Karl Friedrich Schinkel

Architecture German 1781 – 1841 101 quotes

A Prussian architect, city planner, and painter who designed many prominent buildings in Berlin, including the Altes Museum.

Quotes by Karl Friedrich Schinkel

The pursuit of perfection is a lifelong journey.

Personal reflections 1835

Architecture is the art of creating environments.

Treatise on Architecture 1828

The architect must be a visionary.

Lectures 1827

To build is to leave a legacy.

Public discourse 1831

The interplay of light and shadow defines a space.

Design notes 1829

Every project is an opportunity for greatness.

Correspondence with students 1834

The architect must be a student of history.

Lectures 1826

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but good design is universal.

Aphorisms 1830

The purpose of a building is to serve its inhabitants.

Functionalist principles 1828

Let us build with courage and conviction.

Public address 1835

Architecture is the art of building monuments to the spirit of the age.

Letter 1815

In every edifice, the soul of the architect must reside, invisible yet eternal.

Essay 1820

The true beauty of a building lies not in ornament, but in its harmonious proportions.

Notebook 1805

Nature provides the model; man must elevate it through design.

Speech 1810

A city's skyline should reflect the aspirations of its people.

Letter 1825

Light and shadow are the poet's tools in architecture.

Book 1830

The ruin teaches us the impermanence of human endeavor.

Travel Journal 1818

Simplicity in form begets eternal elegance.

Design Notes 1822

Architecture bridges the gap between earth and heaven.

Letter 1835

Every line drawn must serve the whole composition.

Sketchbook 1800