--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For Kips Bay, I had a wonderful client…" description: "\"For Kips Bay, I had a wonderful client, William Zeckendorf, who was willing to gamble with me on using concrete and not brick for a high-rise apartment..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb4/i-m-pei-21076_apartment_for-kips-bay-i-had-a-wonderful-client-wi_2885562.png" --- # For Kips Bay, I had a wonderful client, William… ![“For Kips Bay, I had a wonderful client, William Zeckendorf, who was willing to gamble with me on using concrete and not brick for a high-rise apartment building. That was very innovative at the time.” quote by I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb4/i-m-pei-21076_apartment_for-kips-bay-i-had-a-wonderful-client-wi_2885562.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb4/i-m-pei-21076_apartment_for-kips-bay-i-had-a-wonderful-client-wi_2885562.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb4/i-m-pei-21076_apartment_for-kips-bay-i-had-a-wonderful-client-wi_2885562.png) > “For Kips Bay, I had a wonderful client, William Zeckendorf, who was willing to gamble with me on using concrete and not brick for a high-rise apartment building. That was very innovative at the time.” [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing concrete over brick for a high‑rise was a bold, innovative gamble that reshaped modern architecture. **In simple terms:** Innovative material choices transform design. Key Takeaway Embrace bold material experiments. Themes architecture innovation material risk urban development Mood visionary analytical Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - Skyscraper design - construction - urban planning Key Concepts Structural modernism design risk Questions to Reflect On - What material risks could redefine your field? - How do you evaluate innovative gambles? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to functional issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apartment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartment/) [Bricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bricks/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Building Innovative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-innovative-1710065/) [Client William](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/client-william-4023845/) [Clients](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clients/) [Concrete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concrete/) [Concrete Brick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concrete-brick-4023848/) [Gamble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gamble/) [Innovative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovative/) [Willing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Wonderful Client](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful-client-4023847/) [Zeckendorf Willing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zeckendorf-willing-4023846/) ## Related quotes > [“But I'm also strong enough to break through just about anything," I tell them, "and without even injuring myself. Concrete. Brick. Glass-" "The earth,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/but-i-m-also-strong-enough-to-break-through-just-about-anything-i/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [Because over and over again, the times that I've done really good things is because I've had a wonderful client of some kind, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-halprin/because-over-and-over-again-the-times-that-i-ve-done-really-good/) [Lawrence Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-halprin/) > [Our collaboration in building innovative technologies will support the Make in India vision of the Indian government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-flannery/our-collaboration-in-building-innovative-technologies-will-support/) [John L. Flannery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-flannery/) > [Marriage is a gamble, let's be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/marriage-is-a-gamble-let-s-be-honest/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Life is a gamble. if you win ure lucky, but if you lose , you lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/space-man/life-is-a-gamble-if-you-win-ure-lucky-but-if-you-lose-you-lose/) [Space\_man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/space-man/) > [You cannot beat a roulette table unless you steal money from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-cannot-beat-a-roulette-table-unless-you-steal-money-from-it/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [When you take high risks, the rewards are higher. So sometimes I'll gamble just to see what happens. If it doesn't work, I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-braxton/when-you-take-high-risks-the-rewards-are-higher-so-sometimes-i-ll/) [Toni Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-braxton/) > [When you're in the back of the pack, you can gamble a little bit more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-andretti/when-you-re-in-the-back-of-the-pack-you-can-gamble-a-little-bit-more/) [Michael Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-andretti/) > [Gambles are the most fun because it's part of being an actor or being a creative person. It's risky only in the vulnerable sense.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/gambles-are-the-most-fun-because-it-s-part-of-being-an-actor-or-being/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [Life is a gamble better check the point spread and when life sucks, I just enjoy the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/life-is-a-gamble-better-check-the-point-spread-and-when-life-sucks-i/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Life is a Gamble sometimes you won something and sometimes others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udayveer-singh/life-is-a-gamble-sometimes-you-won-something-and-sometimes-others/) [Udayveer Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udayveer-singh/) > [I don't play golf competitively. I tell everybody that I cheat so they won't gamble with me. That's why you can't watch football. Everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-don-t-play-golf-competitively-i-tell-everybody-that-i-cheat-so-they/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [ \[Motherhood is\] the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It's huge and scary-it's an act of infinite optimism. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/motherhood-is-the-biggest-gamble-in-the-world-it-is-the-glorious-life/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [Then they're like addicts; they can't help themselves... They will steal, cheat, embezzle and commit other crimes just to get money to gamble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-warren-kindt/then-they-re-like-addicts-they-can-t-help-themselves-they-will-steal/) [John Warren Kindt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-warren-kindt/) > [The planet's survival has become so uncertain that any effort, any thought that presupposes an assured future amounts to a mad gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-planet-s-survival-has-become-so-uncertain-that-any-effort-any/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) ## More by I. M. Pei > [My projects have typically taken a long time to complete. Buildings might take on average about five to seven years to finish, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/my-projects-have-typically-taken-a-long-time-to-complete-buildings/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [ When I got the opportunity to do the new wing \[the Schauhaus\] for the German Historical Museum, for instance, I didn't see it as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/when-i-got-the-opportunity-to-do-the-new-wing-the-schauhaus-for-the/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-believe-that-architecture-is-a-pragmatic-art-to-become-art-it-must/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Let's do it right. This is for the ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/let-s-do-it-right-this-is-for-the-ages/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Qatar does not have much history, it's a new emirate. So I couldn't draw on the history of the country; its history is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/qatar-does-not-have-much-history-it-s-a-new-emirate-so-i-couldn-t/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I didn't want to think about a project that I couldn't finish. That's a kind of temptation. One has to realize one's limitations. Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-didn-t-want-to-think-about-a-project-that-i-couldn-t-finish-that-s/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/contemporary-architects-tend-to-impose-modernity-on-something-there/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [You cannot defend your design without knowing what you're designing for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/you-cannot-defend-your-design-without-knowing-what-you-re-designing/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I was born in Suzhou, a city not very far from Shanghai. It's a very interesting town - there is a long artist's tradition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-was-born-in-suzhou-a-city-not-very-far-from-shanghai-it-s-a-very/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Architecture is the very mirror of life.You only have to cast your eyes on buildings to feel the presence of the past, the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/architecture-is-the-very-mirror-of-life-you-only-have-to-cast-your/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Great artists need great clients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/great-artists-need-great-clients/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I've been active all my life. In 1990 I retired from my firm, I.M. Pei & Partners, and for two years I didn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-ve-been-active-all-my-life-in-1990-i-retired-from-my-firm-i-m-pei/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [At home, I have a wife, fortunately, and my children are all grown, and I have many grandchildren. I spend weekends with my grandchildren;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/at-home-i-have-a-wife-fortunately-and-my-children-are-all-grown-and-i/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [I haven't taken any new projects in the past years - I told myself, if I cannot live long enough to finish it, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/i-haven-t-taken-any-new-projects-in-the-past-years-i-told-myself-if-i/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) > [Success is a collection of problems solved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-m-pei/success-is-a-collection-of-problems-solved/) [I. M. Pei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) [Explore all 30 I. M. Pei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-m-pei/) ## More Apartment quotes > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [When they started to drain a swamp where birds and fish had lived, for a new housing development down the road from his apartment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maile-meloy/when-they-started-to-drain-a-swamp-where-birds-and-fish-had-lived-for/) [Maile Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maile-meloy/) > [I've always been a late bloomer in some ways, and extremely precocious in other ways. 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What do I have to sell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-zukin/every-new-yorker-spends-a-certain-amount-of-nervous-energy-thinking/) [Sharon Zukin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-zukin/) > [Most of my work is, I get an idea, and, with the help of Wikipedia, I can write. I don't have to leave my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rich/most-of-my-work-is-i-get-an-idea-and-with-the-help-of-wikipedia-i-can/) [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) > [Science and art may invent splendid modes of illuminating the apartments of the opulent; but these are all poor and worthless compared with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/science-and-art-may-invent-splendid-modes-of-illuminating-the/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [About 25 years ago, I was in an apartment, and next door, they put on the radio, so I struck the wall with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaus-kinski/about-25-years-ago-i-was-in-an-apartment-and-next-door-they-put-on/) [Klaus Kinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaus-kinski/) > [I don't think taste is about money. As your career develops, you're able to decide what to spend your money on. I live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-finch/i-don-t-think-taste-is-about-money-as-your-career-develops-you-re/) [Charles Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-finch/) > [ My father would never have come to visit, he detested Eva's \[Braun\] choice in a man and the fact \[Adolf\] Hitler had set her… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretl-braun/my-father-would-never-have-come-to-visit-he-detested-eva-s-braun/) [Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretl-braun/) > [He had one uniform practice, and a very bad one it was, during the time of family worship, and just three or four seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hogg/he-had-one-uniform-practice-and-a-very-bad-one-it-was-during-the-time/) [James Hogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hogg/) > [No birth certificate is issued when friendship is born. There is nothing tangible. 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