Helmut Jahn Quotes

33 quotes in 456 categories

• Every building is a prototype. No two are alike.
• Sometimes I have to accept a job I don't really want. Hardly anybody comes up to you with a commission; it's all competitions these days.
• It's my goal to make a building as immaterial as possible. Architecture is a very material thing. It takes a lot of resources, so why…
• America has always imported history.
• I strive for an architecture from which nothing can be taken away.
• A building is hard to judge. It takes many years to find out whether it works. It's not as simple as asking the people in…
• You'd never think of taking a cab if you had to walk a mile down Chicago's Michigan Avenue. But in a bad city you take…
• When I came to America in the '60s, it was the place to be. I wonder if I'd come here today.
• Critics are entitled to have an opinion, but how can they judge how comfortable a building is? No critic is smart enough to judge how…
• I wanted to improve the suburban office building; to create a great urban space in a suburban environment with all that implies about interaction, collaboration…
• I've never looked at a suburban building as being a minor building and an urban building as being a major building.
• In Europe, architects consider themselves artists. They think they're special when they win a competition.
• Most architects say: I want to use this type of glass, even if it's too reflective or doesn't let enough light in. However, the use…
• The American attitude towards efficiency and execution should always underlie architecture.
• We are creating a unique experience. It's starts with how you see the building from a distance.
• We prefer synthetic rather than natural materials. Natural products are almost too valuable. Wood is much harder to produce than metal. And metal is recyclable,…
• Chinese buildings are like American buildings, with big footprints. People don't care about daylight or fresh air.
• For me, drawing generates thinking and vice versa.
• German and English firms operate internationally, while French firms do not. The only place where they all have work is in China. Anybody can sell…
• When I think of some of my earlier work, it really seems a fortunate coincidence that I succeeded.

Browse Helmut Jahn Quotes by Category