My father was an urchin that lived in Hell's Kitchen. He was part of a family of nine. I mean, there were times that were better and worse, but mostly, by the time we got to L.A., they'd lost whatever they had. And it was a sad time. And both he and I became truck drivers for different companies.

Man, there's another freedom out there, and it comes from somewhere else, and that somewhere else is the place I'm interested in.

There's a drive in us to express ourselves in some way or form. We pick up whatever material is available. It's primitive. Kids see sand on the beach, build something and show their parents: "Look what I did, Mama." It's necessary to us.

An architect is given a program, budget, place, and schedule. Sometimes the end product rises to art - or at least people call it that.

Computers allow architects to remain parental instead of being marginalized by the contractors and managers.

I would like to make a building as intellectually driven as it is sculptural and as positive as it would be acceptable to hope.

If I knew where I was going, I wouldn't do it. When I can predict or plan it, I don't do it.