You look at energy use in the U.S. and one-third of it is automotive or our transportation system, one-third of it is manufacturing and one-third of it is buildings. That means architects are responsible for one-third of energy by their designs. So not only is it dire, it's also something that we can do.

If we're going to save the planet, people are going to have to live in ways that don't require so much energy and don't create as much waste. The only way to do that is to live more densely than Americans are living right now.

I really believed all this stuff - that I had to change the world.

I decided I wanted to do something that was worthwhile and thought I would try architecture. There was not an architect in my family.

Architects need to restore and protect.

I always had an interest in space and the effect it had on you.

The challenge of today's generation of architects is the environment.