--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I fought violently for the autonomy of…" description: "\"I fought violently for the autonomy of architecture. It's a very passive, weak profession where people deliver a service. You want a blue door, you get..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/thom-mayne-12101_a-good-thing_i-fought-violently-for-the-autonomy-of-a_1382579.jpg" --- # I fought violently for the autonomy of architecture. It's… ![“I fought violently for the autonomy of architecture. It's a very passive, weak profession where people deliver a service. You want a blue door, you get a blue door. You want it to look neo-Spanish, you get neo-Spanish. Architecture with any authenticity represents resistance. Resistance is a good…” quote by Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/thom-mayne-12101_a-good-thing_i-fought-violently-for-the-autonomy-of-a_1382579.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/thom-mayne-12101_a-good-thing_i-fought-violently-for-the-autonomy-of-a_1382579.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/thom-mayne-12101_a-good-thing_i-fought-violently-for-the-autonomy-of-a_1382579.jpg) > “I fought violently for the autonomy of architecture. It's a very passive, weak profession where people deliver a service. You want a blue door, you get a blue door. You want it to look neo-Spanish, you get neo-Spanish. Architecture with any authenticity represents resistance. Resistance is a good thing.” [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Architecture should challenge passive service, embody resistance and authenticity rather than merely fulfilling client wishes. **In simple terms:** Architecture must be authentic and resistant, not just a service. Key Takeaway Design with purpose, resist conformity. Themes architecture authenticity resistance design profession Mood defiant critical inspirational Type philosophical provocative When to use this quote - urban planning - client negotiations - public installations - educational curricula Key Concepts critical theory social impact creative autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How can architects balance authenticity with client expectations? - What structures of resistance are most effective in design? A Different Perspective Resistance may conflict with client demands and budget constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) [Authenticity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authenticity/) [Autonomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autonomy/) [Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) ## Related quotes > [The obscure only exists that it may cease to exist. In it lies the opportunity of all victory and all progress. Whether it call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/the-obscure-only-exists-that-it-may-cease-to-exist-in-it-lies-the/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [“Resistance is directly proportional to love. If you're feeling massive Resistance, the good news is that it means there's tremendous love there too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/resistance-is-directly-proportional-to-love-if-you-re-feeling-massive-2/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Too many girls follow the line of least resistance, but a good line is hard to resist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/too-many-girls-follow-the-line-of-least-resistance-but-a-good-line-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People defend nothing more violently than the pretenses they live by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-drury/people-defend-nothing-more-violently-than-the-pretenses-they-live-by/) [Allen Drury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-drury/) > [There is no longer a way out of our present situation except by forging a road toward our objective, violently and by force, over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gamal-abdel-nasser/there-is-no-longer-a-way-out-of-our-present-situation-except-by/) [Gamal Abdel Nasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gamal-abdel-nasser/) > [The measures and acts which show us violently disposed towards the outer world can never stay without a violent reaction on ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/the-measures-and-acts-which-show-us-violently-disposed-towards-the/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [When you loot or behave violently, you give grounds to those that try to justify illegal police abuse. You become the poster child for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/when-you-loot-or-behave-violently-you-give-grounds-to-those-that-try/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [My motto now is either you love or you hate and you must do so violently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-motto-now-is-either-you-love-or-you-hate-and-you-must-do-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In nature things move violently to their place, and calmly in their place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/in-nature-things-move-violently-to-their-place-and-calmly-in-their/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“What you love too violently finishes by killing you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/what-you-love-too-violently-finishes-by-killing-you/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [“Things keep coming around and around in this world, it’s all crammed violently together, two parts of the same skin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/things-keep-coming-around-and-around-in-this-world-it-s-all-crammed/) [Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/) > [“Accidents ambush the unsuspecting, often violently, just like love. It”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/accidents-ambush-the-unsuspecting-often-violently-just-like-love-it/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) > [“The Rabbit started violently, dropped the white kid gloves and the fan, and scurried away into the darkness as hard as he could go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-rabbit-started-violently-dropped-the-white-kid-gloves-and-the-fan/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Should I act violently in defense of my religion, absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/should-i-act-violently-in-defense-of-my-religion-absolutely/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [I feel like I have to move violently once a day, or I'll lose my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/i-feel-like-i-have-to-move-violently-once-a-day-or-i-ll-lose-my-mind/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) ## More by Thom Mayne > [I think all good architecture should challenge you, make you start asking questions. You don't have to understand it. You may not like it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/i-think-all-good-architecture-should-challenge-you-make-you-start/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [The multiplicity of ideas is what I'm interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/the-multiplicity-of-ideas-is-what-i-m-interested-in/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [I've been such an outsider my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/i-ve-been-such-an-outsider-my-whole-life/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [For me the meaning of my work is much more fluid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/for-me-the-meaning-of-my-work-is-much-more-fluid/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [The multiplicity of ideas is what Im interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/the-multiplicity-of-ideas-is-what-im-interested-in/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [There is no modern prototype for a campus. You have to have a completely different model which has to do with transparency and exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/there-is-no-modern-prototype-for-a-campus-you-have-to-have-a/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [Architecture is a negotiated art, and it's highly political, and if you want to make buildings, there is diplomacy required.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/architecture-is-a-negotiated-art-and-it-s-highly-political-and-if-you/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [We're producing spaces that accommodate human activity. And what I'm interested in is not the styling of that, but the relationship of that as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/we-re-producing-spaces-that-accommodate-human-activity-and-what-i-m/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [No matter what I've done, what I've tried to do, everybody says it can't be done. And it's continuous across the complete spectrum of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/no-matter-what-i-ve-done-what-i-ve-tried-to-do-everybody-says-it-can/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [I'm not a tabula rasa type. In some ways, the more constraints I have, the work is more interesting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/i-m-not-a-tabula-rasa-type-in-some-ways-the-more-constraints-i-have/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [I lived in a state of rage from 12 to 20. Until college, I was beyond an outsider. I was a voyeur of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/i-lived-in-a-state-of-rage-from-12-to-20-until-college-i-was-beyond/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [I think a lot of people have the Frank Lloyd Wright model in their brains. The architect comes in with this act of creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/i-think-a-lot-of-people-have-the-frank-lloyd-wright-model-in-their/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [I think my clients would tell you I'm a problem solver. I'm not there to agree with people. I'm there to articulate a point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/i-think-my-clients-would-tell-you-i-m-a-problem-solver-i-m-not-there/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [Architecture is involved with the world, but at the same time it has a certain autonomy. This autonomy cannot be explained in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/architecture-is-involved-with-the-world-but-at-the-same-time-it-has-a/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) > [Large-scale public projects require the agreement of large numbers of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/large-scale-public-projects-require-the-agreement-of-large-numbers-of/) [Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) [Explore all 56 Thom Mayne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/) ## More A good thing quotes > [Knowledge is generally considered a good thing; so, presumably, knowing more about how the U.S. thinks and operates around the world is also good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/knowledge-is-generally-considered-a-good-thing-so-presumably-knowing/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Being authentic can be a good thing in that often people who are fixated on that are also fixated on having very high standards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-meyer/being-authentic-can-be-a-good-thing-in-that-often-people-who-are/) [Edgar Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-meyer/) > [Money is a good thing, but every morning you have to get up with something no one else in the world gets up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/money-is-a-good-thing-but-every-morning-you-have-to-get-up-with/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) > [I was raised that emotion was a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/i-was-raised-that-emotion-was-a-good-thing/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [When I had a full-time job, I really wasn't that busy, but now I'm really busy. I guess that's a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-moneymaker/when-i-had-a-full-time-job-i-really-wasn-t-that-busy-but-now-i-m/) [Chris Moneymaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-moneymaker/) > [It's flattering that there are lots of Internet fan sites about me. I'm a bit of a technophobe and I don't even own a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-armstrong/it-s-flattering-that-there-are-lots-of-internet-fan-sites-about-me-i/) [Jonas Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-armstrong/) > [I am not opposed to e-readers. Any technology that encourages the reading of literature is a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/i-am-not-opposed-to-e-readers-any-technology-that-encourages-the/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [I think about death all the time. I think that's a good thing because we're all going to die, and the only thing we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-think-about-death-all-the-time-i-think-that-s-a-good-thing-because/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [First, I was opposed to gay marriage because it seemed like one more way that gays were wanting to assimilate. When I realized the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/first-i-was-opposed-to-gay-marriage-because-it-seemed-like-one-more/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [Just because we're rid of Saddam and the evil Batthists doesn't mean the occupation is a good thing. Our salvation from Saddam was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muqtada-al-sadr/just-because-we-re-rid-of-saddam-and-the-evil-batthists-doesn-t-mean/) [Muqtada al Sadr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muqtada-al-sadr/) > [I love Florida Georgia Line. I love 'Round Here.' So if a fan wants to listen to that, and if a fan that wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-mccreery/i-love-florida-georgia-line-i-love-round-here-so-if-a-fan-wants-to/) [Scotty McCreery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-mccreery/) > [I keep threatening to write a non-fantasy book, and they keep offering me the kind of money I can't refuse to write a fantasy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/i-keep-threatening-to-write-a-non-fantasy-book-and-they-keep-offering/) [Raymond E. 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