Readers Respond: What qualities make a great architect?

• "To be an architect, you have to be an optimist...You have to be a realist, but you have to be an optimist."
  _{~Sir Norman Foster, Architect's Challenge: A Sliver of a Space, in the New York Times}
• "A great architect is not made by way of a brain nearly so much as he is made by way of a cultivated, enriched heart."
  ~_{Frank Lloyd Wright, quoted in Visionaries: The 20th Century's 100 Most Inspirational Leaders by Satish Kumar, Freddie Whitefield}

Now, it's your turn. What qualities do you think it takes to be a great architect? Optimism? Realism? Persistence? Insanity? Tell us... and read what others have written.

Tell us!

Good Architect

A good architect is the one that knows something about everything and ready to learn new things as they are being introduced.

—Guest HOG

Creativity, longevity and intrinsicality

I'm sort of naive in architecture as I'm about to begin college, but I feel a good architect has to possess the quality of longevity, creativity, an intrinsicality. He has to be steadfast with his work; be very out-of-the-ordinary and also distinguished in the delivery of his work. Also, the quintessence has to exist right from the draft/sketch to the finished goal of his project. I feel if an architect emits all these, then the sky is the limit.

—Murkeybadmayn

The quality of a great architect

He must have love and passion for the career. Like Gorege Washington said,"anything you love enough must reveal its secret to you." He must understand that being an architect is more than piling stones to erect a building. As a desiger he must not only design to satisfy his client but also to satisfy his deepest feelings. He must be patient and he must have a high level of tolerance, courage to stand critics, because they will critize your work.

—Guest john

Think Broadly

A good architect should be able to think broadly and be able to imagine. An architect should also be so creative and should be patient in the sense of earning quick money. Many people want to be become architects because they say they earn lots of money. Yes it is true, but that should not be the major reason as to why one should take up architecture.

—Guest BintuG

Architect

An architect should certainly have an inquisitive attitude towards everything. Only then would he/she be able to experiment with his/her designs.

—Guest anjali

The Cry in the Heart

I think the qualities that make a great architect are that he must be able to stay focused, he must be a thinker, he must be a person who likes a quiet environment, and finally he must be a person who has lots of patience and a person who likes creating new things.

—Guest kufry j

Passion, Imagination, and Faith

If Frank Lloyd Wright was still alive, I believe he would say passion. Why mention him? Consider this, a college dropout and unlicensed (if I'm not mistaken) he went on to become one of the most prominent architects in the 20th Century. He was recognized by the AIA for his work about 2 years before his death. Having a good imagination doesn't hurt. Albert Einstein said that "imagination is more important than knowledge." The built environment would be nothing more than mere talk without imagination (ie. "deconstructivism"- Frank Gehry's arena). Regarding faith, one may ask what does faith has to do with architecture? The best demonstration of one's faith (or belief) is to create something out of nothing, hence the essence of architecture (depending on who you ask). In a sense, every person is an architect. Why? because we have the ability to design and build our lives.

—Guest cmoody

Qualities of a Great Architect.

Flexibility, very good exposure, optimism, knowledge, sociability, friendliness, and continual practice can make a good architect.

—Guest chuksclassic