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

As a woman, I'm expected to want everything to be nice and to be nice myself. A very English thing. I don't design nice buildings - I don't like them. I like architecture to have some raw, vital, earthy quality.

Some people really live and work within the same doctrine, the same diagram with the same logic.

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

You have to really believe not only in yourself; you have to believe that the world is actually worth your sacrifices.

When I taught, all my best students were women.

I used to not like being called a 'woman architect.' I'm an architect, not just a woman architect. The guys used to tap me on the head and say 'you're OK for a girl.' But I see an incredible amount of need from other women for reassurance that it can be done, so I don't mind anymore.