101 Things I Learned in Architecture School Quotes

“Design a flight of stairs for the day a nervous bride
descends them. Shape a window to frame a view of a
specific tree on a perfect day in autumn.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“An architect knows something about everything. An engineer knows everything about one thing.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Being process-oriented, not product-driven, is the most important and difficult skill for a designer to develop.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“An architect is a generalist, not a specialist-the conductor of a symphony, not a virtuoso who plays every instrument perfectly. As a practitioner, an architect coordinates a team of professionals that include structural and mechanical engineers, interior designers, building-code consultants, landscape architects, specifications writers, contractors, and specialists from other disciplines. Typically, the interests of some team members will compete with the interests of others. An architect must know enough about each discipline to negotiate and synthesize competing demands while honoring the needs of the client and the integrity of the entire project.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Being nonspecific in an effort to appeal to everyone usually results in reaching no one.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“EAST: youthfulness, innocence, freshness
SOUTH: activity, clarity, simplicity
WEST: aging, questioning, wisdom
NORTH: maturity, acceptance, death”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Any aesthetic quality is usually enhanced by the presence of a counterpoint.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“being slow to fall in love with your ideas;”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Just because an interesting idea occurs to you doesn't mean it belongs in the building you are designing. Subject every idea, brainstorm, random musing, and helpful suggestion to careful, critical consideration.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Science works with chunks and bits and pieces of things with the continuity presumed, and [the artist] works only with the continuities of things with the chunks and bits and pieces presumed."
-ROBERT PIRSIG, ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Genius loci literally means genius of place. It is used to describe places that are deeply memorable for their architectural and experiential qualities.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“A decorated shed is a conventional building form that conveys meaning through signage or architectural ornament.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Beauty is due more to harmonious
relationships among the elements of
a composition than to the elements
themselves.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Negative spaces tend to promote movement rather than dwelling in place.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Objectivity is the province of the scientist, technician, mechanic, logician, and mathematician. Subjectivity is the milieu of the artist, musician, mystic, and free spirit.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Space planning with decoration applied to "dress it up" is not architecture; architecture resides in the DNA of a building, in an embedded sensibility that infuses its whole.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“An idea is a specific mental structure by which we organize, understand, and give meaning to external experiences and information.”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

“Architecture is the thoughtful making of space."
-LOUIS KAHN”
― Matthew Frederick, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School