Queen of Crescent …. Ar.

Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid was the only leading lady to be glorified in Architecture in 20 th and 21th centuries. Although
she was Iraqi by birth. Her tenure in Britain was flurished. She was born in aristocratic family in Baghdad,
she was influenced by the ancient Sumerian community. Her mother was a painter and her brother was a
writer. However, her father was a revolutionary militant and the founder of the National Liberation Front.
He later became active in politics and joined the revolt against the monarchy in politics. Further he became
a minister in the established government.

Inherently, the triune confluence of rebellion, challenges and endurance took place in her childhood. As
soon as she became stable. She entered the School of Architecture and prospected is it possible to
implement the alternative system by breaking the traditional architecture, maps, and concepts? She did
research in this dissertation. For this she chose the path of the Russian painter Henry Matisse. She did not
show what architecture really is but awakened the feeling behind the art which was behind the
architecture pushed it into a new form and prospered from it. For this she sought of uncovered the truth
behind the abstract.

She first studied mathematics at a university in Beirut. Her teacher is the famous journalist and writer
Koolhaas. As a student her talent was prevalent. She was the girl with vast vision and never relied on small.
Abominated small things. Behind her supernatural creation, she had acquired this quality of femininity. As
soon as she completed her education, she reciprocated to her teacher Koolhaas and was appreciated for
her qualities by Koolhaas. At the age of 30 she established her own Architecture and design firm in London.

She initially studied Architecture at Cambridge School of Design and later at the University of in Chicago,
Columbia and Illinois. She was firm on her thoughts and meanings. At the same time her flamboyant,
transformative creations began to appear before the entire world. That fame started coming from the
national periodical and won a competition. But the government controverted her colorful ideas and
discouraged her but she did not give up her unique way of painting projects using bright and vibrant
pictures. She began to use the skillful composition, impression and romanticism of the artisan’s acrylic
painting. At first, these ideas seemed innovative to society. Her drawing and erudition were honest with
architecture. At that time, the world was also leaning towards post-modernism controversy. Intrinsically
the young class picked up on her ideas.

The famous New-York based Architect brought her forward with an exhibition entitled ‘De constructivism’
by presenting her designs and paintings. She was appreciated at conference. In this world of Architecture,
she was been embraced and her style was known to be the “Hadid Style”. As she changed the horizon of
the city and created motion and movement at every angle in architecture. Proscribed any of the
interference, in her approach and processes. ‘Zaha’ became a brand.

From 1988 to 2016 she did numerous architectonics in England, Italy, Qatar, Belgium, Austria, Hong-Kong,
Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Scotland, Denmark, Germany, USA, South Korea and China such as the Exhibitions,
art museums, outdoor sports, educational complexes, railway stations, airport, bridges, Opera & drama
Theatres to Mercantile skyscrapers were devised. Which included interesting architectural features like
Tapered walls, angular & conical edges, mushrooms, skylights, wrought iron girders with vibrant colors,
multi-level pedestrian walkways, saucers, subways & causeways, gondola, sails of ship, galaxy which is rich
in forms & shapes. The beholder were terrified and frozen (Aquatic, sea urchins, capillaries, shells, flag
staff, everywhere there is enigmatic mysterious and dazzling atmosphere). For this, she had high demand
from private institutions because the needy have no intellect. She was not been assigned about
government work because she could not be accepted there as there is a storm in all her creations.
She was a woman with extraordinary ambitions. She had refused to accept the basic principles of
architecture is associated with human habitation and that emotions are nurtured there. She was able to
fascinate and mesmerize the youth. The innovation that comes to the humans, tempts, and makes the
brain tingle. Instead of using traditional building materials. She was transforming buildings through
technology. She never used Mason’s plumb -a basic construction tool. De-regulation of the economy
dealing with the environment and relationship with architecture had always been on her side. Her
thoughts/ideas/concepts were a fusion of communism that she got from her father and creativity from her
mother. She gained prominence from magazine and reviewer around the world. So the way to the apex
was decided. Infact her Hebrew civilization, grand noble and aristocratic traditions………But the
contradictory shape the anonymous incise in tradition and the tendency to flatter in the establishment, is
this paradox conducive to 21st century idealism, smart ingenuity? It will be decided in coming days.
She was the only women to be honored with ‘Pritzker Award’ for Architecture and was a recipient
of R.I.B.A’s gold medal. Her prominence was enhanced by Queen Elizabeth’s prestigious women’s honor
and Britain’s Best Sterling Medal. This “Queen of Crescent” passed away at the age of 65 due to asthma,
an architect who is an icon of youth and became a prophet. In her memory, her building in a square,
Belgium has been renamed as ‘Zaha Headquarters’.
It has to be acknowledged that her work is aesthetically pleasant. Even though it is
inappropriate for construction science. It is been achieved only with the help of high-tech methods. There
is no balance sheet of expenses, no diagrams to match the tool content. However the elegance with which
she was to stand out from this, all these trivia of hers cannot be an unforgivable crime. Seeing her awards
(Pritzker) critics have paid tribute to her 20 works of art have become world famous. It has to be noted in
History of Architecture.

- Ar. Mohan S. Waichal.

- Ar. Disha Modekar (Student).