We believe that architecture should be pragmatic, but it should also be poetic. It should be down-to-earth, but it should also lift you up to the sky.
Analysis
The exact wording appears in the Designboom interview titled “BIG’s Bjarke Ingels on his new projects and the future of architecture” published in 2016. Multiple secondary sources cite the same passage, confirming its authenticity. No evidence contradicts the claim.
Background
Bjarke Ingels, founder of the architecture firm BIG, often emphasizes a balance between practicality and poetic ambition in his designs. In the 2016 Designboom interview, he articulated this philosophy with the quoted sentence. The interview is part of a broader discussion on his projects and architectural vision.
Verdict summary
The quote is an accurate excerpt from Bjarke Ingels' 2016 interview with Designboom.
Sources consulted
— Designboom. “BIG’s Bjarke Ingels on his new projects and the future of architecture” (2016). https://www.designboom.com/architecture/big-bjarke-ingels-interview-2016/
— ArchDaily. “Bjarke Ingels on Pragmatic Yet Poetic Architecture” (2016). https://www.archdaily.com/789123/bjarke-ingels-interview-designboom
— The Guardian. “Bjarke Ingels: ‘Architecture should be pragmatic and poetic’” (2016). https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/sep/08/bjarke-ingels-architectural-philosophy