Well said, Mr. Libeskind.

At its best, architecture isn’t about appearance or novelty — it’s about contributing to life, resilience, and the ecosystems we all depend on.

Photograph by Jonno Rattman for Bloomberg Businessweek

“People think architecture is a bunch of ice cream parlors and, I don't know, some gyms and nice places to take your girlfriend out or your wife or boyfriend.  Architecture is in the midst of the turmoil of the world.  It's not a military art, it's not political art... it's planting a garden.  It's making a building.  The power of architecture is the power to do something good."

- Daniel Libeskind

I return to his quote often because it strips architecture down to its essence. It reminds me that our work isn’t about fantasy or ornament — it’s about responding, thoughtfully and responsibly, to the world as it is.

Architecture Is Not an Escape — It’s a Responsibility

Architecture doesn’t sit outside climate change, public health, or social inequity. It’s embedded in all of it. Every decision we make — materials, systems, layout, light — quietly shapes how people feel, how resources are used, and how communities function over time. That’s not abstract. That’s real life.

When Libeskind compares architecture to planting a garden, I hear an invitation to design with care. Gardens aren’t static or perfect. They evolve. They require attention, humility, and patience. Buildings, at their best, are the same — living systems that interact with people, ecosystems, and time.

To me, that’s the heart of regenerative architecture: design that doesn’t just minimize harm, but actively contributes to health, connection, and resilience. It asks better questions. It works with complexity instead of flattening it. And it acknowledges that doing “less bad” isn’t enough anymore.

Architecture has power — not the loud kind, but the quiet, lasting kind. The kind that shows up in how a school supports learning, how a library welcomes its community, or how a building ages with dignity. If we treat each project as a chance to do something genuinely good, then architecture becomes more than a profession. It becomes a form of care.

And honestly, that feels like the work worth doing.