--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a way I spend my entire life stealing…" description: "\"In a way I spend my entire life stealing from everything - from the past, from cities I love, from where I grew up - grabbing things, taking not only f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b30/renzo-piano-15794_architecture_in-a-way-i-spend-my-entire-life-stealing_166468.jpg" --- # In a way I spend my entire life stealing from everything… ![“In a way I spend my entire life stealing from everything - from the past, from cities I love, from where I grew up - grabbing things, taking not only from architecture but from Italy, art, writing, poetry, music.” quote by Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b30/renzo-piano-15794_architecture_in-a-way-i-spend-my-entire-life-stealing_166468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b30/renzo-piano-15794_architecture_in-a-way-i-spend-my-entire-life-stealing_166468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b30/renzo-piano-15794_architecture_in-a-way-i-spend-my-entire-life-stealing_166468.jpg) > “In a way I spend my entire life stealing from everything - from the past, from cities I love, from where I grew up - grabbing things, taking not only from architecture but from Italy, art, writing, poetry, music.” [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes a lifelong practice of borrowing from cultural and artistic sources, turning personal history into creative inspiration. **In simple terms:** Stealing ideas fuels creativity. Key Takeaway Embrace influences to enrich your work. Themes creativity heritage inspiration Mood inspired curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - architecture - writing - music composition - personal storytelling Key Concepts cultural appropriation ethical borrowing artistic synthesis Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor original creators? - When does inspiration become appropriation? A Different Perspective Borrowing can raise ethical concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Entire life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-poetry/) ## Related quotes > [“But I needed this, Whit. I needed to pay him back. For stealing my life. For stealing our life together. - Celia”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/but-i-needed-this-whit-i-needed-to-pay-him-back-for-stealing-my-life/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [I have committed many sins in my life. But stealing money from the government, from the people, is not one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-marcos/i-have-committed-many-sins-in-my-life-but-stealing-money-from-the/) [Ferdinand Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-marcos/) > [What a brutish master sin is, taking the joy from one's life, stealing money and health, giving promise of tomorrow's pleasures, and finally leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-elliot/what-a-brutish-master-sin-is-taking-the-joy-from-one-s-life-stealing/) [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) > [“There’s only ever been one person I’ve looked at and thought… ‘I could quite easily spend the entire rest of my life with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranata-suzuki/there-s-only-ever-been-one-person-i-ve-looked-at-and-thought-i-could/) [Ranata Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranata-suzuki/) > [You spend your entire life becoming God and then you die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-spend-your-entire-life-becoming-god-and-then-you-die/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Even if I spend the entire day with you, I still miss you the second you leave...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-if-i-spend-the-entire-day-with-you-i-still-miss-you-the-second/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“IF YOU DON'T GO AFTER WHAT YOU WANT; YOU COULD SPEND YOUR ENTIRE LIFE SETTLING FOR WHAT YOU CAN GET”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-stegall/if-you-don-t-go-after-what-you-want-you-could-spend-your-entire-life/) Mo Stegall > [Making of poetry, music, dance and art as culture-making in the service of nation-making. You can find writings that make that purpose for art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcmorris/making-of-poetry-music-dance-and-art-as-culture-making-in-the-service/) [Mark McMorris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcmorris/) > [Ultimately I have learned more about poetry, from music and magic than from literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-broughton/ultimately-i-have-learned-more-about-poetry-from-music-and-magic-than/) [James Broughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-broughton/) > [I love poetry, be it in music or be it in Andrei Tarkovsky, Francesca Woodman or anyone else, I just love poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graciela-iturbide/i-love-poetry-be-it-in-music-or-be-it-in-andrei-tarkovsky-francesca/) [Graciela Iturbide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graciela-iturbide/) > [The fine arts are five in number, namely: painting, sculpture, poetry, music, and architecture, the principal branch of the latter being pastry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoine-careme/the-fine-arts-are-five-in-number-namely-painting-sculpture-poetry/) [Marie-Antoine Careme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoine-careme/) > [We may live without poetry, music and art; We may live without conscience, and live without heart; We may live without friends; we may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-may-live-without-poetry-music-and-art-we-may-live-without/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the most important differences I see between prose and poetry is the music of the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pattiann-rogers/one-of-the-most-important-differences-i-see-between-prose-and-poetry/) [Pattiann Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pattiann-rogers/) > [Poetry is the music of the soul, and, above all, of great and feeling souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/poetry-is-the-music-of-the-soul-and-above-all-of-great-and-feeling/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Poetry is the music of the soul”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-ghossein/poetry-is-the-music-of-the-soul/) Jana Ghossein ## More by Renzo Piano > [When you design a building, you start from a general philosophy, and you come down, and you start from detail and come up. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/when-you-design-a-building-you-start-from-a-general-philosophy-and/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [I came to architecture from building. Because my father was a builder, everybody was - and is - a builder in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/i-came-to-architecture-from-building-because-my-father-was-a-builder/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [There is something about giving everything to your profession. In Italian, an obsession is not necessarily negative. Its the art of putting all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/there-is-something-about-giving-everything-to-your-profession-in/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [Every year I spend one month just sailing, but I still work when I'm on the boat. You never separate work from leisure. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/every-year-i-spend-one-month-just-sailing-but-i-still-work-when-i-m/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [In architecture you should live for 150 years, because you have to learn in the first 75 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/in-architecture-you-should-live-for-150-years-because-you-have-to/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [I think people should try to teach young children that these qualities - stubbornness and a capacity to listen - might look like they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/i-think-people-should-try-to-teach-young-children-that-these/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [My inspiration came from the land, ... and, of course, from Paul Klee . . . and the poetics of his paintings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/my-inspiration-came-from-the-land-and-of-course-from-paul-klee-and/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [When a man is not satisfied with a house where he lives, he becomes an architect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/when-a-man-is-not-satisfied-with-a-house-where-he-lives-he-becomes-an/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [If you have total freedom, then you are in trouble. It's much better when you have some obligation, some discipline, some rules. When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/if-you-have-total-freedom-then-you-are-in-trouble-it-s-much-better/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [You can put down a bad book; you can avoid listening to bad music; but you cannot miss the ugly tower block opposite your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/you-can-put-down-a-bad-book-you-can-avoid-listening-to-bad-music-but/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [Architects have to dream, we have to search for our Atlantises, to be explorers, adventurers, and yet to build responsibly and well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/architects-have-to-dream-we-have-to-search-for-our-atlantises-to-be/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [There is something about giving everything to your profession. In Italian, an obsession is not necessarily negative. It's the art of putting all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/there-is-something-about-giving-everything-to-your-profession-in-2/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [When you walk 25-30 feet above ground, it is a miracle, because you are still in the city ... but you are flying above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/when-you-walk-25-30-feet-above-ground-it-is-a-miracle-because-you-are/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [One of the great beauties of architecture is that each time, it is like life starting all over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/one-of-the-great-beauties-of-architecture-is-that-each-time-it-is/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) > [Light has not just intensity, but also a vibration, which is capable of roughening a smooth material, of giving a three-dimensional quality to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/light-has-not-just-intensity-but-also-a-vibration-which-is-capable-of/) [Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) [Explore all 42 Renzo Piano quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) ## More Architecture quotes > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [The Parthenon is really only a farmyard over which someone put a roof; colonades and sculptures were added because there were people in Athens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-parthenon-is-really-only-a-farmyard-over-which-someone-put-a-roof/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [When I am asked what I believe in, I say that I believe in architecture. Architecture is the mother of the arts. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-meier/when-i-am-asked-what-i-believe-in-i-say-that-i-believe-in/) [Richard Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-meier/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [London, from the architecture to the culture to the fashion to the accents, feels like it's a special place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/london-from-the-architecture-to-the-culture-to-the-fashion-to-the/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [Architecture is not a profession for the faint-hearted, the weak-willed, or the short-lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-filler/architecture-is-not-a-profession-for-the-faint-hearted-the-weak/) [Martin Filler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-filler/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Winning a competition in architecture is a ticket to oblivion. 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