April 25 1959, IPAR (Institute of Personality Assessment and Research), Berkeley.

At what point do the demands of the client outweigh the creative vision of the architect?

— Eero Saarinen: I say that the only power an architect has against a client is the power of resigning. You can only resign once. If the case is hopeless, it’s your duty to resign.

— Victor Lundy: Would you say that the case is hopeless, as intended in the problem? I confess that I have to admit the possibility of learning something from the client! Maybe there’s something … that will result in a better thing. If a work of architecture is really really good … well, then, the owner will see it!

— Eero Saarinen: Oh, no!

— Phillip Johnson: No. You’re young.

— Victor Lundy: I’m young but I’ve seen some old things. There’s snobbery in some of this.

— Phillip Johnson: If you give in now, the design can only get worse and be worse for your reputation. Because once you are represented by a building you don’t believe in … what is the future of living!?

— Victor Lundy: I hope in all of this that Mr. Brown [the hypothetical client] was right!

In the background, Johnson can be heard laughing at the idea that perhaps the client could be right.

Source: 99% invisible, episode 220, The Mind of an Architect.