Jean Nouvel

Art should be created for life, not for the museum.

I think architecture has to be a gift.

If there was a fire at my house I would throw more things on it. The only thing I would take out? Myself!

It is not possible to design always the same. How to be different in each different place - that is the most important work and duty of the architect to find out.

My buildings are more famous than me.

I generally hate the luxury modern apartment with too many things out of sight and so clean you cannot touch.

I like to play with architecture! It's my favorite game.

I like English parks.

Each new situation requires a new architecture.

I don't like the idea that one hotel could be better than another. In any city, I try to find a hotel that has the identity of that place - Claridge's in London, the Danieli or Cipriani in Venice. In New York, I stay at the Mercer Hotel; it is so much in the character of SoHo.