After World War II great strides were made in modern Japanese architecture not only in advanced technology allowing earthquake resistant tall buildings but expressing and infusing characteristics of traditional Japanese architecture in modern buildings.

I've always liked traveling around Europe and seeing the architecture. The buildings in capital cities have been there for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years. Some look better than the new ones.

Architecture is about public space held by buildings.

I don't see that any buildings should be excluded from the term architecture as long as they are done properly.

Italy is full of historical buildings. And Europe holds a great history of philosophy from Greece until today. I read all those books and see these buildings and I think of where I stand when I design my architecture.

So what we have tried to do in our later buildings is to try to be completely consistent as a painter is consistent or as a sculptor is consistent. Architecture also must be very consistent.

Even though I build buildings and I pursue my architecture I pursue it as an artist. I deliberately keep a tiny studio. I don't want to be an architectural firm. I want to remain an artist.

I have designed the most buildings of any living American architect.

In Los Angeles by the time you're 35 you're older than most of the buildings.

My buildings will be my legacy... they will speak for me long after I'm gone.