Only an Idiot Would Have Said No

Spiegel’s article "Only an Idiot Would Have Said No" (2008), is personal interview with the chief architect Jacques Herzog on one of the major architectural projects he spearheaded in China; the Beijing’s Olympic Stadium. Herzog argues that it is the responsibility of the architects to ensure that the buildings they develop should not only create a sense of attachment amongst the citizens, but also respect human rights as well as reflecting the enthusiasm inherent in the users. He supports his claims by mentioning that the Olympic stadium in Beijing has become a national symbol that the Chinese find it comfortable being identified with it and hence being given equally regarded as other iconic cultural monuments like the Great Wall of China. As an architect, Herzog appreciates the degree of acceptance a structure like the ...