Helmut Jahn
Helmut Jahn
Helmut Jahnis a German-American architect, well known for designs such as the US$800 million Sony Center on the Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, the Messeturm in Frankfurt and the One Liberty Place, formerly the tallest building in Philadelphia, and Suvarnabhumi Airport, an international airport in Bangkok, Thailand...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionArchitect
Date of Birth4 January 1940
CountryGermany
winning thinking artist
In Europe, architects consider themselves artists. They think they're special when they win a competition.
urban building minors
I've never looked at a suburban building as being a minor building and an urban building as being a major building.
creativity space office
I wanted to improve the suburban office building; to create a great urban space in a suburban environment with all that implies about interaction, collaboration and creativity.
creativity something-new elimination
Creativity has more to do with the elimination of the inessential than with inventing something new.
cities architecture building
A city building, you experience when you walk; a suburban building, you experience when you drive.
thinking young-generation people
I think the younger generation, the people poised to dominate the workforce, are more socially conscious. They are more demanding in terms of environment and how that environment contributes to their life.
use ceilings indirect
Higher ceilings allow the use indirect lighting, which is much healthier and reduces glare.
attitude fuel-efficiency execution
The American attitude towards efficiency and execution should always underlie architecture.
goal long needs
It's my goal to make a building as immaterial as possible. Architecture is a very material thing. It takes a lot of resources, so why not eliminate what you don't need as long as you're able to achieve the same result?
america
America has always imported history.
air people chinese
Chinese buildings are like American buildings, with big footprints. People don't care about daylight or fresh air.
woods recycling natural
We prefer synthetic rather than natural materials. Natural products are almost too valuable. Wood is much harder to produce than metal. And metal is recyclable, while wood isn't.
distance unique creating
We are creating a unique experience. It's starts with how you see the building from a distance.
thinking cities michigan
You'd never think of taking a cab if you had to walk a mile down Chicago's Michigan Avenue. But in a bad city you take a cab just to go around the corner.