Late architect ‘drives and inspires us every day’
Zaha Hadid Architects has issued a statement thanking people for their condolences and spelling out its plans for the “years to come”.
In an email, the practice also describes how the late architect, who founded ZHA in 1980, continues to “drive and inspire us every day” as they “work on as Zaha taught us – with curiosity, integrity, passion and determination”.
The statement lists some of the 36 projects in 21 countries that are either under construction or in advanced stages of design, including the mathematics gallery at London’s Science Museum and a ferry terminal in Italy which is due to open this month.
“Everyone at Zaha Hadid Architects is committed to continuing this progress,” says the statement before concluding: “We very much look forward to welcoming our family, friends and colleagues to all our projects in the years to come.”
Hadid died suddenly last month aged 65 after suffering a heart attack in Miami. Her practice has since been inundated with messages of condolence.
A spokesman said that while the news of her death was “sudden and very sad” the practice itself remained busy. Its management is in the hands of both Hadid’s long-term collaborator Patrik Schumacher and a team of other directors who have been at the practice for up to a quarter of a century, he said.
The statement, issued on behalf of the practice and Hadid’s family, thanked people for their support.
“Zaha trusted everyone to achieve the potential she saw in them, to never stop questioning, to never stop imagining, to realise the fantastic,” it said.
The full statement
Zaha Hadid Architects and the Hadid family deeply appreciate the many heartfelt notes of condolence and tributes to Zaha. We thank all our friends, colleagues, clients and supporters around the world. Zaha trusted everyone to achieve the potential she saw in them, to never stop questioning, to never stop imagining, to realise the fantastic.
Zaha is in the DNA of Zaha Hadid Architects. She continues to drive and inspire us every day, and we work on as Zaha taught us – with curiosity, integrity, passion and determination.
Through research, experimentation and collaboration we make the discoveries we did not think were possible, working on new ideas, pushing them into the mainstream to raise standards and benefit all. Marrying concepts of integration and connectivity with advancements in design, ecologically sound materials and construction practices, we do not look at the disparate parts, but work to understand them as a whole to find solutions to the defining challenges of our era.
With 36 projects in 21 countries under construction or in detailed design development, everyone at Zaha Hadid Architects is committed to continuing this progress. Our four projects completing this year:
April 25: Salerno Maritime Terminal
To be inaugurated later this month by the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, this new terminal has been designed to enable regional, national and international ferries as well as cruise ships from around the world to dock in Salerno for their passengers to visit the historic towns and villages on the Amalfi coast.
September 22: Port House, Antwerp
With 12 kilometers of docks, the Port of Antwerp is Europe’s second largest shipping port, handling more than 15,000 sea trade ships and 60,000 inland barges each year. The new Port House preserves and repurposes an abandoned 95-year-old fire station into a new headquarters for the port, consolidating the 500 employees who currently work in many separate buildings, giving them views to the port’s docks and berths.
October 2016: King Abdullah Petroleum Studies & Research Centre, Riyadh
KAPSARC is a non-profit institution that brings together people from around the world to research and tackle energy challenges for the benefit of society and the environment. Built with sustainable construction methods and materials to LEED Platinum certification, the new center has been designed to work with its natural environment to ensure comfort for employees alongside minimising energy and resource consumption.
December 2016: Mathematics Gallery, Science Museum, London
A pioneering new gallery that explores how mathematicians, their tools and ideas have helped to shape the modern world. The gallery’s design and layout is defined by mathematical equations that determine the three-dimensional curved surfaces representing the patterns of airflow that would have streamed around an historic 1929 aircraft at the centre of the exhibition.
We very much look forward to welcoming our family, friends and colleagues to all our projects in the years to come.
Zaha Hadid Architects
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