David Rockwell Quotes

The design of a restaurant should embrace the identity of the chef, the nature of the cuisine, and the context of the restaurant itself.

My work is strongly rooted in place and memory, in personal, formative experiences that took shape within very different environments.

Good restaurant design is about achieving equilibrium between the food, service, and design - in effect, telling a complete story.

Technology should be used to create unforgettable experiences that enhance our natural and built environments, transforming them in newly meaningful ways.

Briefs need limitations and invitations

Portable designs have the power to transform unused public spaces into dynamic environments that build and invite communal experiences.

In our highly mediated, technologically driven world, we're all looking for meaningful ways to connect. This has constantly inspired me to create environments full of lively, immersive, experiential elements specifically crafted to foster human connection.

But what makes my job so great is there's no one answer that's right for every restaurant.

I like entertainment and think mastery is good, though I don't feel like a master. If a theme means having a story that's legible, then that's certainly what we do. But we don't treat design as an add-on layer.

Play and transformation were a bit part of my childhood - using whatever materials were at our disposal, my brothers and I would constantly build and create fantasy worlds.

Every project is an opportunity to learn, to figure out problems and challenges, to invent and reinvent.

The color and spectacle of Mexico's streets sparked my interest in community driven space and experience, a passion that I began to develop while studying architecture at Syracuse University and then at the Architectural Association School in London. Having been immersed in such a diverse array of lively environments, it would be impossible for me not to use these memories and experiences as inspiration for my work.