ZURICH: The Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, who died yesterday in Miami aged 65, was a distinguished member of the New7Wonders Panel of Experts on two occasions: The New7Wonders of the World and the New7Wonders Cities campaigns. Bernard Weber, the Founder of New7Wonders, remembers a remarkable woman, an inspirational designer and a friend of New7Wonders:
“I was shocked when I learned about the sudden death of Zaha Hadid. Her passing is like a flower cut off in full flourish. When I first met Zaha, she told me of the many years she had worked and planned projects without ever getting a chance for their realization… and now, just as many of her fantastic buildings are blessing our world, some still evolving and surprising us, she has been taken away by fate. It is an incredible loss for all of us, and it is made worse by the fact that she had only lately reached the peak of her profession. She was recently awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects 2016 Gold Medal, the first woman to be given the honour, and she was the first female recipient of the famed Pritzker Architecture Prize.” Bernard Weber
According to Artsy, Hadid’s structures are famous “for their use of fragmented geometry and multiple entry points.” This means that a building looks different from different perspectives. She once said: “It’s all about promenading, being able to pause, to look out, look above, look sideways.” Hadid studied at the Architectural Association in London, which is known for its rejection of post-modern architecture styles of in favour of classic modernism.