Daniel Libeskind's 17 words of architectural inspiration

[TKDBOY100]

Who kissed him in the forehead ?

[crudhousefull]

'Freedom' and 'America is Great' and everyone stands up LOL

[crudhousefull]

If all the buildings that were out there were pointed and warped it would be a terrible burden on my eyes! It's nice and interesting when it's done once in awhile though

[walidb123]

passionate man but i don't agree with everything he says. some designs are interesting but, in general, incredibly jarring just for the sake of it it seems and aren't wholly reflective of his verbalised opinion. as already said, he's a great salesman.

[pillorello]

most of the spectacular things he does are museums. at least everything is posible to shape a space in this case. but look at his housing projects. where is the space? he is a good talker, less good architect. and not that important as he thinks about himself. but respect!

[chrisk8z]

man this dude is far out

[Cleareye10]

A helluva salesman!

[DDazzle1]

is he really trustworthy? 

[Myangel90210]

I love to hear him talk, i just hate to sea his architecture :S

[SarisaLebowtiz]

Dishonest.

[TheSeitzGroup]

im not sure what to say about Dan. I believe he is an artist but his logic is very one dimensional and not easily related to the "human reality" he claims to relate to

[norcoboy]

Wow - Most comments on Youtube are positive - take a look at the TED website: He got terrible reviews there

[magialogica]

Daniel Libeskind has always been passionate about the possibility of architecture of improving the living world. I admired him when I was a student of architecture in the 70's and spent hours listening to his talks at the AA in London. He was not famous at that time, but what he used to say was as important as what he speaks today. His architectural philosphy has always been gripped by the times he lives and seems to enable him to see the future.

[aldwin0308]

hahahaha

[AndyKalpinsky]

late capitalism

[inspir8me]

Nothing new, inspiring and or enlighting here... I do like some of Libeskind's work though. His presentation needs help, too fast.

[antonloo]

oh my god, take a fucking breath

[Yamakashi1]

yeah

[antonloo]

can you see the shit flowing out of his mouth?

[IWONKABONKA]

he speaks like me!never stops.ha ha!

[DJah90]

I love his philosophy

[FOUADMKHAN]

what completely meaningless bullshit... he contradicts himself every other minute.

[SociopathicTroll]

This guy is so full of shit. However, if you cut out all his "x vs y" crap, some of his buildings are truly beautiful and intriguing.

[ImOnTheTube]

If you observe Daniel's work you'll realize that Daniel basically created a formula for creating architecture, which basically in a way disregarded everything he just said. I respect his input but i think he is a bit focused on one side. Architecture should fill whatever purpose it has to serve emotionally, aesthetically, economically, ect. Too much radicalism isn't good. Too much safety on the other hand is horrible too. There should be no formulas in architecture.

[cheeseit126]

imagine if each building was its own unique space, each space was a wonder a new place to explore!

think of when you are buying a new house or moving for the first time as a child, each room was new exciting deserving of exploring

now days buildings do not provide us with the same kind of mental stimulation as kids because over time we have realized all buildings are simmular....

that is why we love to travel and see other places, it is because we thirst for that mental stimulation

[CrazyTurkBoy]

zaha hadid ftw... you suck libeskind

[marianstefan1]

pretty inspiring discourse about architecture and design . He is always looking for new concepts and new quests in the field of architecture

[lexaneli]

you're the only one thus far that made a positive comment.

[freesk8]

It is "espresso" not "expresso."

Radical means going back to the philosophical/ethical roots, not rooted in a tradition. Conservative means rooted in a tradition.

What about shibumi?

A building should have understated elegance. It should function elegantly, without drawing attention too itself for the purpose of making the architect famous.

To be different for the sake of being different is affectation.

The opposite of authoritarian is not democratic. It is libertarian.

[ipbalkenende]

Always impressed by the Ron Jeremy-esque ability of libertarians to suck their own cock. Hope you enjoy it. Don't see what the f*ck that has to do with architecture however.

[MajNorberg]

...most architecture is not environmentally sustainable....pretty much a parallel to raping nature...man exerts his will on nature...lack of symbiotic relationships....

[ninanotturna]

Daniel, you're a waste of space. -_-

[grandcollection]

I didn`t really thought about it, but now that I`ve heard him saying how architecture is all about optimism, ( other fields, of expression, music, art, and so on , can be pessimistic ), but architecture truly is, and can only be about optimism....

well said, great observing.

[RationalEmotive]

ah, Liebeskind is just an impostor millionaire and his view is subjective at best. What about sacral architecture, Gaudí and postmodernist architecture? The "purpose" of many of these buildings is not to make life better but to reflect and rather impress than express something.

[grandcollection]

...true, I thought about his work on memorial center, ( for holocaust ), when agreeing on that remark about architecture being all about optimism....

and seen discrepancy, but still, all in all, that optimism "thing" is main thing in architecture .....

[Mrmoc7]

Long, but Fantastic!!

Not a lot of people can do that; nice work!

[EveryHumanBeing]

When architecture is based on pure practicality, it is soulless. When based on pure ascetics, it is not functional.

The trick is to find a common ground.

[fefulin]

Is the human "foot"print over Nature's beauty. There is no fundamental need to build a concrete dead tree that may be seen from a distant bronze vista-point. Those disproportionate buildings are stealing and killing nature's beauty. They are modern cages for voracious slaves.

[umpark3]

the last comment "I fight for what I believe" is what his presentation is all about. Very political, and, yet, presenting some anarchism doctrine, this presentation is one big 'menifesto'

[GrimSoul66]

Souds like he wants to complicate something that is simple and works. This all looks cool, but none of this is ralistic..

He's talking about our architecture like there's a problem with it is but it's practical.

[sammwoman]

I would not agree that our architecture is practical--it is not practical to pillage the planet in the name of creating structures that until very recently were generally far less energy efficient (read: practical) than the structures our ancestors built. Furthermore, architecture will always be relevant because humans are looking for much more than "practicality"--we will always want esthetic appeal as well.

[197001]

so fucking what.

[GrimSoul66]

Sammwoman,

Please inlighten me on your idea of practical instead of mumbling gibberish and then refering me to a dictionary.

[sammwoman]

excuse me?

[Memubitsu]

So many examples of enormous material and space waste for the benefit of architectural ego and aesthetics.

Nothing wrong with pretty buildings, but they serve a function first and foremost.

[permacultureli]

wonderful proclamation of the vitality of creative inventiveness...it applies to music, it applies to gardening, to relationships, to art, to everything. Without experimentation and a celebration of new sensuous effects, how can music be fresh and speak of new life?.

[micheleblow]

In his own words "Architecture is not a language of words". Yet all I see and hear here being articulated are words that don't connect with the images he's presenting, which is perhaps the problem with most architects - articulating with intellect. Not the best presenter/ speaker I've come across but one of the most emotionally powerful buildings he's designed, to me at least, is the Jewish Museum. My 2 cents if you please.

[petfoodonly]

The building at 8:00 is beautiful

[fcouperin]

Sophistry... he uses broad arguments, by themselves very hard to deny (god, democracy, complexity, liberty...), trying to justify the way he decided to do things. But there is no bonding reason to link those principles with, say, his dislike for square angles. The same argumentation would do for anything else, even using the "dead forms" he so named.

[sp4zzpp2]

He almost believes in everything... annoying..

[dimeloloco]

lol that's libeskind

[bdoux]

Loved the passion of that guy

[transtlantic]

(the speaker has some sort of skin disease)

cool talk

[afthefragile]

Lamborghini vs Ferrari is the perfect example to go here.

You've got Ferrari, the ultimate driving machine built on years of racing heritage and pedigree. Its conservative design resonates of the achievements of its predecessors.

Then there's Lamborghini, conceived out of spite. The punk story of the tractor designer who took on Ferrari. And that what the cars portray. Expressive, radical, extreme engineering and design which is what it relies on than its history.

And I choose the Lambo.

[houseguy4]

These all look the same.

I like his words but I did not see "hand" - just foamcore scraps.

I went to school and now do business in many creative architecture wonders (architecture capital of the world). I appreciate creativity and great design.. BUT..in their quest for glory and to out do the others, the architects forgot about the people - the buildings are stark, full of wasted space, high cost, leaky roofs, poor heating.

Unusual & shocking- Yes. Usuable, inviting, long lasting appeal - No.

[afthefragile]

This is what i like.

Architecture should be radical. It should be expressive, artistic and aesthetic.

Everyday i walk through the streets of Dublin and all i see around is bland architecture. Square buildings, with square windows and square driveways. Plain brick walls. This city lacks design. Even the new buildings are as plain and square square as they can get!

Its function over design and aesthetics. Why should function be plain? Radical and extreme designs for function is what i'm for!

[molewizard]

Buildings are not expressive art.

Buildings are what people live and work in.

They can be beautiful, but making them too individual too often creates a slice through the environment that completely ruins the feel.

I want to go to a city with tudor buildings, or chinese temples, or skyscrapers, and appreciate the beauty. Maybe a landmark that fits the theme.

I don't want to go to a city with random buildings that completely don't fit into the style. I'm all for art, but not in this way.

[dimeloloco]

those buildings were all formed around the ideas of the time they were built. Architects are like artists and scientists. they strive to try new things. not turn out the same shit we've seen for 5000 years. The past has been celebrated and accepted, let's please move forward and create new buildings to represent man's current vision and potential

[molewizard]

Expressive is fine, bu people forget that simple aesthetics has far more to do with architecture.

[dimeloloco]

i understand that there is more to architecture than simple aesthetics, but the normal person cannot recognize sequence of programs or space like architects. Libeskind's work has many layers of understanding the exterior elements let's people know this is something different.

[molewizard]

@dimeloloco

I think you misinterperated - I was saying that a building is not a piece of art, it is a building. The aesthetics of that building are far more important than any expression you put into them, for the general public.

It is not an art gallery. You cannot choose to go and see it, or not if you don't like it.

[ragr89]

Architecture is habitable sculpture. You don't know anything about art or architecture.

[molewizard]

Sorry, what?

I may as well say you don't know anything about art or architecture.

Is this getting us anywhere? No.

Grow up.

[molewizard]

@dimeloloco

Perhaps I phrased it better originally... I have a comment somehwere explaining my point of view.

[popaddict]

Wow so refreshing to see other opinions here from people who don't like this trend in architecture as well. I was nearly mobbed out of my design class at uni once by pretentious art students for saying I thought work like this and Ghery's stuff is pretentious nonsense :D

[theheadlessrabbit]

I agree with you whole heartedly.

I went to university in a building that was designed to to satisfy an architect's ego, rather than satisfy the needs of the university students and faculty. the result is a distinctive building full of wasted space, poorly planed out convoluted hallways, noisy classrooms, and diagonal steel I beams crossbars through the middle of a lounge. it's a disaster in terms of functionality, but the school got exactly what it wanted: it's a new urban landmark.

[jovialj]

i can intelecualy apreciate the, uh, spikey industrial forms, but i recoil from them myself. all the designs he showed seemed quite contrived instead of say, natural, warm, and organic which i personaly am drawn to. like cobb or post and beam structures.

[Animalll2003lll]

3:00 I think 'expression'--and it's like expresso coffee you know you take the essence of the coffee--that's what expression is it's been missing in much of the architecture because we think architecture is the realm of the mutered.

... XD sweet!

[Animalll2003lll]

neutrered.

[Animalll2003lll]

neutrered.

[ChoasTheory2000]

I said it once and I'll say it again. Architects are the philosophers of our time. We look for meaning in everything as Daniel Libeskind does.

[0candle0]

you could say the same think about any creative or artistic endeavour

[afthefragile]

Also architects are artists before engineers.

Art is about expression. The artist trying to find meaning in his artwork. For someone its just random strokes, for another its the story of a lifetime!

[iveco555]

not a bad gay .... but most of all good pictures

[dragonheadthing]

I'm all for the idea of bringing nature into the city.

[rich0319726]

I usually like T.E.D videos, but this guy is annoying. I ran out of patience with him very early and stopped watching very early.

[cosy18]

that is sad, u dont have the patience to see full video

[prelan]

lol. get a life

[SkinandSketch]

All the buildings featured look like they were designed by Zaha Hadid (not sure how you spell her name). I disagre when he says "Architecture is about space and not fashion, its not about decoration". He's wrong, decoration is the future and the past.

[chalkies]

this guy is full of balony! probably one of the worst tedsters i've ever seen.

as if building excessively expensive buildings is justified by typical democracy. (not saying that art isn't worth it, just saying that he's full of balony)

[128pagenovella]

yes the future is cities built from asymmetric clumps so everyone feels perpetually seasick. we simply cannot progress using 90 degree angles.

[JonKiddthe3rd]

blaw blaw blaw...

[jordanowen42]

Why do I get the feeling this guy has read The Fountainhead?

[zealeigh]

In my opinion the juxtaposition of words like 'emotional vs cool' is just a way to confront ideas he may not personally agree to. I wonder if he has ever considered harmonising these features instead of saying it must be one or the other and arguing for one side.

[guitarguy93]

God the guy just kept rambling.

[montytwo]

Libeskind is just trying to preserve a place for architects in society. I don't think society can afford him and his ilk. Under his bravado and flash may be a man who can be part of a collaborative effort to improve society but in this forum he is perpetuating a myth. His answer to the final question was more to the point about what architecture can become. Suggest reading Jeremy Till's 'Architecture Depends'.

[Animalll2003lll]

hi, I totally agree with you actually. it's a very flashy talk. he talks like a "contemporary artist", basically, which should ring a bell. it's true that this type of discourse smells weird--and you're right in saying that it's ment for preserving architecture's place in society, preserving its "luster/nobleness. contemporary artists have to do that too, continually. it's a weird phenomenon, it's sociologically interesting. thanks for noticing and explaining that well!!

[Animalll2003lll]

hand vs computer.... computer! why hand that's really backwards, no?

also, all the photos he shows are in that new trend of "sharp geometrical shapes going in all directions like spikes in a manga character's hair" I like it very much, but hey that's a trend--2000s architecture trend (and I think it goes with certain post 2000 musical genres.) so I don't think you can/should avoid trends and "cool". cool is somewhat important. that's my comments on this. but besides that, very inspiring talk.

[ninjito]

indeed a men that have great knowledge and a interpretation of space that goes beyond the common stereotypes of architecture we see every day.......truly inspirational.....

its a shame not many people here have the knowledge to undestand what he is saying

[nivsha]

Music changes and adds more to humanity than building, taking up space, over using raw materials and destroying the environment. Music gives meaning to all of life, the minor keys brings out the most honest feelings and reaches out to every sad person on earth and for a moment they feel better. This guy is talking out of his asshole.

[Smartpeopleunite]

Wow. so he wants to throw practicality out the window, to make room for expression? Buildings need to be practical, they need to make the most use out of the space available, not waste it in artsy fartsy "expression". Paintings and sculptures are for expression, not buildings. And yes architecture can be asthetic, with murials and plant life and fountains, but you should never waste materials or space in a building. At least thats how I see it. Peace and Love my friends!

[ArgueExplain]

If I'm the owner of a large business, and I want to build a large building, I'm not going to build an artistic building. I'm going to build a something that is functional.

[Nikg420]

Fuck this guy, i guess making the building 1776 feet high was just a coincidence... a crazy fucking coincidence... guys clearly a bastard

[ppdog27]

this one was pretty boring. didn't like it that much

[mrkvamaster]

Libeskind's okay

[fog13]

he's so over rated!!!!!

[sprengel01]

7;20 I live in Vegas and recognized this sketch as City Center, and was half surprised to see it actually is.. pretty amazing and massive architectural undertaking..

[kidmecha]

Very emotional, I likes. There is a delicate balance though, he may have a little too much emotion (not a bad thing). We need more buildings that push the rules, our buildings could be (or not be) inadequate to the environment later in time. He is suggesting a change in architecture, like a change in car technology for example.

Yet, take what you want from his speech. He is very expressive and bold, and some may not like that. I'd rather have liked to hear Frank Gehry but he is interesting too

[alcidesflores79]

This guy is an imbecil. Rampant idiocy

so many slogans and no substace.

i expect more inteligence at TED

[MolonLabe84]

When architecture strays from engineering and turns into an art form (form over function). you get weaker structures and/or a lot water infiltration around the building envelope. Many of Frank Lloyd Wrights structures leaked, but they were pretty. I hate working with architects... guy should have been a sculptor.

[tenisplayer]

i totally agree with you, i like more the efficient and long last that this weir thinks, you want art in a building paint something in it.

[princeofexcess]

buildings should be efficient

buidings owned by people can be pretty they can look whatever those people want

but cities should be efficient so we have to pay least taxes to have money to spend on other taxes:P also on other pleasures and even on vacation

Efficiency is truly beautiful

just because people dont see it right away

it doesnt mean its less beautiful

[JamboyStu]

"I'm from the Bronx" lol

This guy's full of it.

Anybody know what he was even talking about? What was your point Mr?

This guy gets a 20 min slot and the guys who made the 200mph electric motorcycle only got a 5 min slot, wtf is that about?

[greenday07ryan]

He has a lisp.

[LeMegasandwich]

Agreed.

[WhichDoctor1]

The trouble with this kind of architecture is that it always seems to be trying to improve the human condition through buildings. So there designed around what the architect thinks is the perfect human so when real people try to use them they don't work. In my opinion he shouldn't be trying to improve humans through building he should be trying to improve buildings for humans.

[barrytron3030]

libeskind's addition to the royal ontario museum in toronto was massive, explosive and shocking. it may not last the critical eye of popular architectural review, but it is something to behold, no doubt. it brought the energy, excitement, and most importantly created debate. we'll never know how history will interpret art, but libeskind leaves a signature, a uniqueness, and certainly, an exclamation mark.

[archidark]

Speaking fast often makes your words seem more substantial

[lysol92]

this guy is full of shit, his concepts are good but not realating to architecture at all, and i love hughtub's comments, douchebagism to the fullest

[planetdarwin]

Just building walls at weird angles with lots of shiny surfaces is not good architecture.

[BallinTrollin]

tradition we forgot: The use of cannabis, whether it be smoking it or making materials out of it. Legalize cannabis and you will see an explosion of ideas generated out of smoking it....compare to the dumbing down alcohol & cigarettes, as well as the drone mind drug coffee...but coffee is relatively better than alcohol and cigarettes.

[MellumFellum]

Agreed, but thumbing down for irrelevancy.

[BallinTrollin]

Agreed, but thumbing up for agreeing.

[hughtub]

His art is junk. Frank Gehry is another junk architect. If humans are ever going to make a serious endeavor off of this planet, we must wholly ignore and shun this sort of wasteful architecture and instead embrace efficiency and minimalism. Libeskind's work is no different than Victorian era wasteful ornamentation, but without the aesthetic appeal.

[crossingthechannel]

you're the ignorant pretentious junk who don't know shit.

The fact that you're so fond of calling Victorian era ornamentation as aesthetically pleasing tells much about your limited understanding of architecture in general.

The guy at least learned his stuff far more than you did before he went into practice.

[jaknelaps]

Seems to me like there is a lot of fluffy nonsense in this talk. He could have slowed down and cut the silly stuff.

9:20 "architecture is entwined with the human heart/soul because we are all born somewhere and we die somewhere..."

TRUE THAT.

[funkalunatic]

I wonder if I die while hiking in the woods away from architecture, is that like dying without my soul?

[celshader]

Architectural discussion is often full of fluff.

[funkalunatic]

Libeskind's confrontational architecture would be totally awesome if only he didn't feel it necessary to unilaterally impose it on the material world in which the rest of us are forced to live and interact. Musicians don't get to put in art installations in an urban environment that blast awesomely heavy metal in all directions for the greater part of a century. Why do architects get to do it visually?

[hughtub]

I strongly agree, very well put. Modern architecture is spatially what rap music is audibly. It's a big jewish movement to lower the educational standards of society. Look up Franz Kline or Mark Rothko's art, and Frank Gehry and Daniel Libeskind are of the same type, just 3-dimensionally. Gentiles can't produce this junk and get as famous as these guys.

[funkalunatic]

Dude, we don't agree at all. Keep your brainless Nazi shit away from me.

[hughtub]

So what is YOUR explanation for why all of the modern artists and architects whose work is basically junk are about 90% jewish? I'm not a damn Nazi, I'm pointing out something that is obvious to anyone who looks into details rather than just the surface. Sorry for thinking you were an independent minded person. "Racist" and "Nazi" is the new "witch". Facts be damned, eh?

[funkalunatic]

My explanation is that your facts are made up in your racist imagination. Yes, racist. How do you feel about Jews, eh? Search your feelings. Look up the definition of racism. Being honest with yourself is the first step toward not being a complete fucking idiot.

[Atoyota]

This guy has a lot of hot air.... but enough of that.

#1-#3 is that architecture itself must be functional efficient and aesthetic,

Beyond that everything he says is valid

[stephenetienne]

Some of it looks nice, some of it looks ugly and chaotic.

[tillo2008]

it's possible to purchase tickets to attend TED conferences, but the price tag has a comma in it and that's just the door pass.

This is where the accomplished and genius display their works in layman. It's an introduction and sales pitch to invoke brainstorming and invite direct contact with the speaker at a later date.

Most speakers have their own sites to read more about them and their work. Just Google it.

as far as finances, few on stage have to worry about money (anymore).

[695627]

shucking shell, the front row are drownin in shaliva

[clannon]

Hilarious... thanks for the laugh! LOL.

[IdleBystander1]

In a bit of constructive criticism for the speaker, he needs to take a public speaking class. He has some serious pacing issues.

[Waranoa]

no he doesn't, you have some serious hearing issues. Lol, j/k. I find him quite easy to follow even though he talks fast; he talks very structured. (not surprising considering he's an architect :))

[HiAdrian]

I have to agree with IdleBystander, his pace makes me uneasy.

[Potatool]

Comercial architecture

[chulo4lyfe]

its important. i work but i would definately be at them lol. especially if i lived near

[TheOtherSide100]

Who are these people in the audience who have all this time to attend these talks. Don't they work?

[PowerPranksDoneRight]

very strict guest list and it's like an honor to attend

[TheOtherSide100]

Ah, I see.

I'm going to try harder to feel honored to be subscribing to these videos.

[IdleBystander1]

Yeah, all these scientists, designers, business men... they're all just a bunch of lazy bastards, right? What is it exactly you do, and how have you changed the world?

[TheOtherSide100]

I never called anyone lazy or a bastard.

Not all of the presenters are in these categories, either. Audience?

I've done more than be an IdleBystander, if you must know. Nice try turning this around to be about me.

I think my question was a legitimate one, given the fact that there are hours upon hours upon hours of these videos, and they're just a glimpse.

I'll send my questions directly to them, since it's becoming obvious that nobody watching knows the answer.

[IdleBystander1]

So I wasn't supposed to infer from your comment that you think the audience is either jobless or lazy? If by some chance you were actually looking for a straight answer, here it is: the audience is made up of some of the best and brightest minds around the world, coming together to share ideas and possibly benefit from a greater understanding of each others fields. And yes, they have jobs.

If you want a straight, non-hostile answer, don't phrase your question like a jerk.

[TheOtherSide100]

Inferring is assuming. You assumed I was bashing the audience. I sincerely want to know WHAT they do. Don't care about titles.

These videos are the tip of the iceberg; the talks are way longer than this, I'm sure.

If I wanted to be a jerk, I'd ask, "Who are these lazy bastards who have nothing better to do than sit in the audience."

But I didn't. You just assume that people are here to be jerks.

It's obvious they aren't jobless or lazy.

There can be only one "best."

[kevintype]

TheOtherside100, several points for you to consider:

1. Speakers at TED get 18 minutes, at most. Some are given even less time. What we see here on YouTube is often the entire talk.

2. TED conferences are in their 25th year. What we see in their YouTube videos is from many different conferences over the years, not one long session.

3. As a general rule, TED attendees are much like TED speakers: among the most accomplished and recognized leaders in their fields of endeavor.

Hope this helps.