Today we look at mesmerizing design on the grandest of scales, as we take a walk down
memory lane to explore the life and works of architect Zaha Hadid.
From contemporary museums to Olympic ski jumps and swimming centers, Hadid really did it
all through her established and ground-breaking career.
I’m Glen and here are 15 architectural marvels from the woman herself.
Hadid was one of the architectural minds of her generation and was famed for pushing the
boundaries of urban design.
She was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq and studied mathematics at the American University
in Beirut.
She moved to London in 1972 to study architecture at the Architectural Association and never
looked back, winning many prestigious awards and designing countless outstanding structures
during her time.
The Iraqi-British architect sadly passed away in 2016 after suffering a heart attack, at
the age of 65, but not before earning her Damehood from Queen Elizabeth II in 2012.
Number Fifteen
Perhaps the height of Zaha Hadid’s architectural career, but that’s only because it takes
a whopping 455 steps to reach the summit of the main tower.
However, if you prefer, you can simply take a funicular up the tower to the café, restaurant,
and viewing platform.
Not only is the shimmering and sleek metal design dynamic to look at, but the ski jump
is also extremely practical.
In fact, the Bergisel has been used in two separate Winter Olympic Games, showing the
regard the structure is held in.
It has also been used to hold countless international competitions over the years, attracting spectators
from all around the world.
Designed by Hadid in 2001, this will definitely be used for many years to come.
Number Fourteen
This building is the very first contemporary art institution designed by a woman, so it
made history from the second it was opened.
Hadid won the contract back in the late 1990s, with the center eventually opening in Cincinnati
in 2003.
Hadid was keen to treat the building as a kind of ‘urban carpet’ and wanted visitors
to be drawn in and allowed to gently meander around the sloping part.
The exterior too screams modern urban art, with its eye-catching block design and the
contrast between the white and black colors.
Number Thirteen
Located in Wolfsburg, Germany, this science center looks like a science fiction spaceship
from both the inside and out.
Hadid was able to secure the contract for the building after winning an international
competition.
The project cost nearly $90 million and took around four and a half years to build from
start to finish.
One of the stand-out architectural triumphs of the undulating center is the crater landscape
in the main gallery space that allows breath-taking diagonal views of the exhibition area.
Number Twelve
Sticking with art and exhibition, this next architectural wonder came after 30 long years
of elaborate research, planning, and testing from Hadid.
Part of the bridge had to be assembled on the river bank in Zaragoza, Spain, to avoid
having to place scaffolding in the water.
Since opening to the public, the Bridge Pavilion not only connects one side of the river Ebro
to the other, but it also features a selection of exhibition halls along the way.
Number Eleven
From one Bridge to another, with this next one located in the United Arab Emirates.
The Sheikh Zayed Bridge was plagued with delays and budget overruns throughout its construction
and was eventually opened in 2010, over three years after the initial aim.
The bridge itself was made up of three main steel arches and held two four-lane carriageways.
Number Ten
The National Museum of Arts in the 21st Century, or the MAXXI project, was supposed to establish
the very first institution in Italy exclusively catering for contemporary art and architecture.
This structure was particularly ground-breaking, as it started Italy on a path towards new
private and public centers and museums for modern and contemporary arts.
Until this point, the country had largely celebrated old heritage art in the majority
of its museums.
Number Nine
This next design looks at its best when lit up in the cover of darkness, with its shimmering
honeycomb windows looking like the tail of a mermaid.
The building holds a 1,800 seat auditorium with the latest acoustic technology for the
very best sounds, as well as a 400-seat multifunction hall for performance art and concerts.
Hadid’s beautiful design was inspired by natural landscapes and the principles of erosion,
geology and river valleys.
Number Eight
With an eye-catching zig-zag design, this unique structure houses a museum of transport
with more than 3,000 different exhibits.
At either side of the museum sits a 36-meter high glazed window.
The cross-section of this outline is designed to look like a silhouetted cityscape, a throwback
to the cultural foundations that define the city of Glasgow.
The undulating rooftop continues on the inside too, with visitors able to follow the strips
on green lighting tubes like a pathway.
Number Seven
From the outside, the SOHO building looks like it is named aptly, giving off the appearance
of a space-age colony headquarters in another Galaxy.
In fact, this particular design can be found in Beijing, China, and houses 330,000 meters
squared of office, retail, and entertainment space.
The five towering pods are connected via stretched bridges, allowing for quick travel between
each one, but also some breath-taking views.
The Galaxy SOHO really could be a hub for humanity on another planet.
Number Six
The Broad Art Museum really is a masterpiece in angles and lighting, with one of the sloped
outer walls seemingly defying gravity.
The contemporary art museum opened in 2012 and is dedicated to culture, art, and education
in the Michigan area.
However, the art is not restricted to within the walls, as the architecture itself is a
work of sheer magnificence.
The pleated stainless steel and glass sloping walls stand out against the boring brick buildings
like a swan among ducks.
Number Five
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Located in Baku, Azerbaijan, it is safe to say you will never gaze upon a piece of architecture
like this again.
Yet another competition-winning design by Hadid, the Center was built to be the primary
location for national culture programs, expressing the aspiration and optimism of the country.
The center holds a 1000-seat auditorium, a conference center, workshops, a museum, and
exhibition spaces across eight floors.
This design cost around $250 million, took five years to build and stands 74 meters tall.
Number Four
The Innovation Tower is home to both the Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Design and
the Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design.
The 15-story tower includes workshops, labs, design studios, classrooms, lecture theatres,
and a communal lounge.
The combination of white panels and huge glass windows stands out against the dull red-brick
surroundings, representing the forward thinking of the minds within.
Number Three
https://www.howtopronounce.com/dongdaemun/ This Plaza turns from a solid grey building
in the day to a twinkling animated light show by night.
Hadid used aluminum panels across the outside of the building in order to create this reflective
effect.
It became the first building in Korea to use this 3-dimensional digital design method.
Located in Seoul, South Korea, the building was designed to be a hub for art, design,
and technology.
It is also now renowned for its sky lounge, and 24-hour shopping and café facilities,
making it an attraction for all ages.
Number Two
Built as part of the United Kingdom’s London 2012 Olympic Games, the aquatic center was
the hub for many of the world’s greatest swimmers through the games.
The undulating roof was designed to mimic the movement of water in wave form.
The aquatics center is linked to the main Olympic Park via bridges.
Many will remember seeing the great Michael Phelps storm to four Olympic golds for the
US in this very pool.
Number One
Located in Antwerp, Belgium, the Port Authority looks like one building on top of another,
and that’s because that is exactly what it is.
The new port house was a renovation and addition to the original derelict fire station, turning
it into a shiny new port headquarters.
Antwerp is Europe’s second largest shipping port, with 12km of docks and handling 26%
of all European container shipping.
And there we have it, 15 ground-breaking and career-defining architectural designs from
the mind of one of our finest architects, Zaha Hadid.
Which one was your favorite?
Let us know in the comments below.