I don't think that architecture is only about shelter, is only about a very simple enclosure. It should be able to excite you, to calm you, to make you think. Zaha Hadid More Quotes by Zaha Hadid More Quotes From Zaha Hadid When I first came to Guangzhou in 1981, it seemed such a hard and dour place with everyone in Chairman Mao uniforms. Zaha Hadid mao uniforms firsts I am quite sensitive to politics, because you know, as an Arab, an Iraqi, all your life, you are very conscious of it. Zaha Hadid sensitive conscious knows The commission process in America and England is different. In America, they do it through an interview process, and it's really based on whether they like you or not. I mean, it's nothing to do with whether you do the best scheme or the worst scheme. Zaha Hadid different mean america My father was a politician, and a very important politician, and one of the leaders of the Iraqi Democratic Party, who believed in progress. Zaha Hadid party leader father When I was growing up in Iraq, there was an unbroken belief in progress and a great sense of optimism. It was a moment of nation building. Zaha Hadid optimism iraq growing-up People don't talk to you properly. It's the way they talk to you; they dismiss you. I think it's a combination of me being a woman and a foreigner. Zaha Hadid people way thinking I can't focus when there's too many things around. Whenever I used to go to the office, I used to always say, 'Tidy up.' Zaha Hadid used focus office I've always been interested in combining architecture with a social agenda, and I really think you can invest and be inventive with hospitals and housing. Zaha Hadid agendas architecture thinking You really have to have a goal. Zaha Hadid goal What's similar between Britain and America is the lack of good-quality civic buildings. Zaha Hadid britain-and-america building quality I loved London. In the 1970s... it was very exciting, really wild. Zaha Hadid london exciting In hospital, people should be able to have time to themselves. Zaha Hadid able should people Half of architecture students are women, and you see respected, established female architects all the time. Zaha Hadid female half students I like music. Country, hip-hop, R&B, sometimes classical. Zaha Hadid hips hip-hop country I find industrial cities exciting. I like their toughness. Zaha Hadid toughness cities exciting The spirit of adventure to embrace the new and the incredible belief in the power of invention attracted me to the Russian avant-garde. Zaha Hadid avant-garde spirit adventure It's not my duty as an architect to look at it. Zaha Hadid architect architecture looks Life in the Middle East is quite different from other places. Zaha Hadid middle-east east different When I taught, all my best students were women. Zaha Hadid best-students taught students If I'm in london it can be different than if I'm somewhere else. Zaha Hadid london different somewhere-else