When I finished high school, I was 16, and in Argentina you have to choose a career right after high school. There is no such thing as a liberal arts education.

I realize that having a style would be very beneficial for my practice from a marketing standpoint, but I can't do it. I believe my responsibilities as an architect are to design the most appropriate building for the place. Each place has a distinct culture and function, which for me requires an appropriate answer.

I am a strong believer that as one moves toward the future, the strongest and clearest way to do it is if you have a good sense of your past. You cannot have a very tall tree without deep roots.

The World Trade Center was for me not only out of scale vertically, but it was also out of scale in plan. It occupied several blocks that were all massed together.

I see my buildings as pieces of cities, and in my designs I try to make them into responsible and contributing citizens.

One of America's strengths has always been its openness to the new: both new ideas and new people.

There may be some changes in building codes, but I don't see any stylistic departure that you'll be able to attribute to Sept. 11.