Architect · Iraq and United Kingdom · 1950-2016
Zaha Hadid Biography, Buildings and Best Books
Iraqi-British architect (1950-2016) whose fluid, dynamic forms broke the rules of geometry and made her the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize, from the Vitra Fire Station to the Heydar Aliyev Center.
Photo: Dmitry Ternovoy, Free Art License, via Wikimedia Commons
Biography
Zaha Hadid (1950-2016) was an Iraqi-British architect whose dynamic, fluid buildings redefined the possibilities of form in contemporary architecture. In 2004 she became the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize, and her practice, Zaha Hadid Architects, built landmarks across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Baghdad, Beirut and the AA
Born in Baghdad, Hadid studied mathematics at the American University of Beirut before moving to London in 1972 to study at the Architectural Association, where she was taught by Rem Koolhaas and Elia Zenghelis. After graduating in 1977 she joined their Office for Metropolitan Architecture, then founded her own practice in London in 1980.
The Paper Architect
Influenced by Russian Suprematism, Hadid developed her ideas through vivid paintings and drawings of exploding, fragmented space. Her winning entry for The Peak in Hong Kong (1983) made her internationally known, but for years few of her projects were built, earning her the label of a paper architect.
From Vitra to MAXXI
Her first major building, the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein (1993), was followed by the Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck, the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati and the Phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg. The MAXXI museum in Rome won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2010, as did the Evelyn Grace Academy in London the following year.
Fluid Landmarks and Legacy
With her partner Patrik Schumacher, Hadid pursued ever more fluid, digitally generated forms, from the London Aquatics Centre to the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku and the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. She died in Miami in 2016, weeks after becoming the first woman awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in her own right.
Zaha Hadid: Complete Works 1979-Today
Philip Jodidio’s 491-page TASCHEN survey covers Hadid’s entire career, from the early paintings and competition entries to the built landmarks of Zaha Hadid Architects, at an accessible price.
View on AmazonLooking for a shorter introduction? Zaha Hadid, TASCHEN Basic Art Series (96 pages).
Timeline
- 1950Born on 31 October in Baghdad.
- 1971Completes a degree in mathematics at the American University of Beirut.
- 1977Graduates from the Architectural Association in London and joins OMA.
- 1980Founds her own practice in London.
- 1983Wins the competition for The Peak in Hong Kong.
- 1993Completes the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein.
- 2002Completes the Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck.
- 2004Becomes the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize.
- 2010The MAXXI museum in Rome opens and wins the RIBA Stirling Prize; the Guangzhou Opera House is completed.
- 2011Completes the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games.
- 2012Completes the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku and is appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
- 2014Completes the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul and Wangjing SOHO in Beijing.
- 2016Receives the RIBA Royal Gold Medal and dies on 31 March in Miami.
Best Books on Zaha Hadid
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Zaha Hadid known for?
Zaha Hadid is known for dynamic, fluid architecture that broke with orthogonal geometry, and for being the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize, in 2004. Her landmarks include the MAXXI in Rome, the London Aquatics Centre and the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.
What are Zaha Hadid’s most famous buildings?
Her most celebrated works include the Vitra Fire Station (1993), the Bergisel Ski Jump (2002), the Phaeno Science Center (2005), the MAXXI in Rome (2010), the Guangzhou Opera House (2010), the London Aquatics Centre (2011), the Heydar Aliyev Center (2012) and the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (2014).
What is the best book about Zaha Hadid?
For a complete overview we recommend Zaha Hadid: Complete Works 1979-Today by Philip Jodidio (TASCHEN). For a short introduction, choose Zaha Hadid from the TASCHEN Basic Art series, and for her early vision, Zaha Hadid’s Paintings.
What architectural style is Zaha Hadid?
Hadid emerged from deconstructivism and Russian Suprematism, and her later work, developed with Patrik Schumacher, is closely associated with parametric design and fluid, digitally generated form.
Where can you visit Zaha Hadid’s buildings?
The MAXXI in Rome, the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein, the Phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg, the London Aquatics Centre, the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, the Guangzhou Opera House and the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul are all open to the public.
