Rach’s Reviews > 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School > Status Update

Just do something. When a design problem is so overwhelming as to be almost paralyzing, don’t wait for clarity to arrive before you start drawing. Drawing is not simply a way to describe a design solution, but is itself a way to learn about the problem you are trying to solve.

The Chinese symbol for crisis is made up of two characters: one indicating “danger,” the other “opportunity.”

Limitations foster creativity.

“Always design a thing considering it in its larger context - a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a town plan.” -Eliel Saarinen

Architecture is an exercise in truth. . . Architecture is an exercise in narrative.

A good building reveals things about itself when viewed from different distances.

An appreciation of asymmetrical balance is considered by many to demonstrate a higher order thinking ability.

Beauty is due more to the harmonious relationships between the elements of a composition than to the elements themselves.

Simplicity is the worldview of the child or uninformed adult, fully engaged with his or her own experience and blissfully unaware of what lies beneath the surface of immediate reality. . . Simplicity is an enlightened vision of reality.

Any aesthetic quality is usually enhanced by the presence of a counterpoint. When it comes to bringing a particular aesthetic quality to a space, element, or building, try to include an opposite or counter posing quality for maximum impact.