Zaha Hadid

The designs of the architect Zaha Hadid (born 1950) are daring and visionary experiments with space and with the relationships of buildings to their urban surroundings.

Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Zaha M. Hadid grew up in a well-educated Islamic family oriented toward Western multiculturalism.

In 1972 Hadid moved to London (later becoming a British citizen) and enrolled at the Architectural Association School of Architecture. She has never married nor had children.

"If [architecture] doesn't kill you, then you're no good," she explained. "I mean, really—you have to go at it full time. You can't afford to dip in and out.”

Hadid opened an office of her own in 1980, but at first her ideas were more in demand than her actual designs.

After several small projects, including one for the interior of the Moonsoon Restaurant in Sapporo, Japan, Hadid's first major building was constructed in 1993 and 1994: it was a small fire station, with numerous irregular angles.

Awards• 1982: Gold Medal Architectural Design, British Architecture for 59 Eaton Place, London• 1994: Erich Schelling Architecture Award• 2001: Equerre d'argent Prize, special mention• 2002: Austrian State Prize for Architecture for Bergiselschanze• 2003: European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture for the Strasbourg tramway terminus and car park at Hoenheim in

Strasbourg, France• 2003: Commander of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) For services to Architecture

• 2004: Pritzker Prize• 2005: Austrian Decoration for Science and Art• 2005: German Architecture Prize for the central building of the BMW plant in Leipzig• 2005: Designer of the Year Award for Design Miami• 2005: RIBA European Award for BMW Central Building• 2006: RIBA European Award for Phaeno Science Centre• 2007: Thomas Jefferson Medal in Architecture• 2008: RIBA European Award for Nordpark Cable Railway• 2009: Praemium Imperiale• 2010: RIBA European Award for MAXXI• 2010: Stirling Prize for MAXXI – National Museum of the 21st Century Arts• 2011: Stirling Prize for Evelyn Grace Academy, London• 2012: Jane Drew Prize for her "outstanding contribution to the status of women in architecture”• 2012: Dame Commander of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) For services to Architecture• 2013: 41st Winner of the Veuve Clicquot UK Business Woman Award• 2013: Elected International Member, American Philosophical Society

In October 2012, Zaha Hadid was on the jury for the award of the Pritzker Prize to Wang Shu in Los Angeles, CA.In February 2013 she was assessed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4

In 2004 Hadid was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, considered the profession's highest honor. She was the first woman to receive the award.

Riverside Museum, new development for the Glasgow Museum of Transport