Legorreta appears to have his priorities straight. The architect has made it a lifelong practice to avoid the temptation of becoming big, rich and famous. And he accepted the American Institute of Architects' Year 2000 Gold Medal with characteristic self-scrutiny about what might be lost with such a gain.
Fame can corrupt.
But it can also be used for progress. For Legorreta, fame offers broader voice to improve his beloved profession. Legorreta believes architects, during their schooling, should be taught to build, not just to design. He can't understand how an architect can perform well without an appreciation for construction. He faults education for creating a legion of architects who are more concerned with their own recognition than they are with service to the client, the user and the community.