What differentiates a building designed in Paris from one in Jerusalem, or Houston from one in Amsterdam or China or the Arabian Peninsula? A national museum for the Sikh’s or the Cherokee Nation?

‍Over my career, I have been asked to design projects for people and places that I didn’t know. In Africa, in Iran, in Asia, and in Texas to name a few. My mission going into each relationship was always to immerse myself in the culture and the place; to extract some clues that would support my belief which is that when architecture represents the essence of the place of where it is built and the particular program or purpose, it resonates with people in a way that is long lasting and profound. My belief is that architecture has the power to bring people together, to unite all kinds of differences, and that as architects we have a deep responsibility to create buildings and places that BELONG.