“Because the architect of the past served a single client, he was also able to become thoroughly acquainted with the client´s individual tastes and way of life – he could make the client´s decisions for him. The majority of architects designing housing today do not work for millionaires, but for millions of individuals who will work or live in the architects´projects. The architect cannot study the behaviour of each user; instead, he constructs an ideal user – usually a mirror image of himself – and plans for this ideal. Since he designs to a common standard of perfection, none of the individually imperfect users is satisfied. The architect cannot possibly ascertain their preferences and, therefore, should not presume to choose for them. He should, instead, devise methods of promoting choice among the users themselves.”
Yona Friedman
