Big cities Quote by Ma Yansong
“The difficulty with big cities does not lie in skyscrapers or high-rises per se; rather, it is the values concealed within those buildings which lead to the loss of our humanity and our sense of spiritual emptiness.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Architectural conference, 2015, Beijing
The loss of humanity in big cities stems from hidden values in skyscrapers, leading to spiritual emptiness rather than the buildings themselves.
In simple terms: Values hidden in tall buildings cause spiritual emptiness.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate humane values in urban design.
Themes
urbanization
humanity
spirituality
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- city planning
- community building
- personal well‑being
- cultural preservation
Key Concepts
values
architecture
social impact
Questions to Reflect On
- What values are missing in your city?
- How can design restore spiritual health?
A Different Perspective
Focusing only on architecture ignores economic and political factors.
![“One thing that's really interesting is not only the magnitude of the recent immigration into this country, but also its distribution and its investment in the country. About 9.3 percent of the population is now foreign-born [announced by the Census Bureau at over 10 percent a few days later]…” quote by Kenneth Prewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1ec/kenneth-prewitt-70686_big-cities_one-thing-that-s-really-interesting-is-n_122203.jpg)
