Ever wonder who designed the London Olympic Aquatic Centre? Who created the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London? Who gave birth to the Riverside Museum at Glasgow's Museum of Transport? And what about the Guangzhou Opera House in China?
Dame Zaha did all of those and more. The well-known architect passed away at the age of 65 after suffering from a heart attack, as reported by BBC.
Dame Zaha Hadid was born in Iraq. She was the first woman to have been recognized by the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba) Gold Medal because of her award winning works and architectural designs. Her favorite commissioned work was the London Aquatics Centre (because it was close to where she lived at the time). In 1979, she set up her own company called Zaha Hadid Architects. But buildings weren't her only contributions. She has made an outstanding impact in the world of architecture. Riba president Jane Duncan said that Dame was "... an inspirational woman, and the kind of architect one can only dream of being."
She was a visionary and a formidable architect that all designers can learn from. She also paved the way for female architects to create a mark in the world.
The architecture world, and her friends, now mourn the loss of a great designer and associate.
Arts Editor, Will Gompertz describes Dame Zaha Hadid as an "...extraordinary human being. She was not only one of Britain's greatest architects, but one of the world's great architects of the 21st Century and late 20th Century." London Mayor Boris Johnson even took to Twitter saying, "So sad to hear of death of Zaha Hadid, she was an inspiration and her legacy lives on in wonderful buildings in Stratford and around the world."
