The queen of curves “Zaha Hadid” designs in Saudi Arabia

Table of content

• Introducing Zaha Hadid – The person

• Introducing Zaha Hadid – The architect

• Zaha Hadid projects in Saudi Arabia

Every year many architect names rise up to fame, worldwide and regional as well, but it is not every day that we see an architect who is an Arab standing so high and tall between all the list of famous foreigners, while it is not very common, Zaha Hadid actually made as a top tier architect and designer all across the globe, and some of here buildings stood still as one of the best designed, of course, her unique and new style, futuristic sort of architecture, and structural wonders gained her the place she had as one of the best, Zaha designed many buildings around the world including KSA, so for today, we will introduce you to what is known as the wonders of Zaha Hadid in Saudi Arabia, as well as her life.

Introducing Zaha Hadid – The person

To know more about one person, you must learn about their own personal life and how it helped shape the star within. 

Zaha Hadid was born on the 31st of October, 1950 in Iraq to a family that was considered upper class, the supporter behind that family was her father Muhammad Hadid, he was a very wealthy industrialist in Iraq that found Al-Ahali group in 1932.

But her artistic side perhaps was handed down from her Mother Wajiha Al-Sabunji who was a famous artist back in the days.

Zaha mentioned in an old interview how her origin country, home to one of the oldest civilizations of history, the Sumerian city, sparked her love for architectural design later on as she was a boarding school student in England and Switzerland.

Hadid once mentioned in an interview how her early childhood trips to the ancient Sumerian cities in southern Iraq sparked her interest in architecture. 

In the 1960s Hadid attended boarding schools in England and Switzerland.

But what about her life as an architect? What was she like in a world full of fierce competition?

Introducing Zaha Hadid – The architect

In 1972 she studied in London at the architectural association school of architecture, with many famous architects nowadays, the genius Rem Koolhaas, Elia Zenghelis also, Bernard Tschumi, Koolhas who already established a name for himself, was fascinated by Zahas’ talent, and said that she was the most outstanding of anyone he taught!
They nicknamed her “Queen of curves” “inventor of 89 degrees” since she never designed anything at 90 degrees.

After she graduated, she worked for her former professors, and her designs saw light and fame in the 1980s, where she had a modern style in an era of postmodernism and boring structures, and she was called the queen of curves for nothing, Zaha believed in shocking designs, ones that do not comply to the rules of physics or math, as well as deconstruction designs that express political and social freedom and rebellious against common rules, which made her a famous architect.

Getting more famous and more in demand, as her name became a brand not only of architecture but as well as clothing designs, and having a company of architects under her name known as Zaha Hadid Architects that designed signature buildings all around the world, it was only a matter of time for Zaha Hadids’ designs to reach Saudi Arabia.

After all, once you see one building designed by Zaha Hadid, her style is so unique that you would be able to tell any building designed by her apart from other buildings easily

Zaha Hadid projects in Saudi Arabia

The King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center 

KAPSARC our King Abdullah petroleum studies and research center, has opened expansively of 70,000 sq.m2 to the public, This project was designed by Zaha Hadid as an architect of modular structure, that starts with small units that grow and multiply into many units, just like an organic live cell that multiplies into one being, that is what shaped 5 buildings in total, The energy computer center, conference center, research library, prayer place, and energy knowledge center.

Created by Zaha Hadid Architects, the structure consists of organizational, spatial, and structural purposes, also, the form of it was designed to make the strong sunlight that hits the building and the high temperatures of Riyadh less apparent and not effective.

Riyadh Metro’s KAFD Station in Saudi Arabia – project suggestion

The second project we have on our list today was the Riyadh’s metro, with six platforms over 4 public floors and 2 levels of underground car parking, the KAFD Metro station will be integrated with the urban context and financial context, it is a dynamic, multi-functional public space with quick transitions, the project in total would be 20,434 Sqm, and is placed in mid of pathways, bridges and metro lines.

Urban heritage administration center in Saudi Arabia

Zaha Hadid architects were the winning design for the urban heritage administration center in KSA, it’s a UNESCO-protected site that will protect the famous site of wadi Hanifah in Al-Diriyah, the project designed included a gallery, library, lecture hall, and also, an educational space.

This was all of Zaha Hadids’ life, achievements, and projects in Saudi Arabia she built with her own hands under her name with her team and company, if you like this article and want to know more about the world of architecture, then our article about the world of colors in design or history of architecture in Saudi Arabia would surely be of help to you. at Bayut Ksa Blog
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