Zaha Hadid

Zaha Hadid

Due to an incredible building I was introduced to in class, I thought I’d look at Zaha Hadid for my next artist. Zaha Hadid is an architect who uses artistic designs in her buildings rising her above the normal brick and mortar status of your typical architect. Since graduating from Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, Hadid has established her own practice designing buildings that look more like works of art, all while teaching all her knowledge to young up and coming architects.

The first structure we’ll look at is the Burnham Pavillion in Chicago, IL. Erected in 2009 for the Burnham Plan Centennial in Chicago’s Millennium Park, the pavillion “incorporates hidden traces of Burnham and Bennett’s original 1909 plans to redevelop the city” (1). This building shows that even back at the turn of the 20th century, Chicago strived to be cutting edge in its architecture. With a futuristic, geometric shape, the pavillion looks more like a sculpture than an actual building you can walk through. While it looks amazing during the day, once the sun sets the pavillion really comes to life. I was amazed by the detail in which the pavillion changes ~ during the day it’s more of a plain white color. But once night hits, the pavillion takes on a life of its own by changing colors and illuminating the Chicago skyline on the inside walls. This intricate feature of the pavilion shows that architecture and art can be one in the same, just as the Romans and Greeks did many years ago.

Burnham Pavillion 2009

Chicago, IL

Floor: 120m2

Site 500m2

Footprint: 300m2

The next structure I looked at is the Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck, Austria. This structure incorporates a ski ramp and sports facilities, along with public spaces such as a café and viewing terrace. The design of the Bergisel Ski Jump not only has state of the art design, it also seems to blend in well with the nature it is nesting in. Just like the Burnham Pavillion, the Bergisel Ski Jump also takes on a new life when the sun sets. The lights that run down the middle of the jump give the structure a glow; adding life to the linear ramp of the ski jump.

Bergisel Ski Jump 2002 

Innsbruck, Austria 

Height: 50m 

Length: 90m

Hadid’s designs have grown architecture outside of the square, dull, everyday “building” and given the world works of art that also serve the general public.  By incorporating art into architecture, buildings become something that is not only useful for its purpose, but also appeasing to the audience that has the pleasure to witness its beauty.  My wish is that more architects take this approach in their designs by changing the mundane high-rise complexes into beautiful works of art.

Resources:

1. Wikipedia. Zaha Hadid. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaha_Hadid