Discussion 1: Zaha Hadid: The First Great Female Architect by Jonathan Meades

The structure of the working environment of Hadid’s staff seems hostile and unpleasant. They work in an unsociable environment like machines with the only connection between them being intense concentration. Hadid likes such an environment as she sees it as the way of the digital industry. However, I believe people/ work benefit from the spirit of an organisation, which is one thing Hadid’s office lacks. Hadid believes her staff are connected through digital knowledge; she believes the computer is more than a tool as it increases knowledge and resources and opens a connection to everyone. In my opinion though it is a tool, just as a pencil is; if one does not have the knowledge to use them they will not be connected and achieve their standards.

Hadid doesn’t like to relate to the context of historicism yet lives and works in quite a historic part of London. It seems to me she is quite comfortable with her location because she doesn’t acknowledge the old, she doesn’t look upon history to influence her work as this would restrict ones design. Hadid is not one to share her processes of work as she believes it would jeopardise them. If she doesn’t pass the knowledge on it will evidently die and the immortality will be lost.