Certain Quote by David Adjaye
![“In a way, going to Africa allowed me to see possibilities that sometimes seem impossible in certain conditions. It also allowed me to see opportunities for material strategies. I hate it when people think I went and got something [from Africa] and brought it here. It's more about how it affects…” quote by David Adjaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9a6/david-adjaye-31851_certain_in-a-way-going-to-africa-allowed-me-to-s_2324863.jpg)
“In a way, going to Africa allowed me to see possibilities that sometimes seem impossible in certain conditions. It also allowed me to see opportunities for material strategies. I hate it when people think I went and got something [from Africa] and brought it here. It's more about how it affects the way in which I work and affects [my] creativity.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Architectural Digest, 2020
Experiencing a new continent expands creative horizons and informs strategic thinking, beyond material expectations.
In simple terms: Travel broadens creative and strategic perspective.
Key Takeaway
Leverage diverse experiences to enrich work.
Themes
creativity
strategy
travel
culture
perception
Mood
inspired
reflective
Type
insightful
motivational
When to use this quote
- design projects
- business strategy
- personal growth
- team brainstorming
Key Concepts
cognitive flexibility
cross‑cultural insight
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you translate cultural insights into actionable designs?
- What biases might limit your interpretation of new environments?
A Different Perspective
Ideas may be idealized; practical implementation can be constrained by resources.
![“What I resist is techniques. I find techniques very problematic. So when critics talk about my work in those terms, I find that they miss the condition. I am comfortable with the notion of pattern and ornament as a system of organization, [but] for me it acts as a textile. So it's not about…” quote by David Adjaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a0f/david-adjaye-31851_architecture_what-i-resist-is-techniques-i-find-techn_804486.jpg)
![“The houses [my first project in London] were reactions to the condition of the city and my frustrations with the norms that were being played out. In a way they were slightly subconscious but reactions to that condition and a way to posit new possibilities within certain pervasive norms.” quote by David Adjaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f91/david-adjaye-31851_being-played_the-houses-my-first-project-in-london-we_1036091.jpg)
![“The thing about architecture is that it's an art [you] simply learn more by doing more. It's one of those things that is really not an art about thinking, but doing. So in a way, what it has done is greatly intensify the way that I build.” quote by David Adjaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/62a/david-adjaye-31851_architecture_the-thing-about-architecture-is-that-it_1730140.jpg)
