Perhaps this is more tangential than relevant but I recently heard Martha Schwartz give a lecture where she showcased a boardwalk design for some beach in the middle-east, most likely it was Dubai. What made me sick was the extend her office went to accommodate the backwards racism/sexist culture. Her project specifically had a different alcove/terrace/section for the rich, the regular men ( a spot for each nationality it seemed), the workers, and the women/children (obviously last on the list).

I think someone of that status should have made an example and either removed the segregation or simply left the project for someone else; I see it as a black mark in an otherwise great portfolio. Having this cultural phenomenon respected in a large architectural project only hurts cultural progress.