Dame Zaha Hadid - A Woman's Legacy

Serpentine Sackler Gallery, 2013, Two distinct parts come together to form a synthesis of old and new
Photograph by Luke Hayes

Dame Zaha Hadid's death on March 31st came as a shock to many of us, it's been only a couple of weeks and there has been a lot of unavoidable press on the topic. She was one of the famous Starchitects of our time, idolised by many and a celebrity in her own right. Since Hadid's passing we have all read various articles on her life, achievements and work. To be completely honest this has been the first time that I have truly wanted to explore her projects and to understand the depth of her contribution to our field, which is a shame in itself. I have enjoyed researching the "Queen of the curve" as Zaha later became known, I am sure I will continue to learn about her work after this mere introduction!

(Above is a short clip from the BBC, Hélène Binet on Zaha and photographing her projects) 

I read Yasmin Shariff's tribute to the late Architect and I found a new appreciation of her fight as not only a woman but as a foreigner to a field which was primarily dominated by white males. Shariff describes the struggle, "very few people realise the misogynistic, racist and anti-architect environment she had to navigate in Britain. For Muslims, minorities and women, Zaha is a shining torch". Whilst Zaha completed her studies at the AA, approximately 6% of the profession was made up of women and now, almost 40 years later we can see an increase of around 18%. Our profession has come a long way and is continuing to do so.

The RIBA Royal Gold Medal 2016
Photograph by Sophie Mutevelian 

Hadid was the first female to be awarded the Pritzker Prize in 2004, she also twice won the RIBA Stirling Prize, firstly for her MAXXI Museum in Rome and then also for the Evelyn Grace Academy in London. After all of the challenges she faced in her career she truly earned the title of the first woman to be awarded the RIBA Gold Medal Award in 2016, almost 100 years after the Suffragette Ruth Lowy had encouraged the AA to accept female students. Her life's work was a legacy and she was rewarded for it in the later years of her career.  

Evelyn Grace Academy, London, 2010, photograph by Luke Hayes 

Sir Peter Cook describes her contribution to the theory and practice of architecture as a "substantial body of work". She was awarded the prize because of the consistency in her work and the sheer scale of international projects she has undertaken across her career. Cook on Hadid, "If Paul Klee took a line for a walk, then Zaha took the surfaces that were driven by that line out for a virtual dance and then deftly folded them over and took them out for a journey into space". She established her practice in London, 1979 and almost 40 years later she has an accomplished and internationally recognised firm. Her interests lie in the connectors between architecture, landscape and geology. Zaha Hadid Architects is an innovative, technologically-driven and dynamic practice.

Painting by Zaha Hadid Architects, Vitra Fire Station, we can see how her
influences translate into fluid architecture
Image from zaha-hadid.com

Zaha admired the work of 20th century Avant-Garde Artists and Architects. She was interested in the investigation and redevelopment of Russian Suprematism and Constructivism, which is why her early built projects communicate similar utopian ideologies. Hadid undertook a journey to discover fluidity and complexity in built spaces, as a result each project is stylistically identifiable as hers.

Vitra Fire Station, Weil am Rhein, Germany, 1993
Photograph by Christian Richters

The Vitra Fire Station, Weil Am Rhein in Germany, first gained Zaha international recognition in 1993. The building is constructed of exposed, reinforced in-situ concrete with sharp edges. There is purposefully an exagguration of exposed edgings and lack of cladding to ensure the volume is understood as a simple prismatic piece. The idea behind the structure is for it to appear 'alert', ready to part and to explode at any required moment in time.

MAXXI Museum of 21st Century Art, Rome, 2009
Photograph by Iwan Baan 

The Stirling Prize winning MAXXI Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, 2009 is another noteworthy project. A contemporary building attempts to bind itself to a city of classical heritage as part of the wider scheme of addressing Rome's search for a modern and renewed identity. There is an active conversation between the building and it's surroundings, Hadid has offered views back into the city from a large window on the third floor.

London Aquatics Centre, London Olympic Park, 2012
Photograph by Luke Hayes

The London Aquatics Centre, 2012, a distinctive and elegantly-curved building was designed for the Olympic Games as part of an infinite legacy. It is a celebration of the fluid and geometric nature of water in motion and subsequently the surrounding riverside landscapes of the Olympic Park. The famous roof dances above the ground in a wave-like form, sheltering the pool below. The masterplan itself contains a greater narrative between the axis of the three pools in the Aquatics Centre and the Stratford City Bridge.

The Heydar Aliyev Centre Baku, 2013
Photograph by Iwan Baan 

Photograph by Iwan Baan 

The Heydar Aliyev Centre Baku, 2013, rises from its surrounding landscape as a series of folding curves. The glass-fibre-reinforced concrete panels appear to grow from the external plaza, allowing visitors to flow from outside to inside and around the cultural centre. Hadid describes the building as an "architectural landscape where concepts of seamless spatial flow are made real - creating a whole new kind of civiv space for the city". She was proud of the centre and claimed it was one of her most significant building projects of recent time.

Hadid's 1000 Museum, Miami, USA, Under Construction. A new phase for the practice,
without Zaha, there are as many as 37 projects to be finished in her honour.

Dame Zaha Hadid, was a futuristic ambassador and a visionary of spatial design. Her practice I am sure will continue to demonstrate the values instilled upon them. They will go on to consistently design and to use advanced techniques and material/ construction processes. Her legacy will continue to live on and generations of almost architects will study her for their own structural, spatial, motivational and technological interests. I know I have merely touched upon a few of her career milestones, but I hope I have inspired you to read, visit or think about some of Zaha's achievements. Thank you for reading!

London Games Festival 2016 #LDN

The giant Monopoly board
Photograph taken from Metro.co.uk

I went into London the other day and as I wandered through Trafalgar Square I was pleasantly surprised to see something else amidst the crowds of people. An oversized (15m x 15m) Monopoly board lay upon the ground, below the National Gallery. Aside from it being a portal into my childhood (and an epic selfie backdrop), I began to realise this was just a small part of something big, the London Games Festival, 2016. The board was set up to launch the games, which runs from April 1st until the 10th.

London is a city full of surprises, oozing with excitement and ground-breaking concepts. The games are a fine example of this, in that they are an interactive celebration of the art, culture and business behind video games. There are 15 official events across 10 locations in London, which are aimed at engaging the public with various modes of games and play. The entire initiative hopes to grow and promote gaming in London, supported by the Mayor of London.

There are a number of other non-ticketed interventions in Southbank, Tobacco Dock and Somerset House as well as talks, workshops and exhibitions (which you may need to book for!). Hurry though it will end on April 10th!

 

The obligatory Selfie

Travels to Punjab

I have just returned from my travels to Punjab. I went away to attend a couple of family weddings and along the way I enjoyed a lot of great food, sunshine, shopping and plenty of cultural enlightenment.

The Golden Temple, Harmandir Sahib Gurdwara, Amritsar

I traveled across the world to a vibrant land where living is simple. Craft plays an integral role in everyday life, streets are adorned with bright textiles, homes are decorated with ornate details and the livelihood of many families, the fields, span across the rural areas of Punjab to create beautiful field patterns.

The bustle of the cities, the pace of the traffic and the many spoken languages of India add to the excitement and the experience of the region. Everything feels so fast-paced, the sun rises and your day begins early, before you know it the day is over and the sun has set with a blink of an eye.

I saw a lot of family from various corners of the world and experienced things that I wouldn't necessarily see at home in England, so I am glad that I had the opportunity to go. The trip, though it was short, was packed full of so many different people, places and emotions. I wanted to share some of the moments I had with you from not just an almost architect's point of view but from the perspective of someone who has little experience of India. I hope you have enjoyed reading and please do remember to subscribe to my blog. Thanks.        

The New Generation - Assemble Studio

Yardhouse, I guess it just takes a little teamwork!
Photograph by Assemble 

I first came across Assemble Studio whilst studying for my Part II. It was during an evening lecture that I became familiar with the nature of their work and almost instantaneously I became a fan, (probably within the first minute of their presentation!). Their projects though varied in scale, within each concept and every slide I could see creativity in abundance. I was completely amazed by the courageous attitude of these young designers. They showed perseverance in an uncertain economy, determination to succeed, and most importantly they were not afraid to work their socks off!

The completed Yardhouse, afffordable workspaces for creatives in Stratford,
designed to encourage collaborative and sociable working environments.
The colourful concrete tiles were hand-crafted on site!
Photograph by Assemble

 

Folly for a Flyover, a disused motorway undercroft in Hackney Wick transformed
into an arts venue and a new public space for a period of 9 weeks,
photograph by Assemble

Folly for a Flyover, masters of pop-up and temporary wonders,
photograph by Assemble

Assemble is a collaborative group of almost architects and designers based in Stratford, London. They are the first collective to receive the honor of the Turner Prize (2015), the most important contemporary art award that you can possibly be given!

The Granby Workshop, this project was launched through the Turner Prize Exhibition 2015,
photograph by Assemble

The Granby Workshop, this showroom was created to display the products crafted by
the locals for the Turner Exhibition 2015, photograph by Assemble

The group work in the fields of architecture, art and design in creating projects for people to inhabit and use. The relationship between the collective and the communities they work with is particularly special, their projects are exemplary of the positive impact good design can have and the opportunistic environments it can create.

The Playing Field, created in the centre of Southampton as a cross between a performance
venue and a football stadium, the design incorporates the match day ritual
of football culture with theatre performance to create a vibrant atmosphere
for a 17 day arts festival, photograph by Assemble

The Granby Four Streets and Granby Workshop projects for example are a complimentary in that they support the regeneration and long term re-use of a once derelict neighborhood. Homes which housed artisan workers fell into disrepair and neglect but are now becoming a vision of hard work as they are set to flourish alongside the efforts of Assemble. The team have created opportunities for new work and enterprise in the area, local people can be trained and employed to craft products and to then go on and sell them.

The Granby Four Streets, a long-term regeneration of a neighborhood in Liverpool,
drawing by Assemble

The Granby Four Streets, Assemble are planning on creating a winter garden and common
room as part of the long-term plan to preserve and regenerate the neighborhood,
drawing by Assemble 

What's next for Assemble? They won the commission for the Goldsmiths Art Gallery in 2014, which was judged by a panel including David Chipperfield and Antony Gormley. The project is an extension of a Grade II listed Victorian bathhouse building. It will create a series of gallery spaces overhead the water tanks which will be used to showcase the work of artists and students. It is set to open in Autumn 2016.

Goldsmiths Art Gallery competition design, drawing by Assemble

I wanted to share not only the beautiful images but the exciting set of events that seem to be unfolding for this creative collective, it's an inspirational story to witness and to also aspire towards. And not to mention it's great for an almost architect to see the 'nice guys' doing so well!

Rhyming Structures

In my own work I have enjoyed using a number of loose techniques to help me design, particularly during my 5th yr thesis project. Below are a series of playful and abstract monoprints interpreting solid and void across the project site, a dense, sunken and overgrown forest.   

Roof, Building and Forest 

Architecture becomes the Void

In creating this series I was able to establish a project upon the basis of natural and man-made structures. The building is delicate, the columns rhyme with surrounding trees and the plan is regular in contrast to the conditions of the site and the layout of the forest.

The Delicate Frame

Rhyming Structures

The project makes sense of an otherwise useless and impractical plot of forgotten land. I will share more images from my thesis project in my journal, at a later date but for the time being please do enjoy these drawings. I used ink upon cartridge and somerset satin paper, various different textures and textiles to achieve a number of effects, but it was simple layering of newsprint that delivered the best effect (it's always the simplest of things that seem to work the best!).  

Craft, Silhouettes and Design

Architects enjoy craft and it is not unknown for them to dabble with other fields, a bit of cross-contamination is a good thing sometimes. Whether it be Alvar Aalto's chairs, Zaha Hadid's shoes or FAT's sculpture/installations, we can see how design is delivered in all shapes and sizes. Scale isn't a problem, we can design anything we want right? In this journal entry I want to share my love for Indian couture fashion. 

Last week the fashion Gods across the world were strutting their stuff down the runway with their latest collections (sketch by Tarun Tahiliani).  My instagram feed was full to the brim with beautiful silhouttes, romantic drapes and vivid colours. Tarun Tahiliani's show is one of many that left an impression on me so I absolutely had to share some images with you. Note the shapes, the expressive tones, craftsmanship and detail, the collection is said to be one of Tahiliani's best.   

And ofcourse I can't forget to mention the many faces of this renowned designer. He has dipped into Interior design for a number of projects including hotels and restaurants in India and also event design for weddings.The Tarun Tahiliani headquarters in Gurgaon, Delhi by SPA Design (as shown below) represent a metaphor of the designer's fashion ideologies. He creates traditionally-themed pieces with a contemporary twist.

The architectural features are a contemporary interpretation of those employed at the Jamali Kamali Mosque, Delhi. The Architect has incorporated "the grandeur of the arches, the formality of entry, the sculpting of large volumes and the use of natural light". (Image and quote from the architectural-review website). The red-bricked factory speaks volumes of the fashion empire it houses and it demonstrates style in an elaborate yet practical manner. 

The Lisson Gallery

We can all identify with those pivotal moments that change the way we think about a subject. Whether it's something you see, hear or feel, we immediately experience a deeper understanding. This is exactly how I felt when I discovered the Lisson Gallery by Tony Fretton Architects. It's minimalist architecture that creates the ultimate effect, it makes sense of a socially and visually challenging location, it serves a higher purpose. I have illustrated this post with some of my own drawings.

52-54 Bell Street, Edgware Road, 1991-1992 date of project,
£500,000 cost, Tony Fretton Architects, Price & Myers 
Structural Engineers, E.C.Sames Main Contractor
Source: Tonyfretton.com

The Lisson Gallery was founded in 1967 by Nicholas Logsdail. It is an influential contemporary gallery to this day, praised for encouraging the careers of many great artists. A legacy of British sculptors and International artists such as Anish Kapoor, Ai Weiwei and Sol LeWitt have adorned the exhibiting spaces with their work. To see more information on past and current exhibitors visit: http://www.lissongallery.com/artists.

The artist, Dan Graham explores the spatial relationships between interior and exterior, the correlation between architecture and sculpture, and connections between the work of the art and its beholder. He has shown his work in the gallery numerous times since 1972, always exploring similar themes of engagement between architectural environments and their inhabitants. Through the media of photography, drawing, sculpture and videography he has explored these ideals. "The pavilions draw attention to buildings as instruments of expression, psychological strongholds, markers of social change and prisms through which we view others and ourselves, (lissongallery.com/artists/dan-graham).

Dan Graham: Pavilion Sculptures and Photographs, 1991-1992,
source: Lissongallery.com/exhibitions/dan-graham

The famous gallery was initially the result of two phases of construction. The first face of the gallery was the Lisson Street facade. The elevation of the once derelict building, rhymes with neighbouring shop fronts in a traditional way. The gallery became a significant mechanism in displaying the work of emerging talents, it was only natural for the building needs to grow with its success.

The Lisson Street facade

The plans of the original gallery

The second phase of the Lisson gallery arrived in the form of the iconic Bell Street facade. This elevation opened up the gallery to social engagement, very much like Graham's sculptural pavilions, there are spaces which are exposed to the adjoining street. The atmosphere of the exhibition space is different to that of the Lisson Street building in that it is socially more inviting and exploratory.

Passers by experience the art from the street,
Source: Tonyfretton.com

The facade is simple, it compliments its surroundings and it is a contemporary interpretation of it's surrounding shop fronts. It bears the same practicalities as it's neighbours' in terms of privacy, the lower floors are visually exposed whereas the 2nd and 3rd floors offer a haven of private space. The materials and spaces alike are minimalist, the technical details are elegant and appear to be simple upon a first glance.

The Bell Street facade as designed
by Tony Fretton Architects

The 1st floor plan and the long-section of the Bell Street building

The existing building links to the newer Bell Street facade across a complex site.  The project is unique in that it combines two facades, on two different streets. The result is an irregular, L-shaped plan.The two buildings, though linked via the first floor were intended to carry their own identity, the joining of the two was to be a discovery.

A collage showing the irregularities of the site,
source: tonyfretton.com 

Over time the needs of the gallery have changed, there is another building offering smaller spaces across the road also on Bell Street and more recently new buildings in Milan and New York. It is one of the longest-running contemporary art galleries in the world. If you are yet to visit then I would highly recommend it, be it for the art or the architecture, there is something for all you creatives to take away from it!