Zaha Hadid has been a pioneer in the field of architecture, becoming the first woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize (the Nobel Prize of her field) in 2004.
Hadid, who was born in Iraq in 1950, recently told Glamour, “I always wanted to be an architect. My house was like Auntie Mame’s, with my mother redecorating every season.”
She studied architecture at the Architectural Association from 1972 and was awarded the Diploma Prize in 1977.
Hadid's first building in the United States, the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, was applauded by critics, according to The New York Times. When she won the Pritzker in 2004, The NYT wrote of her reputation:
Ms. Hadid's personal charisma has also helped to publicize her work, though to mixed effect. Beloved by journalists and members of her own profession for what is frequently described as her diva presence, Ms. Hadid has only recently found the clients willing to look beyond her reputation for being difficult.
She's now based in London, and is currently working on 43 buildings with her 360-person studio, according to Glamour.
Her buildings all seem fluid and have beautiful curves and arches. These are some of her most incredible designs.
Completed in 2003, the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati was Hadid's first project in the United States. It was a huge critical success.
Source: New York Times
After the success of the Rosenthal Center, Hadid was hired for several other projects. The BMW Central Building in Leipzing, Germany was among the first. It was completed in May 2005.
Source: New York Times
She also designed the Phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg in 2005. The New York Times called it "the kind of building that utterly transforms our vision of the future."
Source: New York Times
See the rest of the story at Business Insider