The untimely departed Zaha Hadid was one of the most revolutionary and famous architects of the 21st century, who raised deconstructivism to a special level. Each of her projects is a new study that breaks the forms and structures of the building, disrupting the idea of the canons of architecture. Fortunately, her legacy is being carefully continued by her collaborators at Zaha Hadid Architects, which remains one of the finest architecture studios in the world.
1. Fire department Vitra in Weil am Rhein (Germany)
The fire station at the Vitra furniture company was one of the first architectural projects of Zaha Hadid, then a little-known British architect with Iraqi roots, who in those years designed fantastic buildings only on paper. This is her first futuristic concept fully realized in concrete and metal.
The station's design has been dubbed "frozen movement" by critics. This was facilitated by the dynamic geometry seen in the structure of the building, which evoked the sensation of a bird flying. Such definitions do not contradict the tasks of the fire service itself - lightning-fast response to emergencies. At the moment, this extraordinary building is used as a venue for various exhibitions.
2. Port house in Antwerp (Belgium)
Havenhuis Antwerpen, or Antwerp Harbor House, is the building of the new headquarters of the Port Authority, the construction of which was another success for Zaha Hadid Architects. It was this extraordinary woman who proposed an adaptive project that would preserve the construction of the fire station (the condition of the customers) and create a memorable image. The result is an eccentric ensemble in the form of an abstraction of a sailing ship hovering on one column right above the old building.
3. Shopping and entertainment complex Galaxy Soho in Beijing
Looking at the architectural ensemble of the Galaxy Soho shopping and entertainment complex, created by the archbureau Zaha Hadid in Beijing, one might think that a fantastic future has already arrived. 4 buildings with rounded shapes in some places are connected together by bridges at different levels. The exterior of the buildings, which have neither corners nor straight lines, resembles natural layers of rocks, but the courtyards fully reflect the canons of traditional Chinese architecture with a special inner world of the house.
4. Research Center in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
For the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Zaha Hadid designed a unique research center. "Space" buildings in the form of hexagons are more like a honeycomb, connected together in an incredible way. The snow-white facilities house a research center for the study of the planet's energy resources, a computer center, conference rooms, exhibition grounds, a scientific library with a unique fund and an event hall for 300 people.
According to the editors of novate.ru, the research center in Riyadh became the first object of Zaha Hadid Architects to receive LEED Platinum certification, which confirms the highest level of environmental friendliness.
5. Guangzhou Opera House (China)
Overlooking the Pearl River, the Guangzhou Opera House is located in the heart of the cultural development of Guangzhou. This theater stands out for its futuristic forms, with unusual aesthetic elements such as an oversized glass curtain wall, stone cladding and a unique roof structure.
Unusual forms and the introduction of modern technologies allowed this building to become a real monument to the new millennium and once again confirmed the special status of Guangzhou - one of the most significant cultural centers in Asia.
6. Sheikh Zayed Bridge on Makta Canal (UAE)
The Sheikh Zayed Bridge drops out of the legendary “Queen of the Curve,” or Zaha Hadid, who “liberated architectural geometry by giving it a completely new and expressive identity”.
In the construction of the bridge, this definition has been worked out in full, its forms are still fascinating with their smooth curved lines, "flowing" arches, which stretch thinly, forming pacifying waves. The unique bridge connected the island of Abu Dhabi with the South coast of the Persian Gulf, while providing 8 traffic lanes for vehicles at once and became a special decoration of the Makta Canal.
7. Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku (Azerbaijan)
The Heydar Aliyev Center is the most famous and recognized building designed by Zaha Hadid, which has been considered the standard of modern architecture for many years. It was conceived as an opposition to brutalism and the urban planning ideology of the Soviet development, while the building was supposed to subtly reflect the national traditions of the Azerbaijani people.
The easily recognizable building with complex shapes, folds and inconceivable curves enveloping the interior space has become a worthy decoration of Baku and a landmark place that personifies a return to the origins of Islamic architecture.
Remarkable: In 2014, for the implemented project of the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center in Baku, Zaha Hadid was awarded the "Designer of the Year" award, established by the British Design Museum.
8. Science Center Phaeno in Wolfsburg (Germany)
Zaha Hadid's futuristic building, created for the Phaeno Science Center, perfectly meets the requirements and ideas of a public institution, which hosts fascinating exhibitions. A distinctive feature of the Science and Technology Museum's design was the massive concrete structure perched on piles, which helped create the impression of a floating building.
Experts describe the most interesting architectural project of a public object as "a hypnotic work of architecture that completely transforms the vision of the future."
Informative: The extraordinary design was awarded the 2006 RIBA European Prize upon completion of construction, and the civil engineers were also awarded for “creating a unique building designed for artistic, leisure and entertainment activities”. Today, the Phaeno Science Center is considered a cult site in Wolfsburg and one of the best technical museums in Germany.
9. Mountain Museum in South Tyrol
One of the museums for the famous Italian climber Reinhold Messner was designed by Zaha Hadid, the first woman in the world to win the Pritzker Prize. It was she who not only became the winner in an international competition, but also proposed a non-standard shape for the building of the mountain museum, which was named the Messner Mountain Museum.
Several modules, in which the expositions and the educational center are located, are integrated into the rock of the Kronplatz summit, but the open observation deck, "hovering" over the cliff at an altitude of 2275 m above sea level, has the shape of an ice floe. It offers a breathtaking 240-degree panorama of the Alps, the Zillertal valley and the Marmolad glacier. This design of the museum and its location provide tourists with a breathtaking view and unforgettable adventures, because to get here you will have to overcome steep slopes, caves and grottoes.
10. Beijing Daxing International Airport (China)
Beijing Daxing International Airport, dubbed "Starfish", is Beijing's second international airport and the largest single-structure terminal in the world. This is one of the last projects that Zaha Hadid worked on until she left in 2016. After the opening of the fantastic air harbor in 2019, she received every conceivable and unthinkable title in the "Most-Most" category. For this reason, the project is the most impressive in the extensive portfolio of ZHA.
You can find out about another creation of the "Queen of the Curve" that violates the architectural canons and the laws of physics, about which everyone unanimously said that it was unrealistic to build such a structure. here.