One of the real challenges, since we're working in so many places - Mexico, Japan, Brazil - is understanding variations, both in terms of culture and context.

We learn a lot, and each museum ends up having its own distinctive character and personality.

An important work of architecture will create polemics.

You can't escape the influence of architectural history.

Winning the competition for Frankfurt's Museum of Applied Art in '79 opened the door to a number of projects in Europe, especially as we were invited to join many design competitions.

Ultimately it's the public nature of those projects that I most enjoy. Museums are more than just places to view art, they're also civic and social centers.

We think about project's public nature and how that can be enhanced, how the spaces we create can enliven the experience of being there.