David Chipperfield Quotes

The difference between good and bad architecture is the time you spend on it.

A building is no good if someone's got to explain to you why it's good. You can't say you don't know enough about architecture - that's ridiculous. It's got to work on many levels.

You don't restore 'The Last Supper' by filling in the missing bits - you preserve. You accept the material that has somehow survived.

I suppose I'm trying to build an architecture that's as timeless as possible, although we're all creatures of our age.

I may not be the most interesting architect, but I'm still out there and have maintained some position of integrity.

Most architects work in ­studios largely divorced from academia, as if ideas, criticism and ­historical ­research were irrelevant.

I don't think architecture is radical. How can something that takes years and costs millions be radical?

Britain gets the architecture it deserves. We don’t value architecture, we don’t take it seriously, we don’t want to pay for it and the architect isn’t trusted.

If you look at a building by Mies van der Rohe, it might look very simple, but up close, the sheer quality of construction, materials and thought are inspirational.

Britain loves a bargain, but you don't get good, lasting architecture on the cheap.

It is difficult to separate oneself from one's design moralities.

I do very little industrial design. I'm asked a lot, but I certainly don't see myself as an industrial designer.

I'm suspicious of the idea of architects acting like business executives, brand managers, or purveyors of luxury goods.