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Zaha Hadid's televised Stirling Prize win promotes the commodification of architecture, says Christine Murray
Even the most cynical architect was moved by Zaha Hadid's off-camera acceptance speech. In her refreshingly frank and ebullient address, she talked about how much receiving the Stirling Prize meant to her, after so many years of being passed over by the British award.
'People often ask me, why do I stay in London?' she said. 'It does mean a lot to me, to receive the prize in the country in which I have chosen to live.'
The Stirling Prize judges say it was the wow-factor and sheer originality of MAXXI that led to their unanimous 'secret ballot' decision. Unlike some naysayers, the judges insist...