The State Hermitage Museum has unveiled the first retrospective exhibition of Iraqi-British Zaha Hadid’s architectural works in Russia.

The project was prepared specifically for the Nicholas Hall of the Winter Palace, which is one of the museum’s major ceremonial historical interiors. The exhibition prepared by the State Hermitage Museum and Zaha Hadid’s studio (London, UK) features 300 models, drawings, photographs, sculptures and design objects.

The visitors will be able to see the experimental designs of the 1980s, the first completed projects that brought success to the architect, and, of course, her recent works, including the Guangzhou Opera House in China, the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, the MAXXI – National Museum of the 21st Century Arts in Rome, the London Aquatics Centre and many others.

Zaha Hadid is the first woman to become one of the main figures of contemporary world architecture. She managed to turn the complex and refined architectural direction of deconstructionism into a movement that is now widely accepted within modern architecture. The early theoretical designs of Hadid’s do not contain any less expression and virtuosity than her recent sketches.

Today, Zaha Hadid is equally successful when designing stadiums, contemporary art centres, oncology centres and residential areas, as well as in her experiments with design and scenography.

In 2004, Zaha Hadid received the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize (considered the Nobel Prize of architecture) at the ceremony held at the Hermitage Theatre.

Zaha Hadid’s studio is also a pioneer in product design. Generally, the works appear in collaboration with the companies inspired by advanced design, revolutionary technology and engineering solutions. Currently, Zaha Hadid’s studio is working on a variety of projects around the world, including the new Japan National Stadium for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Sleuk Rith Institute in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the apartment complex on West 28th Street in New York, the Central Bank of Iraq and the Grand Theatre in Rabat, Morocco.

The exhibition is organized within the framework of the architectural program of the project “Hermitage 20/21” aimed at collecting, studying and exhibiting works of the XX – XXI centuries.

The curator of the exhibition is Ksenia Malich, researcher of the Modern Art Department at the State Hermitage Museum. Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher (UK) participated in developing the project concept.

London Aquatics Centre (Photo: Hufton+Crow)

Heydar Aliyev Centre, Baku (Photo: Hufton+Crow)

Phaeno Science Centre Wolfsburg (Photo: Werner Huthmacher)

Galaxy Soho, Beijing (Photo: Hufton+Crow)

ZHD Homware Collection, Aqua Platters