Remembering Zaha Hadid, one year after her death

posted on: Apr 3, 2017

By Leyal Khalife
Stepfeed

Zaha Hadid’s legacy will live forever

On Mar 31, 2016 the world lost the internationally renowned Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid.

One year later, Hadid’s legacy lives on with established and up-and-coming architects looking back at her iconic buildings for inspiration and a breath of fresh air — because that’s exactly what her architecture was all about.

During her lifetime, Hadid was honored and awarded numerous times.

She was the first woman to win the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004, and also the first woman to receive the Royal Institute of British Architects Gold Medal earlier this year.

In memory of her lifetime’s work, here are a few extraordinary designs to remember Hadid by:

1. Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art, Ohio (2003)

This center was one of the first contemporary art institutions in the U.S. focusing on new development in painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, performance art and new media.

2. BMW’s Central Building, Germany (2005)

Located in Leipzig, Germany, the BMW Central Building was designed by Hadid as the nerve center for BMW’s $1.55 billion complex, built to manufacture the BMW 3 Series.

3. MAXXI Museum, Italy (2010)

Located in Rome, the MAXXI Museum was first announced in the year 2000, but took 10 years to complete.

“An interesting thing about the museum in Rome is that it is no longer an object, but rather a field, which implies that many programs could be attached to the museum. It’s no longer a museum, but a centre,” Hadid said at the time.

4. Guangzhou Opera House, China (2010)

The Chinese opera house has become the biggest performing center in southern China and one of the three biggest theaters in the country.

5. Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Abu Dhabi (2010)

Named after the country’s principal architect and former president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the bridge is 842 meters long.

6. London Aquatics Center (2011)

Hadid designed this in 2004, before London won the bid for the 2012 London Olympics.

The facility includes two 5-meter swimming pools and a 25-meter diving pool. It was one of the main venues for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2012 Summer Paralympics.

7. Heydar Aliyev Center, Azerbaijan (2014)

Located in Baku, Azerbaijan, the building was named after the leader of Soviet-era Azerbaijan.

The center includes a conference hall, a gallery hall and a museum.