“I used to not like being called a 'woman architect': I'm an architect, not just a woman architect. Guys used to tap me on the head and say, 'You are okay for a girl.' But I see the incredible amount of need from other women for reassurance that it could be done, so I don't mind that at all.”

Iraqi and British architect, artist, and designer

Dame Zaha Hadid was an Iraqi and British architect, artist, and designer. Born in Baghdad in 1950, she became a leading figure in late 20th and early 21st century architecture. She studied mathematics before entering the Architectural Association School of Architecture in 1972. Her work was shaped by Suprematism and the Russian avant-garde, and she used painting as a design tool in place of conventional architectural drawing. Across her career, she was known for an abstract approach that sought new possibilities for modern architecture.