Zaha Hadid Architects facts for kids

Zaha Hadid Architects is a British company that designs amazing buildings and other cool things. It was started by a famous architect named Zaha Hadid (who lived from 1950 to 2016). Their main office is in Clerkenwell, London.

After Zaha Hadid passed away, Patrik Schumacher became the head of the company. At that time, the company had about 400 people working there. They were busy with 36 different building projects in 21 countries around the world!

Recently, in the early 2020s, the company even designed a virtual city. It's called Liberland Metaverse and is based on a tiny "micronation" called Liberland. This virtual city exists on a special online platform called the Metaverse. The company has also started using artificial intelligence (AI) to help them design workplaces. They even created a special team called ZHAI (Zaha Hadid Analytics + Insights) just for using AI. This is pretty unique for a design firm!

Awesome Awards ZHA Has Won

Zaha Hadid Architects has won many awards for their incredible designs. Here are some of their recent achievements:

Awards in 2023

World Architecture Awards

• BEEAH Headquarters in the United Arab Emirates: This building won an award for being a great "Realised" (meaning built) architecture project.
• International Convention Centre and Theaters in French Polynesia: This design won an award for being an amazing "Designed" (meaning planned) architecture project.

Johnson Controls Blueprint of the Future Award

• BEEAH Headquarters in the United Arab Emirates: This building won another special award for its forward-thinking design.

Awards in 2022

UK Excellence in Design Award

• Infinitus Plaza in Guangzhou, China: This large project won an award for excellent design in the UK.

Architizer A+ Awards

• Best Large Firm: Zaha Hadid Architects was chosen by a jury as the best large design company.
• Architecture + Concrete: Their Striatus 3D Printed Bridge in Venice, Italy, won an award for its cool use of concrete.

Amazing Buildings and Designs

Zaha Hadid Architects has worked on many different types of projects, from ideas that never got built to huge buildings you can visit today.

Ideas That Were Not Built

These are some cool ideas that the company designed, but they were not built for various reasons:

• Price Tower extension project (2002), Bartlesville, Oklahoma – This idea is still waiting to happen.
• Guggenheim-Hermitage Vilnius (2008–2012), Vilnius, Lithuania – This museum design was not built.
• Kartal-Pendik Waterfront Regeneration, Istanbul, Turkey – A plan to make a waterfront area better.
• Szervita Square bubble office building, Budapest, Hungary – This unique office building design was not built.
• Liberland Metaverse – A virtual city design.

Major Buildings That Are Finished

Here are some of the most famous and important buildings Zaha Hadid Architects has completed:

Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan

• Vitra Fire Station (1994), Weil am Rhein, Germany
• Hoenheim-North Terminus & Car Park (2001), Hoenheim, France
• Bergisel Ski Jump (2002), Innsbruck, Austria
• Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art (2003), Cincinnati, Ohio, US
• BMW Central Building (2005), Leipzig, Germany
• Ordrupgaard annexe (2005), Copenhagen, Denmark
• Phaeno Science Center (2005), Wolfsburg, Germany
• Maggie's Centres at the Victoria Hospital (2006), Kirkcaldy, Scotland
• Tondonia Winery Pavilion (2001–2006), Haro, Spain
• Eleftheria square redesign (2007), Nicosia, Cyprus
• Hungerburgbahn new stations (2007), Innsbruck, Austria
• Chanel Mobile Art Pavilion (2006–2008), Tokyo, Hong Kong, New York City, London, Paris, Moscow
• Bridge Pavilion (2008), Zaragoza, Spain
• J. S. Bach Pavilion, Manchester International Festival (2009), Manchester, UK
• CMA CGM Tower (2007–2010), Marseille, France
• Pierres Vives (2002–2012), Montpellier, France
• MAXXI - National Museum of the 21st Century Arts (1998–2010), Rome, Italy. This museum won the Stirling Prize in 2010.
• Guangzhou Opera House (2010), Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
• Riverside Museum (2011), a part of the Glasgow Transport Museum, Scotland
• Heydar Aliyev Center (2007-2012), Baku, Azerbaijan
• Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University, (2008–2012)
• London Aquatics Centre (2012), London, UK. This was a big swimming venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
• Galaxy SOHO (2008-2012), Beijing, China
• Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park (2008–2014), Seoul, South Korea
• Port Authority Building (2009-2016), Antwerp, Belgium
• Napoli Afragola railway station, Italy
• New Maritime Terminal in Salerno, Italy
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  520 West 28th Street, Manhattan, New York City (2018)
• 520 West 28th Street (2013-2018), Manhattan, New York City
• Citylife office tower (Storto) and homes, Milan, Italy
• Beijing Daxing International Airport terminal building (2014–2019), Beijing, China
• Leeza SOHO (completed 2019), Beijing, China
• The Opus (2007-2020), Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• North Souks Department store (completed 2021), Beirut, Lebanon
• Infinitus Plaza (2022), Guangzhou, China
• BEEAH Headquarters (completed 2022), United Arab Emirates

Projects That Were Not Finished

Sometimes, big projects get stopped before they are completed. Here are a few:

• Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay, Villa D (planned private home was supposed to finish in 2010, but the project stopped in 2011).
• Nuragic and Contemporary Art Museum (2006) (on hold), Cagliari, Italy.
• Tokyo National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. The plans for this stadium were cancelled in 2015.

Projects Happening Now or in the Future

Zaha Hadid Architects is always working on new and exciting buildings. Here are some projects that are still being built or are planned for the future:

• Central Bank of Iraq Tower, Baghdad, Iraq (expected to finish in 2022).
• Fereshteh Pasargad Hotel, Tehran, Iran (expected to finish by 2022).
• Central Business District Prague, Prague, Czech Republic (expected to finish by 2023).
• Danjiang Bridge, Taipei, Taiwan (expected to finish 2022).
• Mercury Tower, St. Julian's, Malta (expected to finish 2023).
• Navi Mumbai International Airport, Mumbai, India (first part expected to open in 2024).
• Go Park SAI SHA, Sai Kung North, Tai Po, Hong Kong (expected to finish 2024).
• Western Sydney Airport, Sydney, Australia (first part expected to open in 2026).
• Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport Terminal 3B, Chongqing, China.
• Chengdu Science Fiction Museum (being built in 2022), Chengdu, China.
• Oppo Headquarters, Shenzhen, China (expected to finish by 2025).
• Rail Baltica Ülemiste main railway terminal, Tallinn, Estonia (expected to finish by 2030).
• Port of Tallinn Masterplan 2030 for the Old City Harbour, Tallinn, Estonia (expected to finish by 2030).
• Unicorn Island planned development, Chengdu, China.
• Start-Up Exhibition and Conference Centre, Chengdu, China.
• Tower C at Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base, Shenzhen, China (expected to finish by 2027).
• Vilnius Railway Station "Green Connect", Vilnius, Lithuania.
• Surfside condominium site redevelopment, Surfside, Florida.
• International Convention Centre and Theaters (designed in 2022), French Polynesia.