Zaha Hadid (HOMAGE)

Hello readers, I am writing today as the first part of the research to celebrate the work of two specific architects. This architect is one that I very much admire and will use her work and Yansong's to create an object inspired by their work. This amazing architect happens to be Zaha Hadid. One of the most respected architects that fought against the dominance of male in the architectural industry receiving two Stirling Prizes and the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture. [1, 2]

Zaha Hadid is an architect (also called the queen of curve) that reshaped the way we look at architecture today and made modern architecture the vision for the future. Zaha Hadid creates buildings that are rather dramatic and have sharp corners or curvy edges. She tends to create buildings that are not rectangular as she believes that there are other ways of using space rather than the apparently-appropriate-rectangular-building-that-uses-space-in-the-best-way.

Zaha Hadid tends to approach making her building in a practical way and experimentation. Her buildings are not bound to the limitations of politics or technology which makes her buildings intricate pieces. She wanted to create buildings that are as enjoyable to look at as working or using them. She adapted different styles; some which have beautiful and smooth curves that are satisfying to look at. [1]

Heydar Aliyev cultural center, Baku (2012)

Other styles show a more sharp and brutal touch to the architecture or the building. Her buildings are usually inspired by the theme at which the building is built at. [1,4]

Vitra fire station, Weil am Rhein (1994)

Either way, Miss Hadid was always interested in the exploration of space rather than building boxes. Although her buildings are very inspiring to young architects as her work is unmatched and has never been seen before, she doesn't consider her buildings to hold any ideologies but are rather personal form of expression, not a personal stamp, but rather "addressing 21st-century challenges and opportunities". [1, 2]

Yet her choice of materials are as interesting as it could get, going from "Glass-Fibre Reinforced Concrete in the Heydar Aliyev Centre, Glass-Fibre Textile used in Serpentine Sackler and to a combination of aluminum and stone cladding for the Galaxy Soho." [4]

Not only that, but her buildings are very sensitive to the surrounding environment. Her buildings lead the future of sustainability in architecture, master planning and infrastructure with its efficiency. [4]

I am intrigued and constantly diving deeper trying to understand her work, how and why she approaches buildings and sculptural forms the way she does. She is an inspiring architect because she challenges not only architecture, but other professions including planner, infrastructure builders, engineers and designers with her unique outmatched buildings.

References: [1] The Independent. (2020). This woman not only changed the face of architecture but shaped women's role in the industry. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/zaha-hadid-architect-why-important-iraq-women-buildings-google-doodle-architecture-a7763836.html [Accessed 28 Jan. 2020]. [2] Oxforddnb.com. (2020). Hadid, Dame Zaha Mohammad (1950–2016), architect | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. [online] Available at: https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-111203 [Accessed 28 Jan. 2020]. [3] Moore, R. (2020). Zaha Hadid: queen of the curve. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/sep/08/zaha-hadid-serpentine-sackler-profile [Accessed 28 Jan. 2020]. [4] Shop, I., Papadopoulos, L., English, T. and Papadopoulos, L. (2020). Remembering the 'Queen of the Curve' Zaha Hadid. [online] Interestingengineering.com. Available at: https://interestingengineering.com/remembering-the-queen-of-the-curve-zaha-hadid [Accessed 28 Jan. 2020].