I still believe that cities are places of contradiction, having lived in different cities around the world. They will never be perfect or equal for all. However, they have a tremendous capacity to host spontaneous and permanent micro-communities to create spaces for diversity. The spaces where the micro-community 'happens' are usually thriving social, physical and economic palimpsests. Organising into smaller communities: mini-cells of the city with their own identities, can help people living in the city to find a variety of roles and scenarios beyond the roles of workers or consumers. Creating a safe social space in the city is an antidote to the capitalist city and urbanisation.

As my eldest daughter's 7th birthday approaches, I am also thinking about how (not) to work in architecture after becoming a mother, something that has also been with me for the past 7 years. Preparing for a job search and interview after becoming a mother is not an easy task. The terrain seems uncertain, you have to come to terms with one of the biggest transformations in a woman's life, you aren’t sure what to expect.

When I started looking for a job, I thought nothing had changed. I can still do it, push myself, work long hours, I will be able to do it all. I will be at home and at work and it will all work out magically. I didn't know that working full-time and being a mother was the hardest job in the world. Sure, there are nurseries and schools and babysitters, but there is a price to pay for the time we spend at work away from our children and the time we spend with our children away from work.