Interview with Michael Arad on the Design Observer Group

On the heels of much writing I've done about why writing is an important exercise for an architect, I came across this interview with Michael Arad, the designer of the 9/11 memorial. It nicely sums up some thoughts I've had about the design process, and why it is crucial to communicate the idea over the physical manifestation of that idea:

http://observermedia.designobserver.com/audio/michael-arad/30148/

"Be flexible without losing site of what is important about the project. Learn to separate the essence and the ideas of a project from one of a thousand variations of how it could be. Because every project can be pushed and pulled in different ways without becoming something altogether different. There are certainly lines that if we had crossed them would have taken this project into altogether different territory. And you have to know where those lines are but you also need to not fall in love with one version of your project. Fall in love with the idea. Don't fall in love with that material or that particular form. Fall in love with the intent of your project."