Quotes from Zaha Hadid

I have always appreciated those who dare to experiment with materials and proportions.

I loved London. In the 1970s... it was very exciting, really wild.

I am quite sensitive to politics, because you know, as an Arab, an Iraqi, all your life, you are very conscious of it.

Life in the Middle East is quite different from other places.

My friendships are very important to me.

I am sure that as a woman I can do a very good skyscraper.

I will never give myself the luxury of thinking, 'I've made it.'

Indeed, our designs become more ambitious as we see the new possibilities created by the technology of other industries.

The current state of architecture and design requires extensive collaboration and an investigative attitude and we continue to research and develop new technologies.

I think about architecture all the time. That's the problem. But I've always been like that. I dream it sometimes.

Would they call me a diva if I were a guy?

Like men, women have to be diligent and work hard.

Architecture is particularly difficult for women; there's no reason for it to be. I don't want to blame men or society, but I think it was for a long time, the clients were men, the building industry is all male.

My buildings are not particularly expensive. It is not a tin shed. If you want a tinny car, you pay for that.

In hospital, people should be able to have time to themselves.

It's very important that historic cities are allowed to reinvent their future.

I like music. Country, hip-hop, R&B, sometimes classical.

The funkiest housing in Holland is for low-income, and I think that's very nice.

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.

The beauty of the landscape - where sand, water, reeds, birds, buildings, and people all somehow flowed together - has never left me.

I love driving around east London - it's always full of surprises. Actually, I don't drive myself - I like to be driven.

I really love Miami, but I don't think the architecture matches the city. It's a bit too commercial.

I really believe in the idea of the future.

Architecture is unnecessarily difficult. It's very tough.