How did Zaha Hadid become "Zaha Hadid"?
There are some facts that we did not know about the life of Zaha Hadid!
The number of its designed and executed buildings reached about 950 buildings in 44 countries around the world, in addition to having received a number of important and prestigious awards.
She confidently proved her famous saying, "Architecture is no longer just a world for men."
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| Building designed by Zaha Hadid |
Zahaa's long and tortuous journey to success began with “a wonderful childhood” and went through 5 turning points marked by ups and downs that shaped her life as we know it.
“Architecture is no longer just a man’s world. This idea that a woman cannot think three-dimensional thinking is ridiculous.”
Hadid was born in the early 1950s and lived her childhood during the short golden period of Iraq.
The government decided at the time to put the increasing national share of petroleum money and use it to attract pioneers of contemporary architecture, such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer and Walter Gropius, to modernize the city of Baghdad, and to create an atmosphere full of hope.
And there were also her liberal parents who encouraged her curiosity and made her independent. All of them contributed to building her strong and confident character
Her first sign showed at the age of 11 when she decided that she wanted to be an architect!
Turning Point # 1: Decision-making - then architecture!
Zaha Hadid could have been the first Iraqi astronaut, or so her brother was saying.
However, her passion for architecture never faded, and her mom supported this by letting her do the interior design of her own guest room and bedroom.
Therefore, as soon as she graduated from the mathematics department at the American University of Beirut, she headed to London and joined the Architecture Society.
Turning Point # 2: Making a Difference - Graduation Project!
After three years of boredom studying the stable architectural movements of the time, Zaha Hadid finally decided to make a difference in her fourth year. It decided to break the prevailing stability by introducing a pattern that she described as follows:
"It was counter-design, it was almost a counter-architecture movement."
It was influenced by the Russian art movement, founded by Kazimir Malevich, who uses basic geometric shapes in a limited set of colors. This influence was evident in her graduation project, 1977, when she dismantled and stripped one of Malevich's work and then reformulated it into a new form.
Zaha's remarkable talent, which was praised by her tutors, Rim Koolhas and Ilya Zangelis, was immediately supported after her graduation.
She was appointed as Assistant Lecturer at the Architecture Society of London as well as a partner with her teachers in the Office of Urban Architecture before opening her own office.
Turning Point # 3: Work Hard - Reach the Top!
Zaha Hadid's life after graduation was a series of hard work, teaching during the day and working at night.
The hard work began to pay off in 1982 when she won the international competition to design a leisure club in Hong Kong. Some of the committee’s outstanding manner of presentation dazzled and earned it an unexpected victory.
It was the main event that influenced Hadid's career. He changed everything.
Just as Ilya Zingelis said: “The summit is the summit and it is still at the top”.
That put it on the map and made her office the destination for many aspiring architecture students, including Patrick Schumacher (her partner).
Despite all this, Zaha's winner's proposal was never implemented; It has been criticized for being vague. She has been described as a "paper engineer."
Turning Point # 4: Thwarting Rejection - A Career At Risk!
finally ! After many attempts to enter the 3D world (implementation), Zaha Hadid won the competition to design the Vitra Fire plant in 1990.
Design, titled "Rigid Movement"
The design was a pure concrete block with angled bevels that seemed to extend to the origin. The unique shape gave a new meaning to the use of concrete.
According to architectural photographer Helen Binet: "It created its own signature signature. I think concrete has other uses after it."
And all of that was the light before the dark that came with the Cardiff Bay Opera House project.
Zahaa's first prize win in the competition, in 1994, was the cause of controversy and harsh criticism from those who believed her design was inoperable.
The negative attitude towards the proposal was incomprehensible to Zaha who thought: “The sections of the urban square are not the same as a regular building. It is not a square or rectangular building. This project was easy ... and it can be executed easily. “
All the fuss was so deeply depressed for her that she thought to leave the field of architecture!
Turning Point # 5: Unprecedented Glory - Hard Work Pays Off!
Fortunately for nearly all of the world, Patrick Schumacher was her supporter, catalyst, and supporter.
Help bring it back on its feet and wrestle the stagnation that prevailed among the architects of Zaha Hadid's office caused by the "Cardiff Curse", to start their golden age with the new millennium.
The last millennium saw the implementation of many designs by Zaha Hadid at last, thanks to the advanced technologies that made them possible. Its designs became international landmarks which won the admiration of both the architectural community and the general public.
What is Zaha Hadid famous for?
In 2004, she was awarded the Pritzker Prize, a prestigious award in the field, to be the first woman to ever receive this honor. Then, in 2012, she was awarded the title “Mrs.” Zaha Hadid, after being appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Its last victory!
Before leaving this world at the age of 65 with a heart attack, the recognition was given by the RIBA Prize which awarded her the 2016 Royal Gold Medal to be once again the first woman to be honored with this architectural award.
Zaha Hadid has carved her name deep into history with her distinguished architecture and exceptional achievements. People may not know all the hardships she encountered in getting her name where she stands now.
But they certainly know that she is a person worthy of the utmost respect and a sure testament to a woman's ability and what she can do.
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