Form follows profit is the aesthetic principle of our times.
Richard RogersRead
When I started out, nearly every architect I knew was working in public practice; that's where the radical thinking was done. But, there's always a danger of looking back as our fathers did and saying, 'Things were better then.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of innovation in architecture while cautioning against nostalgia for the past.
Richard Rogers reflects on his early career in architecture, highlighting that radical thinking predominantly occurred in public practice. He warns against longing for the past, noting that such a perspective can hinder progress and innovation, as each generation must forge its own path forward rather than idealizing previous eras.
Themes
ArchitectureInnovationNostalgiaProgressRadical Thinking
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the future of urban design, to illustrate the need for current innovation.
More from Richard Rogers
All quotes →I love cities, I spend most of my life talking about cities. And the design of cities does have an effect on your life. You're lucky if you can see trees out of your window and you have a square nearby, or a bar, a cornershop, a surgery. Then you're living well.
Richard RogersRead
A greater focus on design in all new homes would make the best use of land, create homes and public spaces, and reinforce the structures of urban life.
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My passion and great enjoyment for architecture, and the reason the older I get the more I enjoy it, is because I believe we - architects - can effect the quality of life of the people.
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The only way forward, if we are going to improve the quality of the environment, is to get everybody involved.
Richard RogersRead
Architecture is about public space held by buildings.
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