--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conventional histories of architecture…" description: "\"“Conventional histories of architecture talk about style, and the uniqueness of buildings as though they are art objects, like paintings, independent o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/wade-graham-81477_architecture_conventional-histories-of-architecture-t_2589985.jpg" --- # Conventional histories of architecture talk about style… ![“Conventional histories of architecture talk about style, and the uniqueness of buildings as though they are art objects, like paintings, independent of their context. But cities are all context, made up not simply of buildings but of assemblies of forms and the spaces and relationships between…” quote by Wade Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/wade-graham-81477_architecture_conventional-histories-of-architecture-t_2589985.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/wade-graham-81477_architecture_conventional-histories-of-architecture-t_2589985.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/wade-graham-81477_architecture_conventional-histories-of-architecture-t_2589985.jpg) > ““Conventional histories of architecture talk about style, and the uniqueness of buildings as though they are art objects, like paintings, independent of their context. But cities are all context, made up not simply of buildings but of assemblies of forms and the spaces and relationships between them, and between this built environment and us.”” [Wade Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-graham/) ## 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 be seen in its urban context, not as isolated art objects; buildings interact with surrounding forms and people. **In simple terms:** Buildings are part of a larger urban fabric. Key Takeaway Consider context when evaluating design. Themes architecture urbanism context relationships Mood thoughtful analytical Type architectural educational When to use this quote - city planning - heritage preservation - community engagement Key Concepts spatial theory environmental psychology design theory Questions to Reflect On - How does a building shape community life? - What role does context play in design success? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on style can ignore social impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Buildings Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buildings-art-1852690/) [Cities Context](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities-context-1852689/) [Context Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/context-cities-1852691/) [Histories Architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/histories-architecture-1852687/) [Uniqueness Buildings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uniqueness-buildings-1852688/) ## Related quotes > [Recycling old buildings to show art is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-gund/recycling-old-buildings-to-show-art-is-very-important/) [Agnes Gund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-gund/) > [I might have companies, I might have buildings, I might have art. But money? 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Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [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/) > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. 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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 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/) ## More by Wade Graham > [“cities feel disjointed and complex—they can be read as layers recording change over time as traces,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wade-graham/cities-feel-disjointed-and-complex-they-can-be-read-as-layers/) [Wade Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-graham/) > [“It is a curious phenomenon: as we advance, we reach backward in time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wade-graham/it-is-a-curious-phenomenon-as-we-advance-we-reach-backward-in-time/) [Wade Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-graham/) [Explore all 3 Wade Graham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-graham/) ## 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. 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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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