Helmut Jahn

You'd never think of taking a cab if you had to walk a mile down Chicago's Michigan Avenue. But in a bad…

— Helmut Jahn

When I came to America in the '60s, it was the place to be. I wonder if I'd come here today.

— Helmut Jahn

Creativity has more to do with the elimination of the inessential than with inventing something new.

— Helmut Jahn

Success on one project does not necessarily mean success in the next project. You've got to be prepared in everything you do.

— Helmut Jahn

I find if my body feels well and I exercise regularly, I think better, work better and feel better.

— Helmut Jahn

A good engineer thinks in reverse and asks himself about the stylistic consequences of the components and systems he proposes.

— Helmut Jahn

The American attitude towards efficiency and execution should always underlie architecture.

— Helmut Jahn

A city building, you experience when you walk; a suburban building, you experience when you drive.

— Helmut Jahn

We prefer synthetic rather than natural materials. Natural products are almost too valuable. Wood is much harder to produce than metal. And…

— Helmut Jahn

Chinese buildings are like American buildings, with big footprints. People don't care about daylight or fresh air.

— Helmut Jahn

We want our buildings to work like a machine that will create a pleasurable environment.

— Helmut Jahn

I think the younger generation, the people poised to dominate the workforce, are more socially conscious. They are more demanding in terms…

— Helmut Jahn

Sometimes I have to accept a job I don't really want. Hardly anybody comes up to you with a commission; it's all…

— Helmut Jahn

Working is actually a pleasure. It's just very time-consuming. It's a way of life. I find that I can work when I…

— Helmut Jahn

I wanted to improve the suburban office building; to create a great urban space in a suburban environment with all that implies…

— Helmut Jahn

I used to buy nice clothes and drive a nice car when I couldn't afford it. But I spent all my money…

— Helmut Jahn

When I work, I work very hard. When I don't work, I have to do something where my endeavor can totally take…

— Helmut Jahn

Transparency is not the same as looking straight through a building: it's not just a physical idea, it's also an intellectual one.

— Helmut Jahn

IBM has a very solid business image.

— Helmut Jahn

Critics are entitled to have an opinion, but how can they judge how comfortable a building is? No critic is smart enough…

— Helmut Jahn

Most architects say: I want to use this type of glass, even if it's too reflective or doesn't let enough light in.…

— Helmut Jahn

I strive for an architecture from which nothing can be taken away.

— Helmut Jahn

It's my goal to make a building as immaterial as possible. Architecture is a very material thing. It takes a lot of…

— Helmut Jahn

A building is hard to judge. It takes many years to find out whether it works. It's not as simple as asking…

— Helmut Jahn

German and English firms operate internationally, while French firms do not. The only place where they all have work is in China.…

— Helmut Jahn