Arch Tracker

Zaha Hadid, the renowned Iraqi-born British architect, was named UNESCO Artist for Peace in a ceremony at Organization Headquarters that took place on 24 June. The UNESCO award is bestowed to a person who promotes the values of organization by creating the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and people based upon respect for commonly shared values.

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova designated the Pritzker Prize laureate “in recognition of her efforts to raise public awareness of intercultural dialogue, to promote excellence in design and creativity, and her dedication to the ideals and aims of the Organization.”             

Born in Baghdad in 1950, Ms Hadid graduated in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before enrolling at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London (UK).             

A ground-breaking thinker and creator, Ms Hadid’s innovative buildings in Europe, Asia and America have been the centre of passionate debate. She has also designed clothes, furniture and even a three-wheeled automobile called ZCar.             

UNESCO Artists for Peace are renowned personalities who use their influence, charisma and prestige to promote UNESCO’s message. Author Frankétienne (Haiti), Musician Manu Dibango (Cameroon), fashion designer Bibi Russell (Bangladesh), musician Gilberto Gil (Brazil), actress and singer Maria de Medeiros (Portugal) and writer Scott Momaday (United States) are among this eminent group of people.

Founded in 1977 as an alternative to mainstream architectural publishing, Pamphlet Architecture provides a forum for architects and writers to present their ideas, theories and designs in modest, affordable booklets.  Pamphlet Architecture helped launch the careers of architects from Steven Holl and Lebbeus Woods to Zaha Hadid, and has had influence far exceeding the ad-hoc nature of these humble books.

Competition theme: Resilience
By addressing the capacity to cope, the ability to bounce back, and the mitigation and management of risk, proposals are welcome that showcase a fresh understanding of the possibilities and opportunities of resilience in architecture, from the large to the small scale. Whether resilience stems from natural disaster, civil conflict, global warming, catastrophe, and so on, is the applicant’s discretion. Please visit the submission site for more details. Dates and contact info after the break Read the rest of this entry »

At a ceremony in the Jordanian capital, His Excellency Omar Maani, the mayor of Amman, announced the new King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art by Zaha Hadid Architects – a performing arts and cultural centre that includes a 1600-seat concert theatre, 400-seat theatre, educational centre, rehearsal rooms, and galleries.

At the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, the Greater Amman Municipality is creating a new venue for performing arts and culture in a prime location in the centre of Amman. Conceived as a place to rehearse, discuss, teach, study and perform, the King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art will be the premiere venue for theatre, music and dance performance and education in Jordan – a vital element in the cultural life of the city and country, bringing together all members of the community in the shared experience of art and music.

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The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum will be a premier venue to attract major exhibitions and collections and serve as a showcase to enrich the educational experience and aesthetic enjoyment of art. The building, designed by world-renowned Zaha Hadid, will enable the museum to increase its visibility, showcase more of the permanent collection, organize and exhibit larger and more significant exhibitions, become more integral to university life and the greater community, and increase in stature

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Zaha Hadid Architects has designed the Jesolo Magica shopping mall and office complex located in town of Jesolo, Italy. The project was divided into two zones that situated half way between Jesolo town center and waterfront.
More images and description after the break.

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©The Sankei Shimbun 2009

Zaha Hadid has been awarded with the prestigious Praemium Imperiale Award for Architecture by the Japan Art Association.

The Praemium Imperiale is a global arts prize awarded annually by the Japan Art Association. Since its inauguration in 1989 it has become a mark of the highest international distinction for achievement in the arts. Six nomination commitees, each chaired by an International Advisor, propose candidates in five fields: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Music and Theatre/Film

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http://www.vimeo.com/3156119

Archiculture is a feature length documentary that examines contemporary issues in architecture by following five university students during their final thesis semester. The film follows the students through the development of their senior thesis projects and the internal and external conflicts that arise during this intense year long process. The students’ stories are supplemented by interviews with family, friends, significant others, industry professionals, architects, and design professors, helping to build a connection between the students and audience. The progression of Archiculture will reveal a breadth of experiences, ranging from the 4AM deadline dash, to the fulfilling sensation of graduation. The film provides viewers with an in-depth look into the creative yet competitive process of architectural education while also depicting current issues such as the role of architecture in society, technology’s impact upon the modern building process, and what lies ahead for environmentally conscious design. The film concludes with the students’ final thesis presentation, where they find themselves on the brink of their adult and professional lives, and the closure of their adolescence.
More info after the break.

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Durign the Manchester International Festival 2009, the solo works of Johann Sebastian Bach are going to be performed in an extraordinary new chamber music hall designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the chamber has been installed within Manchester Art Gallery. The concert series will run until July 18. Entry is free and the chamber will be open for viewing July 4 – Aug 1 10.00 – 17.00 hours.

“Across a series of nine concerts, three internationally acclaimed musicians will perform Bach’s solo instrumental works in this unique, intimate space. The aim: to create a near-perfect environment for the audience to experience some of the world’s most beautiful chamber music. A union of two true originals, three centuries apart.”

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Zaha Hadid has been selected to design the Cairo Expo City, together with multidisciplinary engineering consultancy Buro Happold after a two phase comptetition. This project follows the recently announced Stone Towers in Cairo, Egypt. Works will begin in October this year to clear the site.

The project’s fluid forms are inspired in the topography of the Nile Valley, and is located between the city centre and the airport.

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Project: Stone Towers
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Client: Rooya Group
Structural Engineer: Adams Kara Taylor
Gross Building Area: 525,000 m2
Site Area: 170,000 m2

Zaha Hadid Architects have design a new project for the Rooya Group in Cairo, Egypt. The Stone Towers will offer retail, office, luxury hotel and apartments.

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Architects Newspaper has learned of a fire at Guangzhou Opera House, in Guangzhou, China. The project, designed by Zaha Hadid with a web-like exoskelton, includes an 1,800-seat theater as well as a multipurpose hall and support facilities. Guangzhou, located at the mouth of the Pearl River in China’s southwest, is the capital of the Guangdong province, better known in the west as Canton.

A spokesman for Zaha Hadid Architects sent Architects Newspaper the following statement on the condition of the building following the fire:

“An incident involving a fire at the construction site of the Guangzhou Opera House occurred at 7:50am on Saturday 09 May 2009. All staff were evacuated safely with no injuries. No members of the public were involved. The fire was extinguished by the Fire Department in under an hour. Initial inspections confirm the structure of the building remains completely intact. Further investigations into the cause are undergoing. We must wait for these investigations to be completed before we know if the opening date will need to be altered.”

Architectural exhibits in Millennium Park designed by London-based Zaha Hadid and Amsterdam-based Ben van Berkel of UNStudio emphasize the importance of boldly imagining a better future for all. Both are intended to echo the audacity of the 1909 Burnham Plan, which proclaimed, “What we as a people decide to do in the public interest we can and surely will bring to pass.”

The Burnham Pavilions will be open and free to the public in Millennium Park from June 19 through October 31, 2009.

BURNHAM PAVILIONS

The iconic centerpieces of the Burnham Plan Centennial will be two temporary architectural pavilions in Millennium Park. World renowned architects Zaha Hadid (London) and Ben van Berkel of UNStudio (UNStudio, Amsterdam) designed these bold Pavilions to echo the audacious future-looking images and words of the Burnham Plan: “What we as a people decide to do in the public interest we can and surely will bring to pass.”

The Pavilions will open to the public on June 19, 2009, when the Grant Park Symphony and Chorus will simultaneously premier a new work composed by Michael Torke called Plans that commemorates the words most often attributed to Daniel Burnham: “Make No Little Plans.” The pavilions will close on October 31, 2009, when they will be dismantled for re-use or recycling.

Partners for the Burnham Plan Pavilions include:

    * The Art Institute of Chicago
    * The Burnham Plan Centennial Committee
    * City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
    * Illinois Institute of Technology
    * Millennium Park, Inc.
    * University of Illinois Chicago School of Architecture

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