Jacques Herzog for Spiegel: Only an idiot would refuse it

Today marks the start of the most significant global event of this year, the Olympic Games in Beijing. The architectural icon of the games has become the main Olympic stadium, designed by the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, whose image even appears on Chinese banknotes worth 10 yuan.
How does an architect morally reconcile with a lucrative contract in a country that is criticized for human rights violations? Can one of the most renowned architects today impose demands during the design process that, if nothing else, could at least ensure more dignified conditions for the workers on site? What then goes through a person's mind when confronted with individuals who refuse to participate in such an event? These questions were posed to Jacques Herzog by journalists Ulrike Knöfel and Susanne Beyer, resulting in a very interesting interview published a week ago in Spiegel.

> You can find the interview in English here