"For me, every day is a new thing. I approach each project with a new insecurity, almost like the first project I ever did. And I get the sweats. I go in and start working, I'm not sure where I'm going. If I knew where I was going I wouldn't do it"
About this Quote
The subtext is a quiet argument against the professionalization of creativity. Architecture, especially at Gehry’s level, is surrounded by teams, software, budgets, and clients who crave certainty. He confesses to entering the process without a map, which reads like heresy in a field that sells control: plans, renderings, timelines. Yet his point is that if the destination is already visible, the work collapses into execution, not discovery. He’s describing a method that values risk as a filter: if a project doesn’t scare you, it probably won’t change you.
Context matters: Gehry became a symbol of spectacle and confidence (Bilbao’s titanium swagger, the starchitect era), and this undercuts that public persona. The line “If I knew where I was going I wouldn’t do it” is also a defense against cynics who call his work arbitrary. He’s insisting the apparent chaos is earned in the messy middle, where uncertainty forces new forms to appear rather than be chosen off a shelf.
Quote Details
| Topic | Art |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite | Cite this Quote |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Gehry, Frank. (2026, January 16). For me, every day is a new thing. I approach each project with a new insecurity, almost like the first project I ever did. And I get the sweats. I go in and start working, I'm not sure where I'm going. If I knew where I was going I wouldn't do it. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/for-me-every-day-is-a-new-thing-i-approach-each-119764/
Chicago Style
Gehry, Frank. "For me, every day is a new thing. I approach each project with a new insecurity, almost like the first project I ever did. And I get the sweats. I go in and start working, I'm not sure where I'm going. If I knew where I was going I wouldn't do it." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/for-me-every-day-is-a-new-thing-i-approach-each-119764/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"For me, every day is a new thing. I approach each project with a new insecurity, almost like the first project I ever did. And I get the sweats. I go in and start working, I'm not sure where I'm going. If I knew where I was going I wouldn't do it." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/for-me-every-day-is-a-new-thing-i-approach-each-119764/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.





