World renowned visionary architect Zaha Hadid passed away last night at the age of 65 from a heart attack. The Iraq-born British queen of contemporary architecture was a leader in so-called “conceptual, neo-futuristic building design” and was known for her limitless imagination and boundary-pushing creativity. She was also the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker prize – architecture’s highest honor – in 2004, in what’s considered a predominantly man’s world.
From London to Beijing, her buildings have become emblems of cities worldwide. Her work also extended well beyond buildings: she collaborated with the likes of Chanel and Louis Vuitton, created art installations, as well as designs for Georg Jensen and others.
While many of her buildings couldn’t be realised due to funding or logistical problems (the stadium at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, for example) we can’t wait to check into the much-talked about ME Dubai hotel in Dubai’s tallest building, set to open later this year. Until then, associate editor Lucy Rees picks out her favourite buildings.
