Gong! It’s a Royal Gold Medal for Dame Zaha Hadid
![London-based architect](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5JuVtXMX4FiCeovc24S2of-415-80.jpg)
The London-based, internationally renowned architect Zaha Hadid has become the first female recipient of the RIBA Royal Gold Medal, awarded annually to a professional in recognition of a lifetime's work.
Not that this is the only reason we admire Hadid – her dynamic work has been creating a stir in the world of architecture ever since she entered the scene, over 30 years ago. Her first widely acclaimed completed project was the Vitra Fire Station in Weil Am Rhein, Germany (1993) and she has subsequently produced highly praised work such as the Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck (1999–2002) and the London Aquatics Centre, created for the 2012 Olympic Games. Her built work is evenly matched by her striking drawings and conceptual work.
The honour, is 'approved personally by Her Majesty The Queen' and is given to a person or group of people who have had a significant influence 'either directly or indirectly on the advancement of architecture', explains the RIBA. Hadid is in good company; Le Corbusier, Frank Gehry, Frank Lloyd Wright and Herzog and de Meuron are among the myriad distinguised names to have received the accolade over the years.
'I am very proud to be awarded the Royal Gold Medal; in particular, to be the first woman to receive the honour in her own right,' says Hadid. The Baghdad-born architect also spoke of the challenges faced by her practice.
Working with her business partner Patrik Schumacher, Hadid is known for using cutting edge technologies and merging seamlessly furniture, building and landscape design to create masterpieces all over the world.
Hadid is in good company; Le Corbusier, Frank Gehry, Frank Lloyd Wright and Herzog and de Meuron are among the myriad distinguised names to have received the accolade over the years. Pictured: Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan (2007–2012).
Phaeno Science Centre in Wolfsburg, Germany (2000–2005).
BMW Central Building in Leipzig, Germany (2001–2005).
MAXXI Museum of XXI Century Art in Rome, Italy (1998–2009).
'I am very proud to be awarded the Royal Gold Medal; in particular, to be the first woman to receive the honour in her own right,' says Hadid. Pictured: London Aquatics Centre, built for the 2012 Olympic Games (2005–2011).
INFORMATION
For more information, visit Zaha Hadid’s website
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Feel at home at Auberge, Château La Coste's new inn for culture lovers
Auberge La Coste sits at the heart of the art-filled estate, minutes away from the joyful town of Aix-en-Provence
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
This Nova Lima apartment is a Brazilian family oasis with striking Minas Gerais views
A Nova Lima apartment designed by Jacobsen Arquitetura celebrates its long, natural Minas Gerais vistas
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Commune’s sustainable personal care products look ‘quite unlike anything else’
Commune’s Somerset-made products stand out in the sustainable skincare crowd. Madeleine Rothery speaks with the brand’s co-founders Kate Neal and Rémi Paringaux
By Madeleine Rothery Published
-
Tour the Natural History Museum’s new gardens, a Jurassic lark in London
The Natural History Museum in London has unveiled two new gardens, with resident dinosaurs, after a transformation led by architects Feilden Fowles
By Bridget Downing Published
-
Drama Republic moves into a colourful, handcrafted workspace in London
For the new creative HQ of production company Drama Republic, Emil Eve Architects remodels a warehouse into office space in London’s Holborn
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Hideaway House in London features timber panelling inspired by the New York hospitality scene
The elegantly refurbished Hideaway House by Studio McW in London features timber panelling inspired by Philip Johnson’s The Four Seasons Restaurant
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
2024 RIBA National Awards: browse the list of worthy winners
The 2024 RIBA National Awards have been announced, comprising 26 projects across the UK
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
‘Modern Buildings’ tours south-east London through a guide to post-war Blackheath and Greenwich
‘Modern Buildings: Blackheath and Greenwich’ is a detailed survey of a London borough’s rich trove of new modernist architecture
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Triangle House invites you to its inner world of colourful surprises
Triangle House by Artefact is a private home in Epsom, outside London, combining Caribbean style, colour and functionality
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Tour the refreshed Saint Andrew Holborn: an icon reveals its crisp new interior in London
DaeWha Kang reimagines Saint Andrew Holborn church through a sensitive architectural solution that blends tradition and modernity in London
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A Suffolk house by Studio Bark pairs a fresh visual language with low-energy design
Suffolk house Water Farm is off-the-grid but defiantly on the map, a bold new object in the landscape with a strong visual impact and minimal carbon footprint
By Jonathan Bell Published