An Address by Douglas Cardinal
to
the 2000/01 Graduating Class
School of Architecture
Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

April 27th, 2001

Key Point Notes:

1. Learn everything about your patrons (clients) in order to bring their visions to reality. As a young architect, you do not want to just put your own ideas forward- this is like looking into a mirror: your own face becomes boring after a while.

2. You need people who believe in you- there is a sacred trust between the architect and the client. You are, afterall, playing with their money, often millions of dollars of their money. It is also the foundation of your future reputation which is the foundation of your prosperity and future commissions.

3. Seek enlightenment not power. Those that seek power are unbalanced and these are the last people who should have power. When the brilliant Buckminster Fuller finally realized his own mortality and that he was in fact 'disposable', this unleashed his creativity. Let death be your advisor and you too will become an 'impecable warrior'. You won't waste any of your limited and valuable time or diminish your creative power.

4. European cities were and are being created by architects. There, architects are responsible for the built environment. In Canada and the USA, architects have allowed others to take responsibility for cityscapes and the results have been poor.

5. We create the built environment and (to an extent) the environment creates us.

6. It takes a great deal of unreasonableness to make great visions happen- the US government spent $600,000 on a study 'proving' that heavier-than-air crafts could not work just weeks before the Wright brothers maiden flight.

7. People don't really want to experience anything new- sometimes you need to take drastic action to face the new reality. When Prime Minister Trudeau asked how long it would take to build the new Museum of Civilization in Ottawa, he was told three years of drawings were required before any construction could take place. Mr. Trudeau said that he didn't have three years and construction would have to begin the following Monday, which it did. To build great projects you need to do everything at once.

8. People operate from fear ... fear keeps us small. Fear keeps us from releasing the magic and creativity within. Fear is based on a fear of our own mortality. We feel victimized by it. It is the source for opposition to great projects. Why not die just once not 100s of times? We give up all our dreams of greatness, our projects and creativity because of criticsm based on fear. Live to the ultimate and use your full potential. Be a fearless being and a knowledgeable human being. When you have power, be responsible and share it but don't give your power away.

9. To focus on value instead of budgets, present your clients with a host of options and lead them in new directions.

10. Architecture is a mission not a profession.

(Notes taken by B. M. Firestone.)

Design and Economics Home Page

Dramatis Personae