Questions 1 to 10

The lovely Adam posted these questions which I am borrowing.

1: During which decade of the 20th century would you feel most comfortable living?

Pragmatic me says rather than the 20th Century, this century is best, as woman, I have so many more opportunities than my foremothers. The romantic me says the 1960s, as the design, music, fashion and politics are a huge influence on me.

2: Which university would you choose to go to given the chance?

Given I met my darling husband whilst studying at Southampton, I'm fairly happy with my choice. I also met some dear friends and got to study under some very inspiring people. In a parallel universe, I think I should have liked someone to explain what engineering was when I was a teenager and made me better at maths so I could have done something really useful like being a computer or civil engineer. But I'm very happy with how this universe is working out.

3: If forced to live in a rural cottage what kind of landscape would you prefer to be surrounded by?

I like landscapes that have a sense of the edge of the world.  I like craggy bleak places, so some where coastal, far back enough from the cliff edge for coastal erosion not to bother me. Perhaps the North West coast of Ireland? I fell in love with Co.Leitrim when we went on honeymoon there.

4: If forced to live in the centre of a large city which would you choose?

Another cliche I'm afraid. I would pick London. To live in the Barbican, or on the South Bank somewhere, so close to myriad possibilities.

5: Is there more value in an architect or a writer?

Again with the pragmatism. In the purest form, the architect provides shelter, where as one can always make ones own entertainment. But now I doubt myself, surely the journalist exposing corruption is more useful today than the folly builders. Ugh I don't know.

6: Which is your favourite style of architecture and would you live in a house designed in that style?
For domestic buildings I like Arts and Crafts style houses, for public spaces I love Brutalist or over the top ornate Victorian buildings. I know that's two extreme but there you go. I would love to live in an Arts and Crafts house, full of both useful and beautiful things.

7: Given the chance to manage a cathedral, a coffee shop or a national park information centre which would you choose?

I think I would be best suited to running a coffeeshop, but I would love to manage a cathedral and hold in the balance the tension between worship, community, history, tourism and space for radical social action. Homeless shelter in the crypt anyone?

8: If you could only read one magazine or newspaper for the rest of your life which would it be?
The Guardian would do me nicely, as long as I could also have the Observer on Sunday.

9: What is your favourite bridge?
The Pont de Normandie. We cross it on our way to see my father-in-law, and it's a hazy, high up, glorious hill of we're nearly on holiday feelings for me.

10: What would be your perfect five-city itinerary of Europe?

London, Paris, Leiden, Cologne, Strasbourg, Zurich