I deliberated for some time over what to title this page, 'words of the wise' or 'wise words'. It's intended to be a collection of thoughts from famous writers and theorists of various periods. I steered away from 'wise words' as the statements here are not some kind of gospel or key to the ultimate architectural answer. The truth that I am interested in lurks in the thoughts or debates that these words ignite.
"May I take you to the shores of a mountain lake? The sky is blue, the water is green, and everything is at peace. The mountains and the clouds are reflected in the lake, as are the houses, farms and chapels. They stand there as if they had never been built by human hands. They look as if they have come from God’s own workshop, just like the mountains and the trees, the clouds and the blue sky. And everything radiates beauty and quiet….
What is the discord, that like an unnecessary scream shatters the quiet? Right at the centre of the farmers’ houses, which were not built by them, but by God, stands a villa. Is it the product of a good or of a bad architect? I do not know. All I know is that beauty, peace and quiet have been dispelled."
