On Her Birthday: 10 of Zaha Hadid’s Remarkable Award-Winning Architecture

Zaha Hadid’s pioneering vision redefined architecture for the 21st century and captured imaginations across the globe—her architecture was so unusual, it raised controversy. Each of her projects transformed notions of what can be achieved in concrete, steel, and glass; combining her unwavering optimism for the future and belief in the power of invention with advanced design, material, and construction innovations.

Many architects are called on to create new projects that stand as symbols of social progress—but none delivered as regularly, as unexpectedly, and as spectacularly as Zaha Hadid. Her successes were so consistent; she received the highest honors from civic, academic, and professional institutions across the globe—and not only in the field of architecture, as Zaha Hadid was one of the starchitects who ruled industrial design. Zaha Hadid’s practice remains one of the world’s most inventive architectural studios—and has been for almost 40 years.

There is a lot that we do not know about Zaha Hadid, but from what we already know, it is obvious the famous architect worked hard to earn her fame and reputation.

Today, the 31st of October, is Zaha Hadid’s birthday, and to celebrate her architecture, here is a list of

10 of Zaha Hadid’s Remarkable Award-Winning Architecture

• Guangzhou Opera House in Guangzhou, China

Award(s):

• AIA UK Chapter Award

• Outstanding Engineering Design Excellence Award

• RIBA Award

• Architectural Record Magazine China Award ‘Best Public Project’

At the heart of Guangzhou’s cultural sites development, a lasting, state-of-the-art monument to the new millennium overlooking the Pearl River. Its contoured profile, unique twin boulder design, and approach promenade enhance urban function, open access to the riverside and dock areas, and create a new dialogue with the emerging town.

• Glasgow Riverside Museum of Transport in Glasgow, UK

Award(s):

• British Gypsum Trophy, ‘Innovation Category’

• European Museum Academy Micheletti Award

• European Museum of the Year

• Structural Steel Design Awards

The museum, a sectional extrusion open at both ends, its outline encapsulating a wave or pleat, flows from city to waterfront, symbolizing the dynamic relationship between Glasgow and the ship-building, seafaring and industrial legacy of the river Clyde. Clear glass facades allow light to flood through the main exhibition space.

• Galaxy SOHO in Beijing, China

Award(s):

• Architectural Society of China CASC Silver Award 2014

• Best Public Space Award CIDA (China)

• RIBA International Award

• RIBA Lubetkin Prize-shortlisted

Four continuous, flowing volumes coalesce to create an internal world of continuous open spaces within Galaxy Soho – a new office, retail entertainment complex devoid of corners or abrupt transitions – a re-inventing of the classical Chinese courtyard which generates an immersive, enveloping experience at the heart of Beijing.

• Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan

Award(s):

• RIBA International Prize-shortlisted

• Architizer A+ Award

• Design of the Year

  

  Photo by Iwan Baan

  

  Photo by Helene Binet

Zaha Hadid Architects was appointed as design architects of the Heydar Aliyev Center following a competition in 2007. The Center, designed to become the primary building for the nation’s cultural programs, breaks from the rigid and often monumental Soviet architecture that is so prevalent in Baku, aspiring instead to express the sensibilities of Azeri culture and the optimism of a nation that looks to the future.

• Jockey Club Innovation Tower in Hong Kong, China

Award(s):

• RIBA Award for International Excellence

• CTBUH 2014 Best Tall Buildings Awards Finalist

• Structural Excellence Awards HK, Commendation of Merit 2014

  

  Photo by Doublespace

  

  Photo by Iwan baan

The JCIT creates a new urban space that enriches the diversity of university life and expresses the dynamism of an institution looking to the future. Located on a narrow, irregular site at the northeastern tip of the university campus (bordered by the university’s football ground to the south, and the Chatham Road/ Kowloon Corridor motorway interchange to the north), the JCIT is connected to the heart of the campus; encouraging the university’s various faculties and schools to develop multidisciplinary initiatives and engagement with the community, government, industry, NGO’s and academia.

• Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, South Korea

Award(s):

• IAI Design Award, Asia Pacific Designers’ Federation

  

  photography by:Virgile Simon Bertrand

  

  photography by:Virgile Simon Bertrand

The DDP has been designed by Zaha Hadid as a cultural hub at the center of Dongdaemun, a historic district of Seoul that is now renowned for its 24-hour shopping and cafes. DDP is a place for people of all ages; a catalyst for the instigation and exchange of ideas and for new technologies and media to be explored. The variety of public spaces within DDP include Art/Exhibition Halls, Conference Hall, Design Museum/Exhibition Hall/Pathway, Design Labs & Academy Hall, Media Centre, Seminar Rooms and Designers Lounge, Design Market open 24 hours a day; enabling DDP to present the widest diversity of exhibitions and events that feed the cultural vitality of the city.

• Wangjing SOHO in Beijing, China

Award(s):

• China Best Tall Building Excellence Award, CITAB-CTBUH Awards

• Zhan Tianyou Award for Engineering Excellence

• CTBUH 2014 Best Tall Buildings Awards Finalist

• First Prize in the 2014 Emporis Skyscraper Award

  

  Photo by Jerry Yin

  

  Virgile Simon Bertrand

   

Located in Wangjing’s center, Wangjing Soho by Zaha Hadid is a mixed-use development consisting of three towers 118, 127, 200 meters in height; Zaha Hadid designed it as three interweaving ‘mountains’ that fuse building and landscape to bring together the surrounding community with a new 60,000m2 public park. The design responds to the flows of the city and allows natural daylight into each building from all directions.

• Messner Mountain Museum Corones in South Tyrol, Italy

Award(s):

• AIA UK Design Excellence Award

• Blueprint Award, Best Public-Use Project, Privately-Funded

• World Architecture Community Awards

 

Embedded within the summit of Mount Kronplatz, 2,275m above sea level at the center of South Tyrol’s most popular ski resort, the Messner Mountain Museum Corones by Zaha Hadid is surrounded by the alpine peaks of the Zillertal, Ortler, and the Dolomites. Established by renowned climber Reinhold Messner, the sixth and final Messner Mountain Museum explores the traditions, history, and discipline of mountaineering.

• Leeza SOHO in Beijing, China

Award(s):

• ABB LEAF Awards ‘Best Tall Building Project’

• AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards

• Blueprint Awards ‘Best Non-Public Project – Commercial’

• WAN Awards ‘Commercial’ shortlisted

• International Highrise Award Finalist

• CTBUH Awards 2021 ‘Overall Audience Vote Winner- Interior Design Award’

• World Architecture Festival ‘Office’ shortlist

• CTBUH ‘Award of Excellence – Best Tall Building 200-299m’

• CTBUH ‘Award of Excellence – Interior Space Award’

• 7th Innovation Cup BIM Design Competition

Housing the world’s tallest atrium, Leeza SOHO is located on Lize Road in southwest Beijing. Leeza SOHO tower anchors the new Fengtai business district – a growing financial and transport hub between the city center and the recently opened Beijing Daxing International Airport to the south; The new business district is integral to Beijing’s multi-modal urban plan to accommodate growth without impacting existing infrastructure networks in the center of the city.

• Investcorp Building in Oxford, United Kingdom

Award(s):

• Blueprint Award, Best Design Innovation Finalist

• EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture, Mies van der Rohe Award nomination

• RIBA National Award

• RIBA South Award

• WAF World’s Best Higher Education & Research Building

• World Architecture Community Awards

• LUX Award

• Oxford Preservation Trust Award 2015

The new Investcorp Building for the Middle East Centre by Zaha Hadid provides 1,127 square metres of additional floor space and a new 117-seat lecture theatre; doubling the space available for the Middle East Centre’s expanding library & archive, and providing optimum conditions to conserve and manage the centre’s collections that were previously stored in the basement of 66 Woodstock Road.