Zaha Hadid is one of the best architects of the century. Her work is known to be fururistic with multiple perspective points and fragmented geometry.
5 Facts
- Born 31st October 1950, Zaha grew up in Baghdad
- The first Iraqi-British, Muslim female architect to receive the Pritzker Prize in architecture in 2004
- Won an award every year since 2000, winning up to 12 awards in one year
- Zaha Hadid’s first building was the Vitra Fire Station, Germany in 1994
- 950 projects over 44 countries, 400 staff, 55 nations
5 Quotes
“Architecture is really about well-being. I think that people want to feel good in a space….On the other hand its about shelter, but its also about pleasure”
“There are 360 degrees so why stick to one?”
“People say I design architectural icons. I design a building and it becomes an icon, that’s ok”
“What’s nice about concrete is that it looks unfinished”
“Women are always told ‘Your not going to make it, it’s too difficult, you cant do that, don’t enter this competition, you’ll never win it,’ they need confidence in themselves and people around them to help them get on”
5 Buildings
According to the UK Telegraph the top 5 Zaha Hadid buildings are:
1. 2020 Tokyo Olympic Centre
One of the greatest buildings by Zaha Hadid is yet to be built. Zaha Hadid has designed the 2020 Olympic Centre in Tokyo. Zaha had to compete with 45 other companies who were all fighting to win the contract to design the Olympic Centre
2. London Aquatics Centre – Completed in 2011
Built for the London Olympics, the facility has 2 50meter swimming pools and a 25meter diving pool. The Centre opened to the public in 2014
3. Riverside Museum, Glasgow – Completed in 2011
Winner of the 2013 European Museum of the year award
4. Shelkh Zayed Bridge, Abu Dhabi – Completed in 2010
5. Guangzhou Opera House – Completed in 2010
The Structure is made of granite, glass and steel structure which took 5 years to build
5 Awards
- Pritzker Architecture Prize – 2004
- Sterling Prize – 2011
- Structural Steel Design awards – 2010
- RIBA, Royal Institute of British Architecture Worldwide – 2004
- Design of the year, Heydar Aliyev Centre – 2014
Compiled by DECO intern Christine Boyter
Read Zaha Hadid Architects’ Sound Wave Concert Hall and Zaha Hadid Architects’ Top 10 Buildings next
