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If theres one reason for Zaha Hadids exceptionalism its wealth. Her career was subsidised for decades and wealthy connections brought the work in when it first

If theres one reason for Zaha Hadids exceptionalism its wealth. Her career was subsidised for decades and wealthy connections brought the work in when it first came. Now of course its not the same and the practice can support itself at least to some extent, but whether it can do this over the long run is still a question. Her treatment of young staff which varies from exploitative to abusive to helpful depending who you ask, is not very different to other Starchitects.

simonebrunozzi 8y ago
You seem to know a lot about her management style. Care to share some more details?
- twelvechairs 8y ago
  The stories I've heard through the grapevine include a lot of humiliation of young employees. One for example was Zaha throwing a phone at someone during late (unpaid) overtime, insulting them then ordering them to fix it for her. Its not uncommon at Starchitects to be like this, but Zaha to my knowledge was one of the worst.
triggercut 8y ago
"If theres one reason for Zaha Hadids exceptionalism its wealth." She was by all accounts from the time, and in retrospect, a star student during her time at Architectural Association. Not just a top student but an exceptional student. She was also fierce in her determination to succeed, something still difficult for a woman at that time in a male dominated industry full of egos. She persevered, and like a lot of women of that time who did, were punished for it. As well, I've heard plenty of stories about her treatment of staff which is inexcusable behavior, however that's immaterial to her artistic vision and capability. Her connections certainly helped her career, yes, they always do in business. She wasn't exceptional because of her wealth.
- kobrad 8y ago
  This is a bit strange. There are a lot of exceptional people who will not get anywhere because they are poor. So it's nice and all, but don't just say her exceptional wealth has nothing to do with anything.
- twelvechairs 8y ago
  First of all you have to be incredibly wealthy to study at the AA as a foreign student in the first place. I'm not sure where you get your info that she was a star student - by all accounts I know of she struggled at times at the AA, and often didn't get great grades. She was quite headstrong (which is kind of what they teach you) and got on with some people and not with others. There's other great women in the world of Architecture too like Sejima or Carme Pigem (both themselves Pritzker prize winners) who get much less attention by non-architects. And run their practices in a much less exploitative way
cam_l 8y ago
>Her career was subsidised for decades and wealthy connections brought the work in when it first came. In architecture, this is the rule rather than the exception.

simonebrunozzi 8y ago

You seem to know a lot about her management style. Care to share some more details?

twelvechairs 8y ago
The stories I've heard through the grapevine include a lot of humiliation of young employees. One for example was Zaha throwing a phone at someone during late (unpaid) overtime, insulting them then ordering them to fix it for her. Its not uncommon at Starchitects to be like this, but Zaha to my knowledge was one of the worst.

triggercut 8y ago

"If theres one reason for Zaha Hadids exceptionalism its wealth." She was by all accounts from the time, and in retrospect, a star student during her time at Architectural Association. Not just a top student but an exceptional student. She was also fierce in her determination to succeed, something still difficult for a woman at that time in a male dominated industry full of egos. She persevered, and like a lot of women of that time who did, were punished for it. As well, I've heard plenty of stories about her treatment of staff which is inexcusable behavior, however that's immaterial to her artistic vision and capability. Her connections certainly helped her career, yes, they always do in business. She wasn't exceptional because of her wealth.

kobrad 8y ago
This is a bit strange. There are a lot of exceptional people who will not get anywhere because they are poor. So it's nice and all, but don't just say her exceptional wealth has nothing to do with anything.
twelvechairs 8y ago
First of all you have to be incredibly wealthy to study at the AA as a foreign student in the first place. I'm not sure where you get your info that she was a star student - by all accounts I know of she struggled at times at the AA, and often didn't get great grades. She was quite headstrong (which is kind of what they teach you) and got on with some people and not with others. There's other great women in the world of Architecture too like Sejima or Carme Pigem (both themselves Pritzker prize winners) who get much less attention by non-architects. And run their practices in a much less exploitative way

cam_l 8y ago

>Her career was subsidised for decades and wealthy connections brought the work in when it first came. In architecture, this is the rule rather than the exception.