I.M. Pei

Architecture is the very mirror of life. You only have to cast your eyes on buildings to feel the presence of the past, the spirit of a place; they are the reflection of society.

Contemporary architects tend to impose modernity on something. There is a certain concern for history but it__ not very deep. I understand that time has changed, we have evolved. But I don__ want to forget the beginning. A lasting architecture has to have roots.

I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity.

Great artists need great clients.

You cannot defend your design without knowing what you're designing for.

Life is architecture and architecture is the mirror of life.

It is not an individual act, architecture. You have to consider your client. Only out of that can you produce great architecture. You cannot work in the abstract.

Let's do it right. This is for the ages.

Be the best, not necessarily the original.

Success is a collection of problems solved.

Stop worrying about missed opportunities and start looking for new ones.

At the beginning, I thought the best Islamic work was in Spain - the mosque in Cordoba, the Alhambra in Granada. But as I learned more, my ideas shifted. I traveled to Egypt, and to the Middle East many times.I found the most wonderful examples of Islamic work in Cairo, it turns out. I'd visited mosques there before, but I didn't see them with the same eye as I did this time. They truly said something to me about Islamic architecture.

I want to bring out the best in a community and contribute something of permanent value.