Renzo Piano "Fare Architettura" - Cersaie 2009

Young architects, students, journalists, actors, professionals, enthusiasts and curious: more than 3 thousand people are all here for him. When Renzo Piano takes the stage at Cersaie 2009 in Bologna, a big applause starts the Lectio Magistralis: "Doing Architecture".

"For students who join the faculty," says Piano, "the advice is to travel. Do not spend too much time making sketches. The academy is dangerous. And above all do not listen to anyone." Go your own way. Without stopping. "Even when they try to convince you that what you want to do is impossible. Impossible is the word I know in all the languages of the world."

"Visit the site before starting work is critical, even when, as in the Osaka Airport project, it means to contemplate the sea”. "When I showed the airport project, people were speechless. They thought it was just scaffolding. Is it finished, they wondered. Yes it is finished like this, I replied. Remember this too: it is not always necessary to explain everything."

"And then you always have to deal with human nature. The art of listening to people is the most difficult one, as people have difficulties in expressing what they need: the ones who talk the most are the ones who have less to say."

Enjoy this talk, posted on you tube by "konigsadler", who was so nice to share it. The talk is in Italian.