--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Knowing how to do things not just with…" description: "\"Knowing how to do things not just with the head, but with the hands as well: this might seem a programmatic and ideological goal. It is not. It is a wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/renzo-piano-15794_creative_knowing-how-to-do-things-not-just-with-t_1277327.jpg" --- # Knowing how to do things not just with the head, but with… ![“Knowing how to do things not just with the head, but with the hands as well: this might seem a programmatic and ideological goal. It is not. It is a way of safeguarding creative freedom.” quote by Renzo Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/renzo-piano-15794_creative_knowing-how-to-do-things-not-just-with-t_1277327.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/renzo-piano-15794_creative_knowing-how-to-do-things-not-just-with-t_1277327.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/renzo-piano-15794_creative_knowing-how-to-do-things-not-just-with-t_1277327.jpg) > “Knowing how to do things not just with the head, but with the hands as well: this might seem a programmatic and ideological goal. It is not. It is a way of safeguarding creative freedom.” [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. Advocates hands‑on making as essential for preserving creative freedom, not just an ideological stance. **In simple terms:** Hands‑on work protects creativity. Key Takeaway Engage physically with your craft. Themes design creativity craftsmanship Mood inspirational practical Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - architectural studio - product prototyping - artisanal workshops - design education Key Concepts tactile practice creative autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How does manual work inspire new ideas? - When should you prioritize hands‑on methods? A Different Perspective Purely theoretical approaches may limit innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-freedom/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) ## Related quotes > [You don't know what it is to stay a whole day with your head in your hands trying to squeeze your unfortunate brain so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-know-what-it-is-to-stay-a-whole-day-with-your-head-in-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But how will I eat cake if my head is over there, and my hands are over here?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoinette/but-how-will-i-eat-cake-if-my-head-is-over-there-and-my-hands-are/) [Marie Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoinette/) > [I hope to grow another head and two more hands, like an Indian goddess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bibhu-mohapatra/i-hope-to-grow-another-head-and-two-more-hands-like-an-indian-goddess/) [Bibhu Mohapatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bibhu-mohapatra/) > [The stars are yours, if you have the head, the hands, and the heart for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-stars-are-yours-if-you-have-the-head-the-hands-and-the-heart-for/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“#286. "The mediator of the head and the hands must be the heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metropolis-1927/286-the-mediator-of-the-head-and-the-hands-must-be-the-heart/) Metropolis 1927 > [When I put my head in my hands after missing a chance, that annoys the coaches a little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-giroud/when-i-put-my-head-in-my-hands-after-missing-a-chance-that-annoys-the/) [Olivier Giroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-giroud/) > [A man is not paid for having a head and hands, but for using them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/a-man-is-not-paid-for-having-a-head-and-hands-but-for-using-them/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [I can sit there for ages, with my head in my hands. It's mostly out of being criticised, because then I don't feel worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-evans/i-can-sit-there-for-ages-with-my-head-in-my-hands-it-s-mostly-out-of/) [Lee Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-evans/) > [Remember, you fly an airplane with you head, not your hands and feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bevo-howard/remember-you-fly-an-airplane-with-you-head-not-your-hands-and-feet/) Bevo Howard > [He wanted head and hands and arms on a pillow - in many different positions. 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Each generation must safeguard it and extend it. Your parents and elders sacrificed much so that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/freedom-can-never-be-taken-for-granted-each-generation-must-safeguard/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I think anybody in our - in the, in the national security apparatus has, has got to take full cognizance of their responsibility for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mullen/i-think-anybody-in-our-in-the-in-the-national-security-apparatus-has/) [Michael Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mullen/) > [There is one lesson from the past, in particular, that we cannot afford to ignore: You cannot make progress on gender equality or broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/there-is-one-lesson-from-the-past-in-particular-that-we-cannot-afford/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) ## 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/) > [In a way I spend my entire life stealing from everything - from the past, from cities I love, from where I grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-piano/in-a-way-i-spend-my-entire-life-stealing-from-everything-from-the/) [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/) [Explore all 42 Renzo Piano quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-piano/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Knowing how to do things not just with the head, but with the hands as well: this might seem a programmatic and ideological goal. It is not. 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