Jiri Lev

Jiri Lev (1979) is a Czech-born Australian architect.

Quotes

• We don’t need natural disasters. We’re building our own.
• Like healthcare and legal representation, sustainable, resilient, healthy and beautiful living environment is not a luxury but a pragmatic necessity and a human right. (Access to sustainable, resilient, healthy and beautiful living environments is not a luxury, but a pragmatic necessity and an often neglected human right.)
• Complementary Architecture is rooted in comprehensive understanding of local conditions and context. It aims to contribute to the environment in a way that improves or emphasises its pre-existing qualities. It occurs at the intersection of local pattern and design languages. [...] Complementary Architecture is not a rigorous methodology or production system but rather a set of overarching, intertwined, indispensable ideals and principles.
• We uphold the vitruvian triad for contemporary use, understanding durability (firmitas) as broader sustainability, utility (utilitas) as altruistic service to society and beauty (venustas) as contributor and subject to the overarching regional identity and character of a place, which was inherent historically, but must be carefully guarded in the contemporary world.
• I don’t think pro bono work [in architecture] is very common and that is because sustainable and resilient architecture is not currently viewed as a necessity. Unfortunately, it takes large scale disasters to expose the failures and negligence in design and construction.
• A real change towards a better environment can only begin with better design available for everyone, everywhere. Until the government realises this and provides adequate legislation and funding, we need to do this pro bono – free for the public good.