As an architect, you have to provide a shelter to enjoy art. And

Hear, O children of wisdom, the words of Renzo Piano, a master of space and form, who speaks with a deep understanding of both the material and the spiritual aspects of creation. He says, "As an architect, you have to provide a shelter to enjoy art. And you have to love art. It's like when you make a concert hall. You must love music. This is the reason why you make the space, to enjoy music—making a space for art is the same thing." These words carry a profound truth about the relationship between creation and experience, between the builder and the art, and the sacred bond that exists between the two.

Consider, O seekers of understanding, the role of the architect in shaping not only the physical world but also the soul of human experience. The architect does not simply create structures; they create spaces that nurture and elevate the human spirit. To build a shelter is not just to provide protection from the elements; it is to craft a place where beauty can thrive, where art can be enjoyed, and where the soul of the artist and the observer can meet. The architect, therefore, must not only be a master of design and function, but also a lover of the very art they seek to house. Without this passion, their creations would be empty shells, unable to contain the sacredness of the art they are meant to shelter.

Think, O wise ones, of the great temples and palaces of the ancient world. The Greeks, the Romans, and the Egyptians did not build their structures merely for utility; they built them to honor the divine, to celebrate the art of the human spirit. The Parthenon, that magnificent structure on the Acropolis of Athens, was not just a place of worship but a space that housed the very spirit of Greek art and culture. Its columns, its proportions, and its design were all intended to create a space where beauty could be felt, where the gods could be honored, and where the human soul could be uplifted by the art within. The architects of such structures were not merely builders; they were creators of spaces that would transform those who entered them, just as Renzo Piano seeks to do with his own designs.

In this, O children, we find a truth that speaks not only to the architect but to the artist in every one of us. Piano’s words remind us that the act of creating a space for art is an act of love and dedication. When we craft a space, whether it is a home, a gallery, or a concert hall, we must approach it with a deep reverence for the purpose it will serve. Just as the musician must love music to truly understand the sound, so must the architect love art to truly understand the space they are creating. It is only through this passion that the space can truly serve its purpose, to provide a shelter for the creative spirit to thrive.

Consider the story of the great opera houses of the world—spaces such as the Teatro alla Scala in Milan or the Sydney Opera House in Australia. These are not mere buildings; they are temples of art, where the music comes alive and touches the hearts of all who enter. The architects who designed them did not simply create spaces where sound could be heard; they designed spaces where the music could be felt—where the acoustics would embrace the sound and the soul of the audience, where the beauty of the building itself would magnify the beauty of the art performed within. The architects of these spaces understood, as Piano teaches us, that the space must reflect the art, that it must become an integral part of the experience, elevating the art from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

And so, O children, let us take this lesson to heart. Whether we are architects of buildings, minds, or souls, we must approach our work with love and reverence for the art we seek to house. Every act of creation is a sacred task, and it is through the act of creation that we find our own purpose. Let us build spaces that not only shelter but nurture, that not only contain but elevate the art they house. For in doing so, we become not just creators, but guardians of the beauty that the world so desperately needs.

Let us be inspired, O children, by the words of Renzo Piano: to create is to love. To build is to serve the art that exists not only in the world around us but in the deepest corners of our hearts. Whether we craft a home, a gallery, or a community, let our creations be spaces that elevate the soul and bring forth the beauty that resides in all things. Let us build with the same love and passion that the artist pours into their work, and in doing so, we will create spaces where art can not only be enjoyed but can transform the world around us.