Dame Zaha Mohammad Hadid was born in Baghdad, Iraq on October 31, 1950.
As a young girl she first became fascinated with architectural design during her family visits to the ancient Sumerian cities found in Southern Iraq.
Little did she know that her childhood love of transformative structural design would redefine postmodern architecture as we know it.
She learned about architecture from a family friend who was building her Aunt's house in Northern Iraq when she was still a child.
Zaha Hadid attended boarding schools in England and Switzerland during the 1960's.
She went on to achieve her bachelors degree in mathematics at the American University in Beirut before jetting off to study architecture at the renowned British Architectural Association in 1972.
There she earned a Diploma Prize in 1977, and went on to teach classes at the AA until 1987.
During this time, Hadid also founded her own London-based architecture and design firm, Zaha Hadid Architects.
Her firm became known for tackling challenging design projects that pushed the boundaries of what most considered possible, delving into sophisticated technologies like renewable energy and virtual reality.
Her first official building was the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein, Germany.
She was commissioned to build the new station after the town experienced a deadly fire in 1981, and the station was in use for several years before finally being converted into an event space for the Vitra Design Museum.
Undoubtedly, Hadid had a very unorthodox way of looking at the world, and her boundless creativity is exemplified in her stunning designs.
While most of her peers were caught up in traditional industry practices such as conventional detail drawing and standardized materials, Zaha Hadid refused to be limited by what others thought possible.
Her buildings are not just aesthetically pleasing, they exude an almost rebellious pragmatism in the way that they inspire human congregation and connection.
Hadid's work on the interiors of her buildings are just as breathtaking as the view from outside, but her emphasis on comfort and functionality remain harmonious with her signature curves and angles.
The One Thousand Museum Skyscraper in downtown Miami is a great example of this.
Known as the "Queen of Curves" in the world of architectural design, Hadid's nickname was well earned as you can see by the elegant undulating lines prevalent in much of her work.
She found her love of abstract art in the work of avant-garde artist and art theorist Kazimir Malevich.
Zaha Hadid's inspiration for many of her designs show influence from the Russian artist's work and feature similar themes of abstraction and fragmentation.
When discussing the methodology behind her own unique architectural composition, she revealed an interesting exercise that trained her to see the multitude of possibilities with each space.
Few architects have designed structural masterpieces with such consistent success as Zaha Hadid.
This makes it difficult to narrow down a list of her best work.
One of her more notable accomplishments was her very first project in China, the Guangzhou Opera House in 2011.
Another one of her acclaimed projects was the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan from 2007-2013.
Zaha Hadid became an international success, roaming the globe and leaving over thirty stunning architectural marvels in her wake.
She built in America, Italy, Saudi Arabia, France, Lithuania, Spain, Lebanon, Hungary, Japan, Russia, South Korea and more.
Hadid became known as the most accomplished living female architect, earning prestigious awards such as the Stirling Prize in 2010 and the Jane Drew Prize in 2012.
She was the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004, as well as the Royal Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2015.
Queen Elizabeth II officially bestowed upon her the honorary title of Dame for her architectural services.
In March of 2016, unexpected tragedy struck as Zaha Hadid was admitted to the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami for bronchitis.
During her hospital stay she was suddenly pronounced dead by onsite medical staff, the cause of death being a heart attack.
Family, friends and fans from all around the world came together to pay their respects.
British-Italian architect Lord Richard Rogers remembers her fondly:
“She was a great architect, a wonderful woman and wonderful person. 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."
Though the world will sorely miss her, Zaha Hadid leaves behind a legacy of epic proportion.
Her imaginative creations will withstand the passing years as a lasting testament to her relentless pursuit of her passions.
Now her story will live on to inspire future generations of creative young women who dare to defy convention.
I do not own the images shown in this blog post, all rights are reserved by their respective owners.
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