists or chefs who whine about criticism is that if you love the good reviews, you have to at least read the bad ones.
Jim HarrisonRead
I think the rhythm is like the spine of the piece. If you change that, then the body that forms around it is changed as well.
Peter GabrielRead
When you first start out in stand-up and, probably, as any performer, you enjoy the attention so much, and even though that hasn't died down on stage, it certainly has satiated whatever was in me that was needing that much attention. When I'm off stage, it's not something that I really need.
Tig NotaroRead
And from that time on I bathed in the Poem Of the Sea, star-infused and churned into milk, Devouring the green azures; where, entranced in pallid flotsam, A dreaming drowned man sometimes goes down.
Arthur RimbaudRead
He has Van Gogh's ear for music.
Billy WilderRead