My generation were all careerists.

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.

My friendships are very important to me.

I love driving around east London – it’s always full of surprises. Actually, I don’t drive myself – I like to be driven.

What’s similar between Britain and America is the lack of good-quality civic buildings.

It was such a depressing time. I didn’t look very depressed, maybe, but it was really dire. I made a conscious decision not to stop, but it could have gone the other way.

Of course I believe imaginative architecture can make a difference to people’s lives, but I wish it was possible to divert some of the effort we put into ambitious museums and galleries into the basic architectural building blocks of society.

It’s very important for cities all around the world to reinvent themselves, and Glasgow is a good example of that. The Scots are very nice. I don’t think they are burdened by their history.

As a woman, you’re not accessible to every world.

The paintings have only ever been ways of exploring architecture. I don’t see them as art.