What would you eat for your last supper?
Dim sum with the architect Patrik Schumacher, who has been a great collaborator of mine.
What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
‘Have fun and don’t work so hard.’
What last made you cry?
When my brother passed away last year.
What keeps you up in the middle of the night?
Worrying about the office.
What’s the most shocking thing you’ve read about yourself?
Most of the stuff I read about myself is not true, so I find it all quite shocking. I am amazed how much people underestimate the sheer amount of hard work and effort it has taken throughout my career.
Is there a book that changed the way you thought about things?
Delirious New York by Rem Koolhaas, books on Kasimir Malevich and another important book, Town and Revolution by Anatole Kopp, were all inspirational.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Interesting outfits and coats. Prada has some great coats and I like designers who play with proportions and materials, so I’ve followed Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons. I never throw anything away, so I have a lot of vintage pieces. I found an old Romeo Gigli piece I’d forgotten about — it is quite stunning.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Bette Davis in her heyday or Sophia Loren.
What did you buy with your first pay cheque?
It was a toss-up between shoes and books. At the time I wore the most uncomfortably high-heeled shoes.
Do you have any superstitions?
Sometimes.
What has been your greatest mistake?
Mistake is one thing, regret is another. I feel bad that my parents were not around to witness my progression from student to architect.
Who do you want to apologise to?
It’s not my habit to apologise.
(zaha-hadid.com; zaha-hadid-design.com)
