Zaha Hadid, MAXXI, 2009, Rome.
Iraqi-born British architect Zaha Hadid died last week at the age of 65. A recipient of the Prizker Architecture Prize, Dame Hadid enjoyed a series of prestigious commissions as well as a career teaching at Harvard, Yale, and Columbia Universities.
Dame Hadid is known for her fluid designs with multiple perspectives that break from traditional architectural geometry. An example of this is her design for MAXXI (National Museum of 21st Century Arts) in Rome. The building has overlapping and curved forms. The smooth walls and series of columns echo the surrounding ancient city. Inside the museum, pathways intersect to create a dynamic and interactive space. The whole is intended to “embody the chaotic fluidity of modern life.”
