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
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.
smart judging opinion
Critics are entitled to have an opinion, but how can they judge how comfortable a building is? No critic is smart enough to judge how a building will perform over time.
america today wonder
When I came to America in the '60s, it was the place to be. I wonder if I'd come here today.
two architecture building
Every building is a prototype. No two are alike.
jobs competition up-to-you
Sometimes I have to accept a job I don't really want. Hardly anybody comes up to you with a commission; it's all competitions these days.