A new idea is obsolete in seconds, right? I just said it and now it's obsolete.

I found myself starting architecture with a deep social, Jewish, liberal conscience, and the belief that architecture is for the people. It was a do-gooder base; I was born and raised that way. I was for blacks, whites, Italians, Poles, whatever.

Generally people are afraid. They pretend they aren’t; it’s part of the denial. We’re all part of it. As much as we pretend otherwise, we want what’s comfortable, and we’re afraid of the different. We’re afraid of change. It happened in Los Angeles, too, when the first models of Disney Hall were shown. You should have heard the outcry from the public, critics and press. It was called “broken crockery,” “outlandish” and blah blah blah. Of course now the feeling is different.

That's why you go into architecture - at least I did - to do things for people. I think most of us are idealists. You start out that way, anyway.

Your best work is your expression of yourself.

I don't know why people hire architects and then tell them what to do.

The best advice I've received is to be yourself. The best artists do that.