Prominent British-Iraqi architect Dame Zaha Hadid sadly died in 2016, leaving a remarkable heritage of stunning architecture. Known in the fine art and architecture circles as "the Queen of the curve," Hadid's distinctive unconstrained style is visible in buildings such as China's Guangzhou Opera House and the Vienna University of Economics and Business.
Thanks to her handpicked team of architects and designers, who are currently operating as Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), Hadid’s legacy is set to grow even more from 2018 and beyond. The first female architect to win the coveted Pritzker Architecture Prize and a two-time recipient of the RIBA Stirling Prize, Hadid had a total of 36 projects across 21 different countries in development when she died. Here are just a few of those projects that will ensure her vision continues to live on across the globe.
Morpheus Hotel, Cotai, Macau
The Morpheus officially opened in June 2018 and is situated in Macau’s entertainment capital, “The City of Dreams,” a premier destination for casino enthusiasts that recently overtook Vegas in market share. Set amid resorts from the likes of Nobu and the Grand Hyatt, the Morpheus is in a league by itself, even in such prestigious company.
With its 770 luxury villas, suites and rooms, multiple restaurants and a VIP casino spread out over 40 stories, the real attraction of the Morpheus is its unique design. This hotel is the first to be constructed from a “free-form high-rise exoskeleton,” which negates the need for internal walls and columns.
One Thousand Museum, Miami, US
Due to be completed sometime later in 2018, the One Thousand Museum is an ultra-luxurious residential complex. In total, Hadid’s first skyscraper in the West will house 83 residences across 62 stories that will sell for between $5.7 million and $49 million (USD) each.
With a design that has all the hallmarks of a classic Hadid building — elegant curves, understated luxury and an almost organic-looking exterior — the One Thousand Museum is set to be a real jewel in the crown for both Miami and Hadid’s legacy.
Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing, China
Bearing all the majesty of a phoenix spreading its wings, the (unofficially titled) Beijing Capital International Airport will see Hadid transform China’s skyline once again. Currently shaping up to be the world’s biggest airport, with a total of seven runways, the new Beijing airport is designed to welcome 100 million passengers by 2040.
Expected to open in 2019, with a cost of $12 billion (USD), construction was halted on the new airport last December when hundreds of Qing dynasty (1664–1912) tombs were discovered on the site in the Daxing District.
One North Masterplan, Singapore
The One North development in Singapore is breathing life into Hadid’s most avant-garde sketches and design concepts, including that of a “dream” of urban architecture that “truly embraces and exploits the morphology of natural landscape formations.”
Currently well into a 20-year development cycle and due for completion in 2021, this residential project aims to create a brand-new neighborhood in the One North city-state, which could ultimately, house a population of 138,000. Set to radically transform the city’s skyline with a new, urban originality, the vast site will spill out across a total of 500 acres.
King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
You only need to look at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center to see how Hadid has created complex, prismatic structures that effortlessly blend into and enhance Riyadh’s desert landscape. The King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station, which is due to open 2019, will bring more of the same.
The concept art shows a beautifully-designed building with a facade of swooping curves and strong, geometric perforations — ingeniously designed to reduce solar gain. Set to become a major interchange within Riyadh’s transportation network, the station will serve three of the six new metro lines within the city.
Esfera City Center, Monterrey, Mexico
Hadid’s first project for Mexico — a community-oriented residential development in Monterrey — is also expected to be completed during the latter half of 2018. The Esfera City Center will consist of 981 residential units spread out over 137,000 square meters, ranging from one-person lofts to four-bedroom apartments.
The design of the complex pays homage to the “local architectural language and Mexican tradition of interlocking lattice geometries,” which provide a flexible response to the environment within the Huajuco Canyon. Instead of the 12 tower blocks originally requested in the client’s brief, Zaha Hadid designed a series of long, low-rise buildings surrounding a public park, giving further emphasis to traditional, community-based habitations.
