Leader of an eminent architecture and design firm she runs with her sister called Hariri & Hariri Architecture. Her multiple awards (including an induction into the Design Hall of Fame) are nice, but her motivation comes from an internal drive to innovate and create beautiful human spaces each day.
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Coat, TIBI ; Shirt, COS ; Scarf, Persian Handicraft; Art, Iran Issa-khan
ON HER MORNING ROUTINE
I wake up between 7-8am, have 4 cups of coffee & some fruit. I read the New York Times and then go for a 30-45 minute walk around the reservoir in Central Park to clear my head and put everything that needs to be done in order before I go to the office.
on her upbringing and aspiring to be an architect
I grew up in a small town in the south of Iran. I was always close with my sister (we’re only one and a half years apart). My father’s profession required that we live far in the desert near the oil fields. The desert became both deeply isolating and nurturing. Isolation encouraged our imagination to run wild and develop ideas that a more conventional childhood would have stifled. We often had to invent our own world, toys, and games. My earliest recollection is when, at the age of 12, I announced to my family that I was going to be an architect. While I was determined to pursue this path, I had only a youthful understanding of what it meant and no concept of how it could be a way of life, of seeing the world, of harnessing my past & constructing the future.
on moving and living in the states during the iranian revolution
My family believed deeply in the importance of education, especially for women. Pursuing college education was encouraged from early on as a means to contribute to the construction of modern Iran. I came to the US to study architecture at Cornell University and I was doing my thesis when the revolution took place. Suddenly a country that was modernizing turned into a very traditional & religious society ruled by strict theocracy! It was a very difficult time for a lot of Iranian families especially those educated in the West as they tried to figure out what to do and where to go. I ultimately chose to stay in New York and work here in a society that supposedly offered gender equality, justice, respect & inclusivity, and freedom.
““I believe that our life is very short, so why waste it on meaningless things? Try to leave something worthwhile behind for the next generation. I was raised with the Persian belief in GOOD THOUGHTS, GOOD WORDS, GOOD DEEDS! Money & material things are meaningless, but your contribution and legacy will last forever. The most admired and remembered people are not admired for their material wealth but what they have done for humanity and the way they have changed our world: Gandhi, MLK, Rumi, Omar Khayyam.””
on her influences and architectural approach
We always try to understand the essence of each project and begin our work with original concepts. Sensitive to each environment we build upon, we make sure that each project is simple, efficient and environmentally sustainable. Iran’s rich cultural heritage is all brought together in its extraordinary architecture and that has been influential in my work to this day. Every summer we would visit my grandparents in Isfahan. It is a city of amazing Persian gardens and magnificent blue-domed mosques and palaces mostly built by Shah Abbas the Great in the 17th century. There are pedestrian bridges like no other in the world, picturesque bazaars, and a host of smaller but exquisite mosques and pleasure pavilions. The tactility, materiality, and use of art & craft throughout our projects, regardless of scale and program, are what we carry with us from the visits to Isfahan. Inspired by the renowned Persian Polymath figures like Omar Khayam who was a philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, and poet, and also wrote treatises on mechanics, geography, mineralogy, & music, we developed our holistic approach to design and architecture. Architecture is an art that impacts, influences and changes people’s lives & behavior. I wanted to create a better world to live in, a beautiful place to inspire, a safe & comfortable environment to work! I am repeatedly reminded by my clients of how their lives and perception of life has changed since living in architecture and spaces we have designed for them.
On how her heritage impacts her work and the importance of sustainability
I grew up in a culture where nature was sacred and respected, where technologies were invented to use these natural elements without destroying the environment. The way WATER was used for irrigation, reflection and cooling, the way WIND was literally caught by wind-catchers and cooled and ventilated buildings without the use of electricity, and the EARTH was used for making bricks and mud bricks for construction. We learned that FIRE not only warmed us, but it was also a symbol of purity and light! And it was kept eternally burning in the temples. In fact, I finally saw one of these temples on one of my recent trips. When you live in a place with a vast desert and a very harsh climate you learn to be frugal, but also to use what is given to you in a careful & meaningful way without any WASTE.
Sweater dress, COS ; Scarf, Cityzen bby Azin ; Earrings, Ladan Mehran
Sweater dress, COS ; Scarf, Cityzen by Azin ; Earrings, Ladan Mehran
““Don’t pay attention to the noise, the boys club mentality & hardships. Find your inner voice & speak up. No one will be able to take your work and your voice from you. Lift up & respect other women, especially your fellow architects. Always remember what Adrienne Rich said: “The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet.””
Coat, TIBI ; Shirt, COS ; Scarf, Persian Handicraft; Art, Iran Issa-khan
on the challenges of being a women in architecture
I believe women are still minorities in the field of Architecture in general. When my sister & I were studying at Cornell in the late ’70s, early ’80s there were very few women studying with us and NO woman teaching us. There were very few women practitioners that no one knew. So, my first commitment was to teach and be present in the studios while working simultaneously to get some projects built. We have to nurture and create opportunities for women in architecture, as I truly believe that women have a lot to offer the field. We need to be mentors and sponsors to younger women architects. Men still largely control architecture’s higher reaches. And they are more likely to lavish attention on younger men. My advice to both men & women in positions of influence is to recognize that it is their responsibility to find & recognize women in architecture. The media has a responsibility to publish and introduce the work of women architects to the larger public. Society as a whole has a responsibility to create equal opportunities for women architects. Finally. women have a responsibility to support one another rather than competing with one another. Until we respect, recognize and appreciate women’s contribution to the field of architecture we cannot change to boys’ club culture that exists globally in architecture.
on aging and misconceptions
I think people associate aging with not being relevant. In order to remain visible and important, they try all sorts of surgeries to look youthful. Sadly enough, that doesn’t make any difference. I celebrate & enjoy aging. It is like a great wine, or a Persian carpet, as you get older you become more valuable! Every line on my face is a story of my defeats and victories, of sufferings and happy moments and I cherish and celebrate them all. I think as you age your desire for doing what you think is right becomes stronger. You have the confidence to set the trends and not to follow them. If you think that you have nothing to lose you do become very brave! What is beautiful to me is not a woman with great style or a beautiful face, but a woman with a vision.
““I go for walks, listen to music and I meditate. After living at a Zen center for a short period of time I learned that there is action in no action. When you sit for meditation you actually are taking action to calm your mind. It is a form of mental surrender, a way of being that is not driven by thoughts or contrivance but instead initiated by spontaneous intuition. A creative mind needs a calm, grounded & stable base.””
Sweater dress, COS ; Scarf, Cityzen by Azin ; Earrings, Ladan Mehran
on her style
I would describe my style as tough, elegant, sculptural, simple minimal & zen. I always look for good bargains & great sales! I also love to Mix & Match & do high & low! Issey Miyake, TIBI, COS, Eileen Fisher, Zara. I also love younger women designers like Cityzen by Azin, Nazzy Beglari (her studio is in Dubai) and @laditreasurebox_bohojewelry.
on her beauty routine
I don't do much skincare or makeup everyday. Just use Nivea Nourishing Skin Firming Body Lotion after shower & apply the L’Occitane Ultra Rich Cream before I leave home, I love AERIN’s Ikat Jasmine and wear it every day. I also have few red lipsticks, CHANEL Rouge Allure Velvet #40 & Sephora Rouge R02 are what I wear regularly!
on her favorite books and the publications she reads
I am reading Hillary Clinton’s What Happened—she is one of my role models. She showed me what real courage is about. I must say it was very disappointing to me to witness how an incredibly qualified, experienced, educated, compassionate woman was sidetracked again by a white man not suitable for the job. I also loved Steve Job’s biography, he is one of my recent gurus and interestingly enough he is neither an architect nor a designer but he has impacted the world we live and work in tremendously. Jobs single handedly demonstrated to the world that to create value is to connect creativity with technology. He has proved that good design is good business and it is made by visionaries with a passion for perfection and innovation to revolutionize the way we live. I also recommend the Rachel Maddow biography.
I read a lot of architecture & design magazines: Architectural Record, Interior design, WallPaper, Cultured. NYTimes, New York Magazine, and Vogue. As far as digital publication, I love Man Repeller especially my daughter Iman’s monthly column, Bustle, and The Zoe Report.
Sweater dress, COS ; Scarf, Cityzen by Azin ; Earrings, Ladan Mehran
Coat, Zara ; Scarf, Cityzen by Azin-Area ; Earrings, Ladan Mehran ; Bag, Marni
gisue’s favorite films
Thelma & Louise by Ridley Scott, Swept Away by Lina Wertmüller, The Piano by Jane Campion, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Little Women by Greta Gerwig
on her favorites places in nyc
Favorite Restaurants: Boqueria (Modern Barcelona-style tapas), Korali Estiatorio (Upbeat Greek eatery serving an array of fish dishes & small plates), Paola’s and The Smith.
Favorite Flower Shop: Alexander Florals
New York Spots: Central Park, The High Line, Guggenheim Museum, Met Breuer, Sundaram Tagore Gallery
Favorite Bars: Mark Bar and the Carlyle
Favorite Hair Salon: Justyna at Kasia