“After reading Design and Meditation, the first book by Alessandro Caruso, during a recent hospital stay, I found myself paying closer attention to the structural details of the hospital—details I’d never considered before.
After what I’ve learned from his work, it’s hard now not to connect architectural elements like modular designs, color choices, or material types to a broader, cohesive vision. I lingered particularly on the pages where Caruso recounts his accident and the days he spent in the hospital in Palermo. It is clear how significant those days were in shaping the qualities that paved the path to ACA Ltd.—a platform that has already rewarded you greatly and promises even greater accomplishments.
Your statement, “It’s through frustration and pain that we may be able to learn the most,” instantly brought to my mind Leonard Cohen’s profound truth in his song Anthem:
“There is a crack in everything, that’s where the light gets in.”
I am convinced that a beam of light entered your life, even long ago, perhaps through some crack in the walls of that Palermo hospital. That light originated there, eventually illuminating every step of your journey to Beverley—a self-discovery journey, as Dr. Ruga aptly describes it.
I would say that Design and Meditation opens horizons in all directions, providing invaluable insights into the multidisciplinary foundations needed for comprehensive professional development. I learned so much and must confess, I was (like many others, I suppose) stuck in the traditional view of architecture as a discipline aimed at constructing residential, industrial, or communal spaces, focused mainly on applying technical expertise aligned with academic study programs. I was wrong.
Your book, which I boldly label as multidisciplinary, conceived with a vision of holistic design, has profoundly reshaped my understanding of what it means to be an architect today—a true Architect in all its multifaceted dimensions. Through you, I’ve discovered that architecture is an art nourished by aesthetic values inseparable from ethical ones. I now firmly believe that the quality of the final product hinges on the strength of the creator’s personality.
I intend to revisit your book more deliberately, pausing to reflect on its many insights.