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Good evening, dear friends. I am happy to welcome you to the long-awaited lecture by Anna Bronovitskaya on Zaha Hadid, part of the Architects of the Turn of the Millennium series. I will pass the floor to Anya without further
Lecture by Anna Bronovitskaya on Zaha Hadid, exploring her life, architecture, and legacy in the context of modern and postmodern design.
Key Takeaways
- Zaha Hadid was a groundbreaking architect who transcended gender and cultural barriers.
- Her architectural vision was deeply rooted in avant-garde art movements and mathematical precision.
- Hadid’s work challenged traditional architectural norms by blending futuristic designs with historical settings.
- Her education and mentorship at the Architectural Association were crucial to her development.
- Hadid’s legacy includes contributions to architecture, design, and social spaces, influencing contemporary architecture.
What the video covers
- Anna Bronovitskaya delivers a lecture on Zaha Hadid as part of the Architects of the Turn of the Millennium series.
- Zaha Hadid is highlighted as a pioneering female architect who rejected gender labels and overcame multiple glass ceilings.
- Her background includes privileged upbringing in Iraq, strong mathematical skills, and education at prestigious institutions.
- Hadid’s architectural style was heavily influenced by Russian avant-garde and Suprematism, especially Kazimir Malevich.
- She studied at the Architectural Association in London under notable figures like Elia Zenghelis and Rem Koolhaas.
- Hadid’s work extended beyond architecture to fashion, furniture, and luxury design objects, often with futuristic forms.
- Her philosophy embraced integrating futuristic architecture within historical contexts, enriching rather than destroying them.
- The lecture covers her early projects, design philosophy, and collaborations, including with Patrik Schumacher.
- Discussion includes the evolution of modernism, postmodernism, and Hadid’s unique reinterpretation of architectural ideas.
- The lecture also touches on her legacy, social architecture, and the impact of new design and construction technologies.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction and Overview of Zaha Hadid
- 01:39Zaha Hadid’s Early Life and Background
- 11:55Education and Influences at the Architectural Association
- 17:25Architectural Philosophy and Early Projects
- 22:22Collaborations and Design Innovations
- 32:17Legacy and Impact on Architecture and Design
- 47:29Conclusion and Reflections on Zaha Hadid’s Work
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
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introduction. Thank you. Yes, thank you. Good evening. Well, you see, today we have, yes, not a hero, but a heroine. Perhaps the only woman at the very, very pinnacle of the architectural profession of our time.
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Unfortunately, she passed away five years ago. But she probably still remains quite relevant today. She always used to cut off those who spoke of her as a "woman architect," saying, "I am just an architect." But at the same time, of
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course, she admitted that as a woman and, moreover, a native of Iraq, she had to break through more glass ceilings than any of her colleagues.
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And probably, part of this extraordinary strength of her personality and character, which allowed her to do all this, was her extravagance. Zaha, who quickly became a very large woman, always dressed incredibly. Preferring, first, Issey Miyake, then Prada. But it was always
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something, yes, absolutely extraordinary. Beyond architecture, she tried her hand as a designer, including all sorts of fashionable objects, and generally everything concerning the human environment and the aesthetics that surround us. She collaborated with various firms to produce bags and shoes
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, and as in the case of her architecture, these shoes are sometimes, well, extremely dysfunctional. She also, together with Patrik Schumacher, created a concept car, which, although it did not go into production, these boats, very expensive luxury boats,
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were still manufactured in some quantity. She was also involved in furniture. And sometimes this furniture practically transitioned into architecture, right? Here we see a bar counter built into the hall of an old building. And this is also important:
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the extraordinary futuristic forms she created could, in her opinion, perfectly exist in a historical setting, enriching it rather than destroying it. It is important to understand that she really was like that; one of the complaints often leveled against modern
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architects is that while they build all sorts of very strange things, they themselves prefer to live in 15th-century houses or even earlier ones, among antiques. Well, Zaha did indeed live in an old house in London. She didn't manage to build one for herself,
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but look at the setting. And so, she surrounds herself with her own creations, including her design projects. Over there in the distance, you can see her thesis project, inspired by Malevich’s Architectons.
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She also uses her own furniture. Regarding the glass ceiling, we must realize that Zaha Hadid was not just a native of Iraq, nor just an immigrant who had to fight her way up in the United Kingdom and in more prosperous
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countries. Yes, by birth, she belonged to the elite of society. Her father was a prominent industrialist and politician, and Zaha was born in 1950.
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In 1958, when the monarchy was overthrown in Iraq, her father became the Minister of Finance. And consequently, she lived in a very privileged environment. She emphasizes that her mother always chose beautiful furniture. Here are her parents in their wedding photo, and with their
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daughter—you see, posing in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome. From early childhood, Zaha was noted for her mathematical abilities, meaning high intelligence in general, but specifically mathematical skills. Her family was not just wealthy and influential, but also very enlightened.
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Zaha’s brothers also received an excellent education, but no one ever pushed her into the background. Mm, well, here are a couple of pictures of the Baghdad she grew up in, right? It was a Baghdad that aimed to become the
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architectural capital of the world, where major international architects were designing and creating very large projects at the time. Well, for instance, Frank Lloyd Wright, and this is also Frank Lloyd Wright—a university campus project. And this is what is called The Architects
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Collaborative. But the lead architect in this team was Walter Gropius, right? So, this is a project created under the leadership of Walter Gropius. This is also a Baghdad University project. And unlike Frank Lloyd Wright’s projects, it was actually built. But, well, this
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is the same group, which included Walter Gropius, that designed this modern mosque. It was also built. But, Zaha was sent to study first in neighboring Lebanon at the American University of Beirut. Also a quite privileged institution. Yes. Before
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that, she had studied at boarding schools for girls in England and Switzerland, as was expected of girls from the Iraqi elite at that time. But after earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics there, she still wanted to pursue architecture. And her parents
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sent her to the Architectural Association in London. I mention the Architectural Association in almost every lecture, because in the late sixties and seventies, it was truly a center of the architectural avant-garde on an international level, right? So there, ah And Koolhaas studied and
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taught there, Libeskind taught there, and David Chipperfield, whom we will have a lecture about later. Here on the left is Zaha next to Alvin Boyarsky, the director of the Architectural Association in the seventies, who actually created this incredible
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intellectual center, where the creative spark was activated in every possible way. And Boyarsky himself said that our school offers such a well-set table by contrast. I mean, for those students who are, well, suffering from thirst in ordinary conservative architectural
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educational institutions. And, of course, Zaha is one of those students, perhaps the best student in the entire history. M And m It must be said that this is the time, look, yes, the seventies, when it was recognized that
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modernism had reached a dead end, that all those formulas created by Mies van der Rohe, Gropius, and Le Corbusier had, well, been exhausted, right? That is, it all turned into some banal things that are being replicated, replicated,
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and replicated. And a The main response to this crisis of modernism, especially in England, was postmodernism, which uses various quotations of historical styles. And so, in the Architectural Association, those gathered who believed that there were still untapped reserves in modernism, that there were
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still ideas that could be developed further. They just need to be extracted and reinterpreted in a new way. M, but at the same time, among all the avant-garde teachers, yes, Peter Cook and Eisenman, Zaha first chose—students could choose for themselves—
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I think, the only true postmodernist, Leon Krier. For some time she learned from Leon Krier, but then decided that no, it didn't suit her, and she moved to Elia Zenghelis and Rem Koolhaas. And for two years there, or maybe more, she
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studied under their guidance. And when she graduated, she Koolhaas wrote a conclusion for her. Well, basically, yes, that she is a new planet that will rotate in its own orbit, that she is like no one else, and that she is
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brighter than all the rest. So, what exactly did she do, right? Well, first of all, the teachers, I understand, Zenghelis and Koolhaas introduced her to the Russian avant-garde in general and Suprematism in particular. And the initial impulse for the development of
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her architecture was precisely Suprematism, primarily the work of Kazimir Malevich. And she always acknowledged that. You see, in the second frame, there is this photo of Zaha at the Malevich exhibition at the Modern, where she spoke about the power
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of this art, how it changed art, and how it still has the potential to further transform architecture. And her diploma project, the theme of which was a hotel on a bridge across the Thames, a "habitable bridge," was based
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specifically on one of Malevich’s Architektons. You see, it’s all there, isn’t it? That is, this very volumetric form, painted in suprematist.
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And the plans also, in a way, develop the spatial composition. But then it always goes through several iterations and leads to a real project that can actually be built and inhabited. After finishing her education, Zenghelis and Koolhaas invited Zaha to join OMA. And
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as they both recall, they actually did it with some trepidation, because they weren't sure she would listen to them or work with them in sync. So. But when they shared these doubts with her, she said: "Well, if I am to work with you,
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then you will do what I tell you." However, they did work together on one project for the new Dutch Parliament complex in The Hague. After which they parted ways, because Zaha was indeed not ready to work in a team with her
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former teachers. In 1980, she founded her own firm in London, not far from the Architectural Association, and began teaching there. And her first major success was winning the competition for The Peak mountain resort, or club, in Hong Kong. In Hong
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Kong. I will now show you this project in quite some detail. It was not built, despite the fact that she won the competition. The client simply, well, slightly overestimated their financial capabilities. But look at what is interesting: Zaha chose painting as her
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design technique. I mean, these are large paintings, not in oil, but in acrylic on canvas. Boyarsky provided her with a painting studio at the Architectural Association for this work . And through this kind of post-suprematist painting, she analyzes
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the terrain, the topography of the area , including both geological structures and the built environment, that is, the city of Hong Kong on the shore. And the mountain range above, where it appears, continuing the logic of these folds of
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the resort club building. Here it already looks a bit more like a building. And I am only showing you a part of it, as she painted quite a lot of these pictures. Gradually, the volumes and graphics emerge, then
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begins a graphic series that shows, let’s say, a site plan, but not so much in reality as by highlighting some main force lines and showing how the building’s dynamic volumes fit into it. Like this section, for example. But
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then it all turns into quite readable floor plans. But, but, of course, the phase of creating working drawings should have followed, but in any case, this is already a developed project, not just a concept. And while this was
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all being discussed, there was a lot of enthusiasm, but also a lot of criticism . And some of this criticism was related to such an unusual presentation and doubts that it could be realized.
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Although the structural engineers Zaha brought onto this project said that no, it could all be built, but in the end, it only remained in history. But at the same time, this was her first stellar success, that is, a project discussed
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on a global scale. But many more years passed before she was able to start building anything. She did some apartment interiors, well, some small things like that. Periodically, she won competitions. Fortunately, those were competitions with very solid cash
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prizes back then, which allowed her to somehow keep her housing. And then she appeared on the international stage as one of the participants in a very important exhibition, "Deconstructivist Architecture." This exhibition took place in 1988 at the New York Museum of
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Modern Art, MoMA. And the curator of this exhibition was Philip Johnson, right? The founder of MoMA's architecture department. The very man who in 1932 held the first exhibition of modern architecture in America, which effectively started the development of the International Style,
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the very one that had completely fizzled out by the seventies. And, uh, Johnson not only spoke but also wrote.
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Fortunately, the catalog for this exhibition is available on the MoMA website. You can download it for free, flip through it, and read it. And he writes there that, of course, this is not such a manifesto, not such a
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manifesto exhibition. I don’t believe this is the start of a movement as powerful as the modern architecture exhibition in 1932. But nevertheless, it is a trend, that there are brilliant architects working with a single theme, and this theme is, on the one hand,
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connected to deconstruction, but it is indeed related to the popular French philosophy of that time, right? On the other hand, he chose that word because it was associated with Russian Constructivism, which, well, in this case, the word "Constructivism" serves
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as a substitute for the entire avant-garde. You can see that in the first gallery, Suprematist paintings are easily recognizable—Malevich, Lissitzky, and so on. But in English, the word "suprematism"—well, because it sounds like "supremacism"—is a synonym for racism. So, they had to go
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with "deconstructivism," but it sounds good. I’ll show you a few images from this catalog just to give you an idea of the context in which Johnson placed Zaha, right? Everything really does open with examples of the Russian avant-garde. I just chose three
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pictures: a painterly composition by Malevich, one of Vladimir Tatlin’s counter-reliefs, and a conceptual early architectural project by Vladimir Krinsky. So, all of this is a modernism that hadn't yet been exhausted—with these diagonals, these oblique lines, and the way the geometric foundation
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forms complex compositions—that is what modernist architecture didn't fully explore before it moved toward calmer geometric forms. And here, essentially, is a range of the exhibitors. Gehry, too, this is even before the Bilbao museum, but this photo of the model for a family home
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emphasizes that dynamism and this connection to the Russian avant-garde. And this is Daniel Libeskind. This is Rem Koolhaas. These are more sheets from that same Peak project. And this is Coop Himmelb (l) au, the Austrian firm, and Bernard Tschumi with his Parc
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de la Villette project in Paris. So, this was the team of architects who truly defined the next ten years, or at least one specific movement. As a result, first of all, Zaha was introduced in America as one of the
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masters of the new avant-garde—this " deconstructivism." And another effect was that she met and became friends with Frank Gehry, who was also featured in that exhibition. And, in fact, her first serious realized building, the Vitra Fire Station at the furniture
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factory. It’s a tiny town on the border of Switzerland, Germany, and France. And Vitra, well, you surely know it, right? It’s a furniture company that decided to turn its factory into an architectural collection, continuing to invite the most interesting and famous architects
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there. Back then, Zaha wasn't yet so well-known, but at the time, Frank Gehry was building another structure there, and when the previous fire station burned down, he suggested they reach out to Zaha. But since this is a rather small object, not very expensive
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, she essentially built an architectural manifesto; yes, it’s probably not the most functional solution. And the firefighters were reluctant to move in, even though Zaha Hadid Architects and some other patrons insist that everything worked perfectly . Well, maybe it worked perfectly
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because there wasn't a fire at the factory. There. But a few years later, a new fire station was built in the town itself. The firefighters moved there, and this building is now an exhibition hall. Mmm, but the fact that
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it could be built, that one could work with such forms, creating a space that leads you, that has a very strong emotional impact on a person who is within its field of attraction. That is what she demonstrated. But still, no
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major breakthrough happened at that moment because the next success, a few years later, was the Cardiff Opera House project, which is the capital of Wales, and an international competition with very strong participants. And the jury chose Zaha's proposal as the best
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project. But as a result, this project remained unrealized due to, well, public rejection, and because the residents of Cardiff were not ready to deal with it. And apparently, neither was the city administration. And when many critical articles appeared, they
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decided that, well, maybe they would rather build a stadium instead of an opera house. There. But Zaha took it very painfully at the time. And she actually spoke about it toward the end of her life. I honestly don't know what
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the issue was, but I suspect it wasn't just the architecture itself, but also that, well, I don't know, maybe it was because I'm a woman, maybe because I'm from Iraq, or maybe they just thought I was crazy. although here, yes, the Arup
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bureau, the greatest engineers, calculated everything, and it was absolutely achievable. But again, look at how the project develops; that is, the topography and certain characteristic planning forms that are there are analyzed. So, in reality, this incredible building is grown out
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of the context. And at the same time, we see that it is, yes, something echoing Lissitzky and the Russian avant-garde, perhaps Melnikov. There.
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Now, this model, yes, this model shows that, in reality, what is truly extraordinary here is that an opera building, an opera house, is usually one large volume with a hall hidden inside, surrounded by foyers and all the necessary stage and production
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facilities. But Zaha, being a deconstructivist, broke these functions down into several interconnected volumes, which allowed for the creation of an inner courtyard and a plaza, effectively drawing visitors into this ensemble and providing the city with such an iconic structure. In any case,
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the city rejected this project; Zaha even sued the client, won the case, and received a settlement, but nothing was ever built. However, it is clear that the city of Cardiff probably deeply regrets this decision now. And what she
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did manage to build was built in America. This, too, was probably, to a large extent, a consequence of the exhibition at MoMA. So, she was commissioned to design the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, in a dense urban environment. That is, literally,
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they demolished an old building on the corner and designated this rather small plot for the new structure. And this new building, as we can see, is also somewhat suprematist, but a bit calmer, right? Why? Because, perhaps, you need
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to pack galleries, exhibition spaces, inside. And you need to attract the public, you need to let the public inside. That is why the ground floor is absolutely transparent, where you can just walk in, with, as is customary, a
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cafe, a bookstore, and so on. Tickets are checked upstairs. There you go. And again, how is all this formed? That is, force lines are literally drawn from the surrounding space, and possibilities for dynamics are revealed through lighting. This form is also
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analyzed in various directions, almost calligraphically. There. And then the interior space is structured. Naturally , when all this is being drawn, there is also, of course, an initial understanding of how many galleries there should be and what kind. The
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design brief is not compromised at all here, but new elements emerge, such as this idea of horizontal and vertical permeability; the fact that a large atrium is formed inside, as in many of Zaha's buildings—this happens, which, as you understand, not every client
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will accept when there is so much empty space. which then has to be heated. But the main thing is that inside there is this diagonal dynamic. But again, looking for now, yes, the project, which was created in ninety-seven and
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completed by 2000, is still based on straight lines. On straight lines. And these exhibition spaces, well, that's in the atrium, yes, you can place large installations. Everything should be dizzying like that. Well, look, here is this photograph from ninety-two. Zaha
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is still quite young. So, here she is the woman in white. That's Madelon Vriesendorp, right? The wife of Rem Koolhaas. But I am showing you this photo because a young man appears over Zaha's shoulder. This is Patrik Schumacher, her student, who becomes an
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employee of her firm and later her main partner. Yes, and now, after Zaha's death, he heads Zaha Hadid Architects.
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And, uh, of course, it is very difficult to judge his role because they, um, obviously Zaha and Patrik, they didn't really see eye to eye on that understanding. And the question arose several times why, in fact, Schumacher's name did not appear in the
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name of the firm, to which Zaha said: " No, it's my firm." He hadn't earned it yet, and he was constantly trying to achieve some kind of independence. And he did a lot of theory. Yes, he formulated this concept of parametric
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architecture. Yes, when the form is built, um, well, based on calculations of usage, right—how many people pass through at a certain time, how much time they spend in a certain volume— and let's introduce there this artificial intelligence into the design
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process, and also curved lines. But, so , from Zaha's point of view, at least at first, she needed him precisely to identify, well, it was her idea, right, that new programs are constantly appearing that can be used for design.
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New construction technologies are appearing. And she generates ideas taking into account these innovations. And, uh, Patrik had to find, well, how to actually connect, yes, test these new programs, and discuss with the engineers how the architectural form needs to be adjusted so that it would
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be feasible with these new breakthrough methods of design and construction. And as a result, well, a person like this grew up, uh, 11 years younger than her, but it seems like much more. And, after Zaha's death, Schumacher suddenly began
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to cause scandal after scandal. Maybe because she somehow kept him in check. Perhaps it was a deliberate attempt to shock the public in order to make a name for himself, to show that he wasn't just some assistant to Zaha
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Hadid, but to make sure everyone learned his name. And the biggest scandal was probably related to his speech at the World Architecture Festival in 2016, literally a couple of months after Zaha's death. When he suddenly revealed himself to be a
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person of very right-wing views, which is generally not typical for such famous architects—even if someone thinks that way, they don't say it. And , uh, Schumacher advocates for maximum market freedom, for ending support for the poor, for removing all social
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projects from commercially attractive land, for no longer building social housing, and for removing all building restrictions, suggesting we should even reconsider things in the center of London. There's Hyde Park. Who uses it and how much? And maybe it would be
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more reasonable to build a new district there. An expensive one. These are the kinds of things a person allowed himself to say publicly. There. And naturally, a terrible, most terrible scandal erupted. And protests where, of course, Patrik is compared to Hitler.
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And just look at what is written on these signs. He wants our homes, he wants to take our parks. He will not be satisfied until London is cleared of the unproductive and, well, made ready for his people, for his public. Another
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serious scandal was connected to Zaha Hadid's inheritance because she left a very significant fortune. And the firm itself is worth a lot of money. She appointed four executors, her niece and some other friends. And Schumacher started suing them for sole control of
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the firm. And that he should be the primary beneficiary of this firm. He lost those court cases. As a result, Zaha Hadid's fortune largely went into a foundation, which will build a museum —I'm not yet sure what kind—and a
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fund that will support architectural education for Arab women. And furthermore, the firm Zaha Hadid Architects passed into the ownership of the employees in various shares, but nonetheless, the profit must be divided among the employees. This is something.
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The idea is, of course, as left-wing as it gets, and it clashes very poorly with such a far-right director of the bureau. But one way or another, with Patrik's participation and the emergence of new design and construction technologies, this
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transition from rectilinear to curvilinear forms occurred. And this is a fairly early project of this type; it just took a very long time to be realized. The MAXXI Museum of Contemporary Art, well, it stands for 21 st-century art. In Rome, right? I
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mean, a city that is infinitely proud of its antiquity and very slow to accept modernity. And so, by our standards, 12 years to build a museum isn't much, but for Europe, it is, in fact, a very, very long time. And look,
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it’s partially an industrial area, but there are also old residential districts, and a church nearby. And all of this is, well, practically on the banks of the Tiber. And right inside this space, something fundamentally different is inserted, both in its form
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, its dynamics, and its material. But —despite this contrast, the building engages with its context rather than ignoring it, both through its shape and the way it sets back to form a square, a gap between neighboring buildings, and its entrance. And the way these
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viewpoints are formed, these large glass windows, they are meant so that when you’re tired of looking at the exhibit, you can approach them and look at the city around you. And here we have, well, a sort of irrational
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architecture. The most striking spot is the atrium with its endless intertwining of hanging corridors and stairs, highlighted by black stripes against the dominant white. We’re looking from above, right? This is what sets the mood for you, right? But again
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, it’s such a strong architectural gesture, such intense emotional and spatial experiences, that it raises the question: "Is this actually good for the art being exhibited in the museum?" And there are varying opinions regarding the functionality of this
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museum. Let's be frank, perhaps the galleries aren't enough, and not all of them are convenient. Maybe they are too narrow, but here, for instance, there is daylight coming from above. There.
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But at the same time, the directions for setting up an exhibition are already predetermined. See, at the Garage, we are used to the fact that for every exhibition, a custom architecture is built. There, you can set up extra walls or partition things
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off, but nevertheless, the basic logic of the exhibition flow is dictated by galleries that are simply too narrow to plan the space in any other way. And only after this, well, actually, at the moment when the Phaeno Science Center
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is being completed, Zaha manages to realize her first building in the United Kingdom, which she really wanted , because she had received British citizenship, and her office had always been in London and never moved anywhere . And look, this is an ordinary school,
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well, a high school, and not some elite one. Well, well, it has a name, but that's normal for a school, yes. It is clear that this building is somewhat more expensive than simpler options, but how is it all organized? That is,
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the districts have some kind of boards of trustees that accumulate funds, that , um, collect donations and attract sponsors. And this district simply wanted to have a school that would be a structure, well, a significant architectural edifice. So at that
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moment, under Zaha's leadership, it turns out that the office was also engaged in social architecture. Um.
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What is happening? Yes, so there is, uh , a fairly large plot. And just like in the case of the Cardiff Opera, the school's program is broken down into blocks, uh, with different functionality, and these blocks are separated by sports fields and running
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tracks. Well, again, as probably everyone knows, sport occupies a fairly large place in English school education , right? And here is the middle block, you see, there, uh, is a general, sort of, reception, a library, and a kitchen
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with a dining room, right? So this kind of public block connects, uh, the two academic ones, uh, with interiors like these. And here, unlike, say, the MAXXI museum, fairly cheap materials are used , right? That is, it is, uh, polished
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concrete, uh, inexpensive ceilings, classrooms. There. And for this, for this school, uh, she received the Stirling Prize, which is the highest British award. And the second British project, see, Cardiff in Wales rejected her, but 10 years later, the Scottish
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city of Glasgow built for itself, uh, a Riverside Museum on the riverbank, dedicated mainly to different types of transport, not just water-based. It stands, you see, on such an artificial peninsula. This building has such a folded form. And part of the exhibition
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is a moored tall ship, which the glass wall of the museum faces. And here the form, um, well, what is it conditioned by, how is this fold justified? Uh, in order to direct visitors along the logic of the exhibition's flow and move
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all auxiliary functions into some sort of offshoots, and to provide, uh, sufficient daylight and create views.
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And, accordingly, this comb structure creates rigidity, allowing for the use of quite lightweight constructions to build this shell. And again, look at how this building fits into the surroundings. And we realize that this comb, with its irregularity, echoes the
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traditional rooflines. Yes. of houses with pitched roofs standing next to each other. But at the same time, the zinc cladding signals that this is something completely new. This is how it looks from the embankment side, and inside it’s also quite airy, right?
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So, there is no impression of, say, any excessive extravagance for a structure like this. There are always changes in level, but these are also...well, not the same, right? Unlike MAXXI, where there's an architectural attraction in the center, and the art for which the
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museum is intended is relegated to auxiliary space. Not here. Here, all areas and changes in height are also used for exhibition purposes, so that you could look at cars and bicycles not only from the side, but also from above
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. And in the end, it all fits into the landscape quite well. And perhaps the most important building by Zaha in London is the Aquatics Centre. But it's important because she managed to break into, first of all, London, and
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secondly, into the Olympic program. But , of course, it’s a very strange building. Um, one can't say it’s very beautiful. But it stands out immediately, thanks to its form. This is certainly "speaking" architecture.
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It’s something clearly aquatic, maybe , I don't know, reminiscent of China. But during the Olympics, it looked completely wild because these consoles with a huge number of spectator seats were attached to it, but they were later removed, and it’s just a public
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swimming pool now. In this form, it all exists quite functionally. But the firm realizes its most interesting projects precisely where society is considered less, where there are fewer restrictions. Well, I already touched on the topic, a kind of problematic
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nature. How should architects from democratic countries work with non-democratic regimes? Is that a good thing? Right. But Zaha, apparently, was not inclined toward political correctness at all. Possibly, precisely because she herself, in general, was not from the "first world." And on one
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hand, people always talk about her personality, about how she knew how to be a friend—she didn't start a family or have children, but she was very close to her friends. She has been a very good friend for many years, but at
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the same time, she is a gossip, she can make cruel jokes, and she can yell at her subordinates. You see. When she had a project in Qatar where some workers died, and she was asked to comment on it, she said that the safety of
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construction workers is not my responsibility as an architect. You absolutely cannot say things like that in the modern world, because, well, first of all, when you work with a country, you understand what kind of practices exist there. Secondly, there
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are forms that are truly difficult to implement, and part of the responsibility for construction accidents lies with the architects, but she didn't see it that way. This was her business; she understood her job as an architect in her own way. To push
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the boundaries of what is possible for architecture, regardless of what is happening around it. You see. It doesn’t matter how you Western snobs feel about China or what is happening there, it is a rapidly developing country, and the fact that innovative
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architecture is appearing there helps this development. You see. But she says she wouldn’t build a prison anywhere.
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So, in my opinion, I really regret that I haven't been there. You see. This is one of those buildings that I would really like to see with my own eyes.
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The Guangzhou Opera House is, in my view, an absolutely outstanding project , but, truth be told, it was built very quickly and not very well. I mean, the cladding literally started falling off after just one year. And some other
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problems emerged that were specifically related to the quality of construction, which the firm obviously didn't keep a close eye on. But here, on the riverbank, there are two volumes; again , an opera house divided into two volumes, looking like stones polished
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by water, shiny, iridescent, with different textures, reflecting the ripples of the water where there is glass. Here we see this level at the zero mark, right? So, there are two main volumes: one with a large building , with a large hall in the center and,
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in general, the main theatrical space; the smaller one, you see, has a scenery warehouse in the center, restaurants with kitchens attached, some auxiliary facilities, and two more small, almost underground volumes with a ticket office, a souvenir shop, a press
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conference hall, and a research center. And here we see, actually, the halls themselves. This is the 5-meter level.
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And here we see that in this smaller volume there is also a multifunctional hall. But the most striking thing, of course, is the section, yes. We are looking at the plan of this large hall, where inside there is quite a geometric
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structure. The stage, yes, with wings and backstage, and a not-quite-regular hall marked with the number four. And this is how it looks in section, right?
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Meaning, an organic shape resembling a cave cuts into this geometry. And the lighting is certainly part of the architectural concept. How the light falling from within combines with the exterior lighting, how the steps are illuminated, because, again, this
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structure is intended not only for opera lovers, but also for citizens who stroll there. take photos, go on dates, anything at all. There are so many diverse angles. That is, this is exactly the kind of architecture that is designed not for just a couple of
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viewpoints, but one that constantly shows you new scenes as you move. Here are these diagonal ramps, yes, it's not an atrium inside, but rather walkways built between the volumes. And here we find ourselves inside. And the hall itself, this hall really reminds one of
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a cave or the inside of a shell, and its surface is covered in dull gold.
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Well, this might be a kind of nod toward Chinese culture, this golden surface, but at the same time, it’s a very delicate gold, it’s not a samovar. And here is Zaha herself walking at the opening. Look at how the
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lighting is set up, right? how in the tiers have these built-in spotlights, so everything glimmers and shimmers magnificently. And subsequently, China becomes one of the major venues where the firm works, although Chinese developers had a hard time with Zaha. Very often it was
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impossible to reach an agreement with her. She, well, first of all, did not want to make the changes that were demanded of her, and she refused to take into account certain parts that were important to the client. But many
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projects were successfully realized. Including this complex, SOHO Galaxy and another Galaxy, something else. In Beijing, this is a multifunctional center with offices, housing, and retail. And, well, it is somewhat simpler, of course, than the Guangzhou Opera, right? That is, there are these
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quite functional bands, ribbon windows, balconies, galleries. But pedestrian spaces emerge between these bubbles. And, as Schumacher says, one of the properties of this parametric architecture is to guide a person where they need to go, it facilitates orientation. Not everyone agrees with
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this at all, but since I haven’t been there, I can't say. Look, yes, a two-level atrium inside one of the blobs. of one of these bubbles. That is , several galleries here are covered by a glass dome. And further on, look, the
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galleries of the floors open up there, where there is no retail, where natural light is needed from both sides, from, well, the outer contour and from this atrium. And also in China, in the vicinity of Beijing, the largest
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airport in the world to date has been realized, significantly larger than the one Norman Foster built in Beijing.
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This starfish shape is quite suitable for terminals, as it allows for the logical placement of aircraft piers and waiting lounges. But again, an organic shape. And this airport was completed quite recently; however, the project was created back when Zaha was alive,
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with the participation of both Zaha and Patrik. The interior, one might say, is also very, very impressive. Moreover, notice that there is color on the outside, and it is clear that an airport is something many people see from above when flying in, so this
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fifth facade matters. And here, again, is this Chinese yellow color. There. And inside is that signature Zaha-detox style, white and black stripes and a slightly sloping floor, which also kind of leads people, inviting them to go where they need to. And, of course, the
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second zone where the firm works a lot is, um, the Arab world, predominantly the Arab Emirates. This is also a very famous project for a very long bridge in Abu Dhabi, which connects several islands. And this is also completely
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non-linear architecture, unlike how bridges usually look. These supports still strive to be thinner and uniform, and the upper structures as well. And look at how this looks. So, this suprematist origin is preserved even in mature works. And the Heydar Aliyev
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Center in Baku, again, public opinion —specifically within the architectural guild—terribly condemned Zaha for taking on this project, for laying flowers at the grave of Heydar Aliyev, who is seen as a dictator from the perspective of democratic regimes. But from an
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aesthetic point of view, again, the question arises: can an architect focus on aesthetic qualities, on form-building qualities? Nowadays, perhaps you can't, but Zaha left at the right time. And this, well, I think it is a quite perfect thing. But Baku, as
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you likely know, is being actively rebuilt; both Soviet heritage is being destroyed, and very little pre-Soviet architecture remains, but instead......
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some amazing modern structures of the highest international level are appearing. Just look at how this sculptural miracle emerges amidst these quite familiar high-rise apartment buildings. And what’s more, you can't really call it a repeat; the same method is used here. Though I didn't
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include drawings from this period for some reason, Zaha eventually stopped making those painted canvases and, while developing the initial concept, used calligraphic methods—drawing those curves freehand with varying thicknesses and pressure. So, it really is a kind of three-dimensional
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calligraphy brought to life through digital technology. And once again, we see the number of angles here and how the building transforms the space around it. I’m not entirely sure if the landscaping here follows the original design. From this angle, it
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looks less like a hat and more like a fish, and as far as I can tell, it’s clad in a very high-quality white marble. And as is standard in today's world, it’s a cultural center housing museums, conference halls, exhibition
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spaces, and so on. But on the outside, it’s all open to pedestrians, and the sloping roofs are always places where you can sit or lie down. A kind of urban landscape. And despite being realized in a post-Soviet space, this
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building is constructed very, very well . The lobby. Again, we see that the lobby is multi-level, but look—there are no black stripes here. Everything here is white. Radiant. Strikingly clean, with a polished floor. And these strips—the ones embedded in the
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ceiling—are curved. And here is the hall. It shares something with the Guangzhou Opera House, but here it features light, open wood, and the logic of the form evokes associations not with a cave, but rather with wood grain curves. And those stripes look
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like layers of wood, like annual rings. Just look at the craftsmanship. We see that quite rarely. As for Russia, we know that several projects by the firm have been realized there. Though, perhaps the best of them is one that
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few of us will ever see. Yeah. So, this is an oligarch-style mansion in Barvikha, uh, which, at the client's request, looks like, well, a surfaced submarine. So, there’s this captain’s bridge up there, surrounded by a pine forest on a hillside,
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invisible from anywhere, with a large plot of land. And here, uh, rather, yes , that sort of technical aesthetic, it really, uh, might resemble a ship of some kind. Whose streamlined forms are dictated by aerodynamics, rather than an animal, as shown. You see, it’s
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also a very long-term project, 14 years from the start of design to delivery to the client. And the client also took a fairly active part, expressing their own wishes. Well, for instance, the master bedroom is located in that very
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captain’s bridge. Yes. But then again , working in Russia, Zaha, mm, yes, used an allusion to the Russian avant-garde, to Lissitzky's horizontal skyscrapers. And she really designed a ship like this, where, you know, some of the rooms are, as it were,
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underground, like underwater. Well, there’s the garage, storage rooms, kitchen, and below that the dining room , main living room, and the bedroom up top. And everything that comes with the bedroom, of course. Yes. Well, we see the grand staircase, but of course,
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there’s also a panoramic elevator. Here are these floor plans. Well, first of all, they are published so small because this is, after all, highly guarded private property. Yes. Ah, yes, it looks like some kind of cellular structure, doesn't it? So, here, these
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two aesthetics, the machine-like and the organic, come together. Mm, and truly, it probably doesn't look like anything else. Actually, why go up there? To see the treetops, to feel like the king of the hill. And all around, yes, look, we can't see it very
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well here, but there is a balcony, a gallery along the glass walls. And these are the interiors. Well, I think the footage was taken before it was inhabited. And it’s not really clear what you could add to it or how you
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could add anything, but the interiors are also completely uncompromising. This is a massage room; there is a large sauna, a spa area, and, well, a massage table. So, within those wooden walls lies this fantastic structure, which, well, is among the important
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works of Zaha Hadid. A much less successful, one might even say completely unsuccessful building with a difficult fate is the Dominion Tower— an office building, essentially, which was listed for sale on Avito last year or so, where only three floors are
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still occupied by tenants—but it started construction at a very unfortunate time, in 2008; the client immediately ran out of money, construction was interrupted for a long time, then Russian architects reworked the project, greatly simplified it, and all these curves essentially turned
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into rather flat, well, just planes with the curve only in the outline. And it's all poorly clad, but inside there is this super-atrium. Hmm, well, I suppose, yes, if you have the chance, it's worth going in to take a look. So,
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Zaha is no longer with us, but Zaha Hadid Architects is working successfully. At the time of her death, the firm had about 400 or 500 employees . Now there are over 900. And, well, it seems to me that there is still some
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kind of, well, replication and a clearly more commercial direction. That it is all taking on. But nevertheless, compared to what we usually see around us, it is probably better. And this, I think, is already an approved project, right? Unfortunately, I didn't write
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down the name, that is, the developer's name. Maybe someone can tell me. And this is a huge residential area in Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye. This is also, as far as I understand, an approved project. Well, we'll live and see if all this will be built and what it will
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look like when it is built. Well then, that is all from me. I am looking forward to your questions.
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Dear friends, please raise your hand, and we will bring you the microphones. Good evening.
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Thank you for the lecture. I would like to ask a question. I recently saw in an online Ukrainian magazine called " Khmarochos"(Skyscraper) that the Zaha Hadid firm will be designing several metro stations in Dnipro. Yes. And this raises the question: do our urban
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planners not want to liven up our metro a little bit, or is Russia for the sad?
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And we are just supposed to observe what we are observing. Well, yes. Yes. The question is what will happen with the Dnipro one. But our metro is, in general, being livened up. Why, the last few stations there, like Terekhovo
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, which were built by the Mosmetrostroy bureau, are in my opinion outstanding things, and, well, some quite successful ones are appearing. Well, as you understand, the metro isn’t currently financed by private developers, with, I believe, very rare exceptions. And you shouldn’t count
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on them inviting international stars. But on the other hand, we have some very good architects. If the experience gained from competitions is used a little better, and worthy projects are selected and then implemented well. I think we have every chance that the new
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metro will be, well, at least no worse than the old one. Thank you. Any other questions, perhaps ? Our broadcast has a slight delay.
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Let’s give the people who joined us on social media a couple more minutes to formulate their questions, and you can use this time to share some of your thoughts or perhaps comments. Thank you very much for the lecture. It was very
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interesting. I would like to know your opinion on how relevant parametric architecture is today and whether it will see any development in the near future?
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Well, I am sure it won't just disappear anytime soon, but rather as one of the directions. I don’t think Patrik Schumacher’s dreams that this is truly a new stage in architecture that will fill everything will be realized.
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And I think that novelty is a very important factor, as is often the case in the modern world. And, well, a certain period of its popularity has already passed, although, of course, not everyone likes it. And now—well, not just now, but for some time—the
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question of spectacular form is not really the main issue in architecture, is it? that, um forward-looking architects are working on some other issues, including those related to the project—well, not the project, but the aspect of, let's say, architectural
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production. Indeed, what does architecture demand from the workers? Naturally, all environmental issues, naturally, all these problems of participation, and so on.
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Thank you. Right, a question. They’ve arrived. Perhaps you know how such things are designed and what these complex curvilinear forms are usually made of?
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Well, you know, I probably can't answer this question professionally, but in general terms...um, well, as already You see, in the nineties, software appeared that allowed, first of all, calculating curvilinear structures and producing non-standard elements; so, with a slight increase in price, panels
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of the required configuration are cut on digital machines, right? So there is a fairly high degree of production automation, but naturally, on-site assembly is still required. And this assembly is still done by the hands of construction workers. And the
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curvilinear shape requires higher qualifications from them, but sometimes it also creates more dangerous situations.
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Thank you. Questions are actually pouring in quite actively, but we will try to answer them and leave an opportunity for the people in the audience to ask theirs as well. Western colleagues once mentioned that Zaha usually did not have very high-quality
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architectural supervision. How fair is this statement? Well, first of all, Western colleagues know this much better than we do from here. I, actually, also know about it because of the discussions taking place , so yes, that is true. And there is
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also a stirring question regarding the metro. Has Mosinzhproekt already abandoned the Klenovy Bulvar station project designed by Zaha Hadid Architects? Do you know?
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I don't know, unfortunately. Uh-huh. Maybe there are questions in the audience. Please raise your hand.
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There are microphones on the right and left sides. We will gladly give you the opportunity to ask. Do you happen to know what such buildings are like in terms of functionality, maintenance, and energy efficiency?
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Well, as for energy efficiency, I think everything is more or less fine; it’s just impossible now to build a structure that doesn't meet the standards. And from the point of view of functionality, situations really vary; there are complaints, but it
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seems to me that in the case of large complexes, I think functionality is better there, as a certain amount of budget is simply allocated for the organization of these intermediate, essentially public, spaces. Well, since we recognize that public space is a
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good thing, then everything is fine. In the case of more compact buildings, such as museums, that is where complaints arise. I think that with the MAXXI museum, there are indeed problems there. And the Glasgow museum, in general, is also not entirely liked by
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those who work there. So yes, this is the flip side of the fascination with form-making. Do I understand correctly that this was partly an answer to the question of what, in your opinion, are the downsides of parametric architecture? Well, you know,
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parametric architecture is criticized, well, they also criticize the theses of Patrik Schumacher. For example, he claims that it is easier to navigate parametric buildings, while many say that is not the case at all. They do not help with orientation in any way.
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And they are often indeed less convenient than buildings with some sort of rectangular logic. I would also like to join in thanking you for the lecture. And what, in your opinion, is the future we should expect for the
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studio? And since you touched upon the subject of Zaha and Patrik's complicated relationship? Should we expect Patrik to set sail on his own, so to speak? Yeah. And who might lay claim to the role of the lead director
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of the firm in the future? Listen, I don't know any of the inside story, of course, but I don't think so.
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I think that Patrik Schumacher inherited a very powerful firm and a very powerful brand. Maybe, over time, he might want to change, um, the name, and finally include his own name. But on the other hand, yes, I think that
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this strange post-mortem existence of Zaha Hadid suits everyone, that clients want a Zaha Hadid Architects building, not a Patrik Schumacher one, even though he is there. I, yes, again, I told you what I read, that this is how
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the ownership issue was resolved, but still, Patrik's share in the firm's revenue is quite high, and with the volume of construction, it is a very good business for him, so he is not going anywhere. And, well, most likely,
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it will all move toward, well, we can already see this trend, more commercial projects, with less demand for an innovative solution every single time.
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Just an exploitation of the principles that were created by Zaha. Another question from YouTube. Don't you think that Zaha's architecture...Is more about design for the sake of design, rather than function, economy, or technology?
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Well, you know, this is a recurring point. It always bothers me a little when there is this distinction, like, this is not architecture, this is design. And design is the creation of anything. And I think that the furniture and clothing that Zaha
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designed and that Patrik designs is, in general, also a derivative of architecture, not the other way around.
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It's a form of creation, that's what it is. And so, I repeat once again that the true merit and shortcoming of this architectural approach is that, well, it creates a truly imagination-stunning form, right, and this is an important
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merit if it’s some rare, iconic building, right, the only one of its type in the city, and then functional and economic considerations can take a back seat. If we are already talking about using such forms for mass housing
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, right, like those residential district projects for Moscow that have been approved, well, that is, of course , really a question of how much it will cost per square meter compared to alternatives and just how comfortable it will be. And, uh, but in the end, in
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our city, I think, any apartments get bought. So, uh, maybe, let there be diversity.
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Thank you. Thank you very much, Anna. Thank you very much to all our viewers and visitors to our museum for being with us today. We look forward to seeing you at the next lecture in the Architects of the Turn of the
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Millennium series, which will take place exactly one week from now, on February 28 at 7:30 PM, also in the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art lecture hall. Registration is open.
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Closer to the event date, a couple of spots are usually added. You will have the opportunity to register. If you are unable to attend this event in person for any reason, we would be glad to see you and read your questions via our
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social media broadcast. Thank you.
Topics:Zaha HadidAnna Bronovitskayaarchitecture lectureArchitects of the Turn of the MillenniummodernismpostmodernismRussian avant-gardeSuprematismArchitectural Association LondonPatrik Schumacher
