Joy

Somehow joy was in every ingredients in our making.

When the world was an ooze, without any shape or direction,

there must have been this force of joy that prevailed everywhere

and that was reaching out to express.

And somehow the word joy became the most unmeasurable word.

It was the essence of creativity, the force of creativity.

I realize that if I were a painter about to paint a great catastrophe,

I could not put the first stroke on canvas without thinking of joy in doing it.

You cannot make a building unless you are joyously engaged.

by Louis Kahn

Unless You Do

Nothing will work unless you do.

Maya Angelou

The Best Are Like Water

The best are like water.

Water benefits all things and does not compete with them.

It flows to the lowest level that people disdain.

In this it comes near to the Way.

In their dwellings, they love the earth.

In their hearts, they love what is profound.

In their friendship, they love humanity.

In their words, they love sincerity.

In government, they love peace.

In business, they love ability.

In their actions, they love timeliness.

It is because they do not compete

that there is no resentment.

taken from:

Dao De Jing

Chapter 8

Quote of the day

If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere.

Marilyn Monroe

Atmosphere

Quality in architecture does not – not to me anyway – mean inclusion in architectural guides or histories of architecture or getting my work into this or that publication. Quality architecture to me is when a building manages to move me. What on earth is it that moves me? How can I get into my own work? How could I design something like the room in that photograph – one of my favorite icons, a building I have never seen, in fact I think it no longer exists – a building I just love looking at. How do people design things with such a beautiful, natural presence, things that move me every single time.

One word for it is atmosphere. This is something we all know about. Our first impression of a person. What I learned was: don’t trust it – give the guy a chance. Years passed. I got a bit older. And I have to admit that I’m back to believing in first impressions. It’s a bit like that with architecture, too.

I enter a building, see a room, and – in the fraction of a second – have this feeling about it.

taken from:

Atmosphere

by Peter Zumthor

Being A Female Architect

"If you are tough, they tell you you are too tough. If you are not tough, you are too soft. and if you are not that you are a pushy. Every pejorative description on earth is pasted on you... Architecture is a great profession. It is also immensely demanding. But i do think it should be possible for women to survive in it without it finishing them.

"I never thought of myself as a role model... Because it is shocking how in this modern time, it is still very difficult to be a female working in architecture... In all the times I have taught, some of my best students were women. But outside of their schools, it is very difficult for women... A lot of women are part of a team, and even if the woman is the lead person, they are always seen as the second fiddle, no matter how good they are."

Zaha Hadid

Relativity and Not Interfering

When the people of the world all know beauty as beauty,

there arises the recognition of ugliness.

When they all know the good as good,

there arises the recognition of bad.

Therefore being and non-being produce each other;

difficult and easy complete each other;

long and short contrast each other;

high and low distinguish each other;

sound and voice harmonize with each other;

beginning and end follow each other.

Therefore the wise manage affairs without interfering

and teach beyond the words.

All things rise, and they do not turn away from them.

They give them life, but do not take possession of them.

They act, but do not rely on their own ability.

They accomplish, but claim no credit.

Because they claim no credit,

their accomplishment remains with them.

taken from:

Dao De Jing

Chapter 2