Zaha Hadid The Revolutionized Modern Design
Zaha Hadid, an Iraqi-born British architect, was a visionary force in the industry of modern architecture, renowned for her radical deconstructivist designs. Hadid, the first woman to receive the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004, has had a profound and enduring influence on contemporary architecture.
Born in Baghdad in 1950, Hadid's scholastic path started with an American University in Beirut, Lebanon degree in mathematics. Driven by her love of architecture, she arrived in London in 1972 and registered at the Architectural Association, a centre of innovative architectural ideas during the 1970s. Her creative ideas started to come together, preparing the ground for an extraordinary career.
Hadid's international recognition began in 1983 when she became the woman behind The Peak, a leisure and entertainment facility in Hong Kong. In a radical design, the architect envisioned a sprawling, multi-layered structure—a horizontal skyscraper—that would reshape the landscape itself. These layers, acting as massive cantilevered beams, would project outward from the ground, appearing to hover above the site. This innovative approach paid homage to the artistic movement of Suprematism, pioneered by El Lissitzky during the Russian Avant-Garde. The idea confirmed Hadid's reputation as a "paper architect," her avant-garde creations sometimes judged too ambitious for practicality.
One of her most celebrated achievements was the MAXXI Museum of Contemporary Art and Architecture in Rome, completed in 2010. The MAXXI breaks away from the traditional museum concept. Its intricate volumes, curving walls, and layered design create a dynamic and functional space. Visitors explore the museum through a network of unexpected pathways, encountering art in a constantly evolving environment. The building's design also acknowledges its history. By referencing the former army barracks on the site, the MAXXI acts like an "urban graft," a new layer seamlessly integrated with the existing structure. This approach transforms the museum into a quasi-urban environment.
Zaha Hadid passed away in 2016, and it left a vibrant legacy of unfinished projects. However, Patrik Schumacher, her reliable friend, was very driven and ready to carry on Zaha Hadid Architects' vision of completion of multiple major projects such as the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre (2017) in Riyadh, the Al Janoub Stadium (2019) in Al Wakrah, and the Antwerp Port House (2016).
