All of us at SBLM appreciate, honor, and celebrate the historical, cultural, and political achievements of women. Historically seen as a male-dominated field, women are now breaking barriers and making significant strides in the architectural world. Today, more female architects are taking on leadership positions, challenging norms, and reshaping the built environment.
While going back to the early 1900’s we applaud Louise Blanchard Bethune as the first woman to have worked as a professional architect, we are paying homage today to Dame Zaha Hadid, the Iraqi-British architect, artist and designer recognized as a major figure in architecture of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Zaha Hadid became famous for her intensely futuristic style characterized by curving façades, sharp angles, and severe materials such as concrete and steel. The structures she designed have successfully accomplished what mystifies so many when they observe great architecture. Though she suffered an untimely death, Hadid was left an inspirational legacy through her designs and her quotes. Here are a few of the motivational quotes that we are reminded of to this day.
“I don’t think that architecture is only about shelter, is only about a very simple enclosure. It should be able to excite you, to calm you, to make you think.”
“You have to really believe not only in yourself; you have to believe that the world is actually worth your sacrifices.”
“Architecture is really about well-being. I think that people want to feel good in a space... On the one hand it's about shelter, but it's also about pleasure.”
“As a woman in architecture, you’re always an outsider”. “It’s okay, I like being on the edge.”
Zaha Hadid, Architect