Arthur Erickson

“There is an increasing awareness of the interrelatedness of things. We are becoming less prone to accept an immediate solution without questioning its larger implications.”

“What is the thread of western civilization that distinguished its course in history? It has to do with the preoccupation of western man with his outward command and his sense of superiority.”

“In those countries with centuries of a craft tradition behind their building methods, techniques are tightly coordinated under the direction of the architect.”

“We regard those other cultures, such as that of India, where many people live and believe and behave much as they did 1,000 or 2,000 years ago, as undeveloped.”

“Our incapacity to comprehend other cultures stems from our insistence on measuring things in our own terms.”

“Our settlement of land is without regard to the best use of land.”

“Vitality is radiated from exceptional art and architecture.”

“Bankers cannot afford to be concerned with only the economic aspects of projects. There may be serious implications on the natural environment, the urban environment, on human culture.”

“The details are the very source of expression in architecture. But we are caught in a vice between art and the bottom line.”

“The delusion of entertainment is devoid of meaning. It may amuse us for a bit, but after the initial hit we are left with the dark feeling of desolation.”

“Does an architecture to assuage the spirit have a place?”

“It is the mystery of the creative act that something other than our conscious self takes over.”

“We are yet to have a conscience at all about the exploitation of human cultures.”

“Tahiti has been spoiled for many years, but Bali is one of the few cultures with origins in one of the great ancient cultures which is still alive.”

“No phenomenon can be isolated, but has repercussions through every aspect of our lives. We are learning that we are a fundamental part of nature's ecosystems.”

“This great, though disastrous, culture can only change as we begin to stand off and see... the inveterate materialism which has become the model for cultures around the world.”

“Great buildings that move the spirit have always been rare. In every case they are unique, poetic, products of the heart.”

“Only when inspired to go beyond consciousness by some extraordinary insight does beauty manifest unexpectedly.”

“We settled this continent without art. So it was easy for us to treat it as an imported luxury, not a necessity.”

“Builders eventually took advantage of the look of modernism to build cheaply and carelessly.”