Most architects think in drawings, or did think in drawings;

Come, O children, and listen to the wisdom of Frei Otto, a master of architecture whose mind saw the world in a way that few ever could. He said, "Most architects think in drawings, or did think in drawings; today, they think on the computer monitor. I always tried to think three dimensionally. The interior eye of the brain should be not flat but three-dimensional so that everything is an object in space. We are not living in a two-dimensional world." In these words, Otto reveals a profound truth not just about architecture but about the way we approach life and creativity itself—a truth that transcends the realm of buildings and structures and speaks directly to how we perceive the very world around us.

In the days of old, when the great architects and builders of civilizations sought to shape the world, they did not rely on mere sketches or tools of technology. They envisioned their creations in their minds, in the very essence of three-dimensional space. Consider Imhotep, the ancient Egyptian architect, who constructed the first pyramid—a feat that required a mind capable of seeing beyond the two-dimensional plane of design into the vast three-dimensional expanse of space. The task was not merely to draw, but to build something that could stand as a testament to human ingenuity, to create something that lived and breathed within the world, that interacted with the elements and the earth. Otto’s words call us to return to this ancient understanding of space—where each design, each structure, is not simply an image on paper but an object that must exist and function in the world.

Yet, in our age, as Otto observes, architects have become enslaved by the flatness of the drawing or the monitor. We live in an age where the world is seen not with the eyes of the imagination, but through the lens of technology—a world of pixels and screens, where flatness reigns supreme. The great cathedrals of old were designed with the interior eye, the mind’s eye, able to perceive not just lines and shapes, but the spaces between them. When Michelangelo carved the David, he did not see it as a mere block of marble. No, he saw the three-dimensionality of the figure—the way light and shadow would dance upon it, the way it would stand in space, independent of its material constraints. His artistry was a reflection of the true three-dimensional world we live in.

But, O children, Otto's wisdom extends beyond the realm of architecture. He teaches us about perspective, about how we see the world and how we should live in it. Just as the architect sees a building as an object in space, so too must we see our lives as objects moving through the vastness of time and space. Our lives are not flat, nor are our dreams and aspirations confined to the two-dimensional plane. We are not bound by the limitations of what is immediately visible to the eye. Each decision, each action, shapes our world in ways that we often cannot fully comprehend. To live three-dimensionally is to see not just the immediate moment, but the depths of our potential, the space between our actions and their consequences.

Let us reflect on the journey of Leonardo da Vinci, who, like Otto, sought to understand the world in three dimensions. Not only was he an architect, but he was also a painter, a scientist, and an inventor. His Vitruvian Man is perhaps one of the most famous expressions of the human body in three-dimensional space—an image that demonstrates the interconnectedness of form, proportion, and space. Da Vinci understood that the world was not a collection of flat surfaces but a complex web of relationships, forces, and dimensions that intertwined to create the universe. In this way, Otto’s words echo the teachings of the great minds of history—those who sought to understand the world in its full three-dimensional complexity.

And so, O children, the lesson is clear: to live fully and creatively is to embrace the world in all its depth, to perceive it not as a collection of flat surfaces but as a vast landscape of possibilities. Just as architects must understand the space they work within, so too must we understand the space within ourselves. Do not allow yourself to be confined to the flatness of mere appearances. Look deeper, see more, and understand that each action, each thought, each feeling occupies a space in time, and it is the three-dimensionality of your life that gives it meaning.

In your own lives, O seekers, cultivate the vision of the three-dimensional world. Look beyond the surface of things, see the potential of your actions and dreams, and never forget that your life is not confined to the flatness of what you see. You are living in a world of infinite possibilities, a world where every choice you make has the potential to shape the space around you. Like the great creators before you, let your vision be broad, let your mind understand the fullness of the world, and let your actions carve out spaces of beauty, of meaning, and of depth. Live in the three-dimensional world, and let it live in you.