The Complete Zaha Hadid

by Aaron Betsky

“A fascinating insight into the practice of a woman who allows for her creations to transcend the realm of the blueprint.” –Aesthetica Zaha Hadid is one of the most innovative and celebrated architects working today. Born in Iraq, raised in London, and recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, Hadid has transformed our experience of space and architecture. This comprehensive, updated monograph of more than two hundred projects―from Hadid’s earliest experimentations and product design to follies and large-scale built works, including the recently completed London 2012 Aquatics Centre, Guangzhou Opera House in China, and Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum in Michigan―is a testament to her innovative, wide-ranging, and exhilarating vision. Prepared in collaboration with Hadid’s London-based practice, the book contains a dazzling array of imagery organized in chronological order, revealing Hadid's earliest inspirations and most recent innovations. Included are the latest high-profile projects, such as the Riverside Museum in Glasgow, the Library and Learning Centre for the University of Economics in Vienna, and the Grand Théâtre de Rabat in Morocco. An introduction by critic and museum director Aaron Betsky considers Hadid’s entire career, both in the context of architectural history and as a manifestation of the current and future state of architecture. Illustrations in color and black-and-white throughout with plans and drawings

Genres: Architecture

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Aaron Betsky is an American critic on art, architecture and design. He was the director of Virginia Tech School of Architecture + Design until early 2022.
Trained as an architect and in the humanities at Yale University, he is the author of over a dozen books, including Architecture Matters, Making It Modern, Landscrapers: Building With the Land, Scanning: The Aberrant Architectures of Diller + Scofidio, Queer Space, Revelatory Landscapes, and Architecture Must Burn. Internationally known as a lecturer, curator, reviewer and commentator, he writes the blog "Beyond Buildings" for Architect Magazine. Director of the 11th Venice Architecture Biennale, he has also been president and Dean of the School of Architecture at Taliesin (originally the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture), director of the Netherlands Architecture Institute (2001-2006) the Cincinnati Art Museum (2006-2014), and was founding Curator of Architecture, Design and Digital Projects at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (1995-2001). As an unlicensed architect, he worked for Frank O. Gehry and Associates and Hodgetts + Fung. In 2003, he co-curated "Scanning: The Aberrant Architectures of Diller + Scofidio" at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zaha Hadid was a true visionary in the field of architecture and I was saddened by her death in 2016. This book does a beautiful job of commemorating her life’s work, from her thesis project to career retrospectives. While she was primarily known for her structural design work, she also applied her sweeping, modern aesthetic to fashion and home decor products. Hadid’s projects provide us with a blueprint for a future that is both inspired by and supportive of the environment.

[Allegra Giuliani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would call this book an excellent read for anyone desiring a deep dive into perhaps the most important female architect of all time. Words and photos take equal importance (if not equal space) here, as Hadid's work calls for engaging both the eyes and the mind. This book is no biography and doesn't try too hard to contextualize her projects in the history of architecture as a whole, but it will absolutely give you new insights into the wide range of forms Hadid took on over the course of her career. This book might rest on your coffee table, but where it comes alive is in your hands!