I want to bring out the best in a community and contribute something of permanent value.
I. M. PeiRead
Contemporary architects tend to impose modernity on something. There is a certain concern for history but it’s not very deep. I understand that time has changed, we have evolved. But I don’t want to forget the beginning. A lasting architecture has to have roots.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of historical context in modern architecture.
I. M. Pei suggests that while contemporary architects often prioritize modern design, they should not overlook the significance of history and the roots of architectural evolution. He argues that lasting architecture must connect to its historical origins to maintain depth and meaning.
In practice
In a speech about urban development, one could use this quote to advocate for the integration of historical elements in new buildings.
I want to bring out the best in a community and contribute something of permanent value.
The physician can bury his mistakes, but the architect can only advise his client to plant vines - so they should go as far as possible from home to build their first buildings.
The space within becomes the reality of the building.
I'm a bad customer for my own buildings! If I'm choosing an apartment, I choose one about five or six stories high so that I can see the people, the trees, and the world on the street. Beyond that, I lose contact with the ground!
A building should appear to grow easily from its site and be shaped to harmonize with its surroundings if Nature is manifest there.
Architects mostly work for privileged people, people who have money and power. Power and money are invisible, so people hire us to visualize their power and money by making monumental architecture. I love to make monuments, too, but I thought perhaps we can use our experience and knowledge more for the general public, even for those who have lost their houses in natural disasters.
A profound design process eventually makes the patron, the architect, and every occasional visitor in the building a slightly better human being.
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