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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.
Arthur Erickson
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes that the essence of architecture lies not in its physical form but in the experiences and emotions it evokes.

Arthur Erickson highlights the profound impact that architectural space has on human experience. He suggests that while the physical structure of a building is important, it is the intangible qualities and the emotions that spaces invoke that truly resonate with us. This reflects the idea that architecture is not just about construction, but about creating environments that inspire and elevate our spirits.

Themes

ArchitectureSpaceEmotionExperienceDesign

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about modern architecture, this quote can be used to emphasize the emotional impact of a well-designed space.

More from Arthur Erickson

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.
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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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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.
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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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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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