Referring to younger staff variously as “kids” or “the children”, Dame Zaha, cloaked in black and with smudges of fuchsia on both her eyes and lips, says she is approachable.
Those who know her (and prefer not to be named) characterise her as volcanic – she blows up but then it’s over. There are no lasting grudges. Her business partner, architect Patrik Schumacher, says the explosions are the byproduct of “uncompromising standards”, suggesting such bust-ups are normal in creative offices.
— ft.com
She pulls the architect responsible to one side. “I don’t care where [the lights go] as long as they’re not in my presence,” she snaps. Dame Zaha’s two assistants stare at the ground. Moments later they fall to the floor to take off her high-heeled Martin Margiela ankle boots so she can walk five yards across the room.
Why does this globally renowned architect – the first female winner of the Pritzker award (considered the Nobel Prize of the field) – pick on her employees? “Some people take the piss and I don’t like that,” she says. “People have to understand my limits. There is a point of no return. Most people who work with me know that line.” You cannot run a business and be “a complete doormat”.
58 Comments
^
Interesting that you said "a girl." How about "a girl OR a boy?" I think I understand now.
boy, girl, both in one, whatever...i'm not one to quibble (having passed for a girl a few times as a boy)
Then there was Frank and Ogilvana with their architecture boot camp - Taliesin
Hey Zaha? Fuck you!
indeed the archinect forum is plagued by small minds. Many like the above, observant and thayer-d suffer from the Dunning-Kruger effect.
i really doubt thayer-d ever had words with schumacher. It doesn't take much to rise above some faux-old bible thumpin. Faux-old parables don't count as an intellectual challenge.
Reminding myself why I venture so rarely onto the Archinect forums these days.
I don't know what's worse faux old or faux new...
the faux that's uglier, easy.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.