Zaha Hadid, designer of some of world’s most captivating, groundbreaking buildings, passed away today at age 65.
Known as the “Queen of the Curve,” Hadid was born in Baghdad and lived primarily in the U.K., where she established herself as one of the most dominant, innovative British architects of the 20th and 21st centuries.
In an industry where just 12% of female British architects are partners in firms, Hadid refused to take no for an answer — and her persistence paid off. She was the first woman to win both the Pritzker Architecture Prize and the Royal Institute of British Architects Royal Gold Medal — two of the biggest architecture awards in the world.
“Among architects emerging in the last few decades, no one had any more impact than she did. She fought her way through as a woman,” fellow architect Richard Rogers told The Guardian.
We all like to think that, when we die, we’ll leave behind a lasting legacy. In reality, most of us are lucky to leave behind so much as a cool couch and $47.
Here’s what Hadid left behind:
1. Guangzhou Opera House in Guangzhou, China
2. Bridge Pavilion in Zaragoza, Spain
3. Phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg, Germany
4. Maggie’s Centres at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Scotland
5. MAXXI: Italian National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, Italy
6. Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck, Austria
7. Broad Art Museum in East Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
8. Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein, Germany
9. Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan
10. BMW Central Building in Leipzig, Germany
11. Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
12. London Aquatics Centre in London, England
13. Riverside Museum in Glasgow, Scotland
14. Galaxy SOHO in Beijing, China
15. Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London, England
16. CMA CGM Tower in Marseille, France
17. Vienna University of Economics Library and Learning Centre in Vienna, Austria
That’s … a legacy.
