Zaha HADID — the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize
Disclaimer: The information provided in this episode comes from multiple sources and is not my scientific studies or discoveries. All authors and sources are credited at the end of this article. Thank you!
Welcome to HerArt podcast, a project for art lovers, especially art created by women. In our tenth episode, we will talk about Zaha HADID — the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize. My name is Nata Andreev and I am going to tell you seven curious facts that you didn’t know about the artist that was known for experimenting with the boundaries and relationships of space and architecture in everything she designed.
Curious Fact #1
Zaha Hadid was born in Baghdad, Iraq, to an upper-class Iraqi family. Her father was a wealthy industrialist from Mosul. Her mother was an artist also from Mosul while her brother was a writer, accountant, and expert on Arab affairs. Hadid once mentioned in an interview how her early childhood trips to the ancient Sumerian cities in southern Iraq sparked her interest in architecture. In the 1960s Hadid attended boarding schools in England and Switzerland.
Curious Fact #2
You would think that an architect like Hadid would have always considered the architecture career as her true calling. However, this was not the case for Hadid. Being a rebel since she was young, Hadid changed her major from Mathematics to architecture, which she obviously never regretted. Afterward, she moved to London in 1972 to attend the Architectural Association School. Her interest in geometry greatly influenced her digital architectural forms and neo-futuristic designs.
Curious Fact #3
Did you know that Zaha Hadid did not only face criticism and rejection but was actually about to lose her career? Causing an outrage in the UK and in the world of architecture, Hadid’s Cardiff Bay commission known as the “Millennium project” was canceled after being selected a winning entry in an international competition. What’s even more shocking, is that 16 years later after this proposal had been rejected, Hadid’s design came to life in China. Yes, the same plans were used in the famous Guangzhou Opera house which many people idolize today. Opened to the public in 2010, the beautifully-constructed Guangzhou Opera House has added cultural value to the Chinese city which is about 5 times the size of Wales.
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Curious Fact #4
Hadid was quite active in the academic field and led a fruitful teaching career. She taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Architecture, and the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg. That is in addition to giving lectures in many other universities and institutions.
Curious Fact #5
Hadid was not only celebrated for her architecture works and shoe designs but also as a powerful businesswoman. Known as the first female Arab architect to win the Pritzker Prize, she never settled for ordinary. Against all odds, she managed to become a pioneering female role model in an industry which many people thought to be dominated by males. She was also titled Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year. The aspiring architect was one of her kind as she was listed as number 69 on Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list in 2008. Additionally, The Time 100 list featured Zaha Hadid among the influential thinkers of the year 2010.
Curious Fact #6
Hadid’s consistency and determination were key aspects of her success. Unprecedented to any architect, she won an award every year since the year 2000. The visionary Pritzker Prize winner had even received up to 12 awards in one year which is a record-breaker. Despite her previous architectural tragedy in Wales, Hadid did also receive the UK’s most prestigious architectural award, the Stirling Prize for two consecutive years in 2010 and 2011 by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Curious Fact #7
The late architect is the founder of the leading firm Zaha Hadid Architects which has designed 950 projects in 44 countries. Initially founded in 1980 with only five employees, the London-based firm has now over 427 staff members working on its many projects. Hadid’s first project — Vitra Fire Station in Germany, was constructed in 1994. Zaha Hadid is also known as the Queen of the Curves.
Thank you so much for listening to the tenth episode of HerArt podcast — a project for art lovers, especially art created by women. If you want to follow more of what we do, find us on Facebook and Instagram. Tune in next month, when I am going to tell you about Esther MAHLANGU — a South African national treasure. See you later!
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