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Norman Foster

Norman Foster Quotes

Architect

Norman Foster, a renowned British architect born on June 1, 1935, is known for his global design works that emphasize modernism and sustainability. His architectural designs focus on functionality and environmental adaptability, having a profound impact on the modern architectural world.

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Famous Norman Foster Quotes

“If you weren’t an optimist, it would be impossible to be an architect.”

Ifs Would Be Impossible Architect Optimist

Author:Norman Foster

“Google has already tested robot cars in San Francisco. If they can navigate San Francisco, they can probably manage just about anywhere.”

Ifs Car Manage Google Tested Robots San Francisco Navigate

Author:Norman Foster

“I would never wear anything with a logo. That I really find difficult. It's a frustration that I'll find a nice shirt or something and it's got 50 prints of the logo on it - why do they do this?”

Difficult Nice Shirts Frustration Print Logos

Author:Norman Foster

“I hope that any expansion of London will learn from the planning examples of some of its most desirable areas such as Chelsea, Notting Hill, Belgravia and Mayfair. All are characterised by high density and a generosity of green spaces. They are all pedestrian-friendly with shops, entertainment, restaurants and pubs within easy walking distance.”

“I think you never stop learning.”

Thinking Never Stop Learning

Author:Norman Foster

“Manhattan, one of the most moneyed spots on the planet, also has one of the greatest concentrations of people in its skyscrapers. Its also, of course, the place where every architect wants to build his tower.”

People Want Courses Planets Spots Concentration Architect Towers Manhattan Skyscraper

Author:Norman Foster

“Since Stonehenge, architects have always been at the cutting edge of technology. And you cant separate technology from the humanistic and spiritual content of a building.”

Spiritual Technology Cutting Building Edges Architect Cant Cutting Edge Humanistic Stonehenge

Author:Norman Foster

“You cannot separate the buildings out from the infrastructure of cites and the mobility of transit.”

Building Infrastructure Mobility Citing

Author:Norman Foster

“I was born in 1935, and as far back as I can remember, I was sketching designs. My first subject was an aircraft, which I imagined myself piloting.”

Firsts I Can Remember Born Subjects Design Aircraft Sketching

Author:Norman Foster

“Every time I've flown an aircraft, or visited a steelworks, or watched a panel-beater at work, I've learned something new that can be applied to buildings.”

Building I've Learned Something New Aircraft

Author:Norman Foster

“I tend to move between turtlenecks and shirts and ties. I don't really have a uniform in the sense that some people might.”

People Might Moving Shirts Ties Uniforms Turtlenecks

Author:Norman Foster

“I am always surprised by how much little emphasis schools of architecture, and indeed, many architects, place on the process of the mating of a building.”

Littles School Process Building Architecture Architect Emphasis Mating

Book:The Pritzker Architecture Prize, 1999: presented to Sir Norman Foster

Source: The Pritzker Architecture Prize, 1999: presented to Sir Norman Foster

“There's a snobbery at work in architecture. The subject is too often treated as a fine art, delicately wrapped in mumbo-jumbo. In reality, it's an all-embracing discipline taking in science, art, maths, engineering, climate, nature, politics, economics.”

Art Reality Subjects Fine Discipline Economics Climate Math Architecture Treated Engineering Fine Arts Snobbery

Author:Norman Foster

“As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially unknown.”

Past Awareness Design Architecture Ass Architect Bad Ass Badass Architecture And Design Architecture Design

Author:Norman Foster

“Everything inspires me; sometimes I think I see things others don’t.”

Thinking Sometimes Inspire

Author:Norman Foster

“The pencil and computer are, if left to their own devices, equally dumb and only as good as the person driving them.”

Ifs Persons Left Computer Architecture Driving Dumb Devices Pencils

Author:Norman Foster

“Didn't think her vision was consistent with the ORC, especially the way the Council wishes to work with the ORC. For example, with regard to the zoning ordinance, the Council sees a comprehensive approach, the ORC wants to review the ordinances and simplify them. Pam's vision was counter to that.”

Thinking Way Want Wish Vision Example Approach Regard Consistent Reviews Council Comprehensive Simplify Ordinances Orcs

Author:Norman Foster

“Control is the wrong word. The practice is very much about sharing, and, in any creative practice, some individuals, whether partners or directors, are much closer to certain projects than I could ever be.”

Certain Individual Practice Creative Directors Projects Partners Wrong Words

Author:Norman Foster

“I'm not a creature of habit. I like to find things from unexpected sources.”

Source Habit Creatures Unexpected Creatures Of Habit

Author:Norman Foster

“Architecture is an expression of values.”

Values Expression Architecture

Author:Norman Foster

“It takes a lot of effort to make a building look effortless.”

Looks Effort Building Effortless

Author:Norman Foster

“Our object in life should be to accumulate a great number of grand questions to be asked and resolved in eternity.”

Should Numbers Objects Eternity

Author:Norman Foster

About the Author

Born: June 1, 1935
Known for: Architect
Quotes: 22

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