Frank Gehry (1929) speaks to the power of ignorance and insecurity in the creative process, and echoing Orson

Welles: For me, every day is a new thing. I approach each project with a new insecurity, almost like the first project I ever did, and I get the sweats, I go in and start working, Im not sure where Im going if I knew where I was going, I wouldnt do it. Hannes Meyer (18891954) offers a list of the only requirements to be considered when building a house: sex life sleeping habits pets gardening personal hygiene protection against weather hygiene in the home car maintenance cooking heating insolation Service

Frank Lloyd Wright (18671959) reminds us of the joy of the analog: Is anything more pleasurable to the mind than unsullied paper? The studious comparisons and selections of stock in textures and colors of cards and paper? Tom Kundig (1954) stresses the importance of cross-pollinating perspectives: I learn more from creative people in other disciplines than I do even from other architects because I think they have a way of looking at the world that is really important. Thom Mayne (1944 ) explores the relationship between simplicity and complexity: Architecture is a discipline that takes time and patience. If one spends enough years writing complex novels one might be able, someday, to construct a respectable haiku. Glenn Murcutt (1936) voices something George Lois has since echoed: We do not create the work. I believe we, in fact, are discoverers. Le Corbusier (18871965) stands for the honesty of drawing: I prefer drawing to talking. Drawing is faster and leaves less room for lies. Jan Kaplicky (19372009) on creativity as subtraction: Its not a sign of creativity to have sixty-five ideas for one problem. Its just a waste of energy. Some of them, of course, are but a caricature of the infamous architect arrogance. From Louis Kahn (19011974): The sun never knew how great it was until it hit the side of a building.

Here is one of the few effective keys to the design problem the ability of the designer to recognize as many of the constraints as possible his willingness and enthusiasm for working within these constraints. Constraints of price, of size, of strength, of balance, of surface, of time and so forth. Charles Eames (Photo by Charles Eames courtesy eamesdesigns.com)