All the privileged can travel, see different worlds, not everyone can. I think it is important for people to have an interesting locale nearby.

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

I've always thought that design can have equal importance to the idea of internal architecture. Professionally, things can be very dogmatic - you do the architecture, someone else does the interiors, someone else does the furniture, the fabric, etc. But I think design is all-encompassing.

There are so many great galleries and museums in London, but they can be very crowded during the day.

When I first came to Guangzhou in 1981, it seemed such a hard and dour place with everyone in Chairman Mao uniforms.

The conservative values that are emerging, it may not effect architecture immediately but it will effect society and that's what worries me.

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