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Always Quote by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

“The problem of architecture has always been the same throughout time. Its authentic quality is reached through its proportions, and the proportions cost nothing. In fact, most of them are proportions among things, not the things themselves. Art is almost always a question of proportions.” quote by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
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“The problem of architecture has always been the same throughout time. Its authentic quality is reached through its proportions, and the proportions cost nothing. In fact, most of them are proportions among things, not the things themselves. Art is almost always a question of proportions.”

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

About This Quote

Source Book: Modern Architecture: A Critical History, 1977

Good design relies on balanced relationships; true quality emerges from proportion, not material cost.

In simple terms: Design quality comes from proportion, not expense.

Key Takeaway

Focus on proportion, not price.

Themes

design architecture proportion quality art

Mood

analytical reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • building design
  • urban planning
  • interior layout
  • product design
  • art criticism

Key Concepts

Aesthetic theory functionalism minimalism

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can proportion be balanced with user needs?
  • When does cost become a design driver?
A Different Perspective

Proportion alone cannot solve functional or cultural constraints.

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