Zaha Hadid: Leading the way for women and design
“It’s hard to believe, but it’s still difficult for women to break the business barrier,” says internationally renowned architect and business woman, Dame Zaha Hadid, “Through perseverance and hard work, I’ve been able to do so, but it’s been a long struggle.”
Resolute and enterprising, with an incredible imagination, Hadid is a woman who brings her visions to life. These traits have made her an inspiration to business women and designers, and have also been the reason for her triumph at the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Awards.
Presented on April 23 in London, the award is named after the infamous Madame Clicquot, who, when widowed at 27 in 1798, became the owner of her husband’s Champagne business. Strong, sharp and successful, she became one of the first women to lead a company of men with great success. ”Only one quality — the finest,” she used to say.
The Veuve Clicquot awards seek to acknowledge business women who share this same spirit, demonstrating success not only financially and as an entrepreneur, but through a dedication to society. Zaha ticks all of these boxes. Founding her own firm, Zaha Hadid Architects, she fast became one of the most influential designers in the world, known for her futuristic, elongated and fluid designs.
From the MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts in Rome, to the Guangzhou Opera House in China, to the critically acclaimed Aquatics Centre for the 2012 London Olympics, buildings around the globe testify to her outstanding design aesthetic, as well as to her ability to reach the top in a male dominated industry.
The Veuve Clicquot award will sit on her mantle alongside the Pritzker Architecture Prize (the most prestigious prize in architecture), the Stirling Prize, as well as a CBE and DBE for Zaha’s services in architecture.
Alongside these achievements, Zaha is dedicated to the growth of theoretical and academic work, as well as to the training of the next generation of architects. Numerous universities and boards internationally have, at one point or another, welcomed her and the vast experience and passion she brings to the field.
In light of Zaha’s accomplishments, it makes sense why Christina Jesaitis, the Senior Brand Manager at Veuve Clicquot, would say, “Dame Zaha has made her mark across the globe with iconic works that will inspire people for decades.”
For more information:
Veuve Cliquot Award
Web: veuveclicquotaward.com
Zaha Hadid
Web: zaha-hadid.com
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