Moshe Safdie on the Architecture of Our Lives in Quarantine
From The Quarantine Tapes Podcast with Paul Holdengräber
Hosted by Paul Holdengräber, The Quarantine Tapes chronicle shifting paradigms in the age of social distancing. Each day, Paul calls a guest for a brief discussion about how they are experiencing the global pandemic.
On Episode 102 of The Quarantine Tapes, Paul Holdengräber is joined by architect Moshe Safdie. Moshe shares what he has learned about the limitations of working remotely as an architect over the past few months. They talk about how quarantine is reminding us that access to outdoor space is an essential need for everyone. Then, Paul asks Moshe about some of his most influential projects, including the Habitat 67 housing complex. They talk about what is coming next for architecture, with Moshe offering his thoughts on the relationship between architecture, nature, and consumption.
From the Episode:
Moshe Safdie: I would say that, in terms of the work of an architect, there are those projects which affect our daily life in a profound way. The workspace, how we live, the public realm. But also, as architects, we are called to rise to a much more profound, and demanding, symbolic level. That occurs when we design a place of worship, a memorial, a significant museum devoted to a significant subject. That is when architects go from “routine” music to “profound” music, if I’m to make a composer’s analogy.
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