Rise of a Diva – Keypad March-issue

Translated by Lilian Tong (Keypad)

Click here to Keypad to see the original (P.90)   |   中文版

When it comes to architecture, which architect exactly should be deemed most well-known of all — I.M. Pei, Normal Foster or Frank Gehry? On a different note, identifying the most accomplished female architect in the world does not seem to be a brain teaser — it is definitely English architect of Iraqi descent Zaha Hadid.

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Plagiarism in the design world is not an uncommon matter, but to have an imitation complete its construction ahead of the original is a first of its kind. Such has happened with the famous Beijing’s Galaxy SOHO – the large commercial building comprising of a complex curvaceous design that is strikingly similar to interlinking hills, with bridges connecting the various structures. Though the modernistic design has received criticism for undermining Beijing’s heritage, the daring design strongly reflected Hadid’s signature style of organic curvature and free flowing fluidity. Evidently, this particular building has received widespread attention even before its completion. While all the buzz and attention is focused on Galaxy SOHO, the ‘pirate copycats’ has been discreetly speeding up its construction work, with aims to finish its construction before SOHO’s. The developers behind Chongqing Meiquan building insist their design is an original and claimed that they “never meant to copy, only want to surpass”. Legal actions have been imposed on the copycats to cease construction. Hadid voiced her displeasure by saying that “it is fine to take from the same well – but not from the same bucket.”

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the story of this particular architectural replication not only brings to light China’s trend of ‘copycat’ culture, it also proves that Hadid’s design is massively beloved all around the world. There are currently 950 buildings that are designed by Hadid, where the portfolio includes many high-profile projects such as the construction of 2020 Tokyo National Olympic Stadium and Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup Al-Wakrah stadium. As an individual, Hadid has received numerous accolades including the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004 and the International RIBA Award for Beijing’s Galaxy SOHO. It is without a doubt that Hadid is one of the most sought after architects in the world.

Born in Baghdad in 1950, Hadid pursued her passion by studying in Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. By 1980, she has established her own London-based practice, and two years later in 1982, she won the top prize for the Peak Leisure Club, eventually gaining momentum as a force to be reckoned with. Nonetheless, there were doubters who criticized Hadid’s designs as too futuristic and too expensive to be feasible to construct, hence giving her the title as ‘Paper Architect’. A case in point was the Peak Tower – an award winning design that was never materialized. So how exactly did Hadid evolved from a ‘Paper Architect’ to become one of the world’s most in-demand architects today?

Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain is one of the most iconic landmarks recognized for its peculiar design of irregular asymmetrical contortions. Once deemed neither possible to design nor construct, Frank Gehry developed an innovative architectural software that specifically caters to conceptualizing complex building types. Such fluid designs are materialized because of this software. Since then, the trend of free form architectural designs has taken off.

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The materialization of Guggenheim Museum not only proven to the world the unlimited possibilities of buildable architectural constructions, the museum also led the city of Bilbao to flourish economically, hence the term “Bilbao effect”. It is widely believed that the architectural design of a building has a promising outcome for the enterprise and the city, bringing a dead city back to life. Regardless of the hefty construction and design fees, many property owners are willing to invest huge sums.

No longer deemed a ‘Paper Architect’, Hadid is one of the true success stories of following these archisculpture trends, daring to be bold in modernistic designs and architectural advancement. From the iconic London Aquatic Centre to Guangzhou Opera House and Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Innovation Tower, all of her completed projects have inevitably become landmarks for the respective cities. Futuristic, avant-garde, spiral and morphology are signature elements used in Hadid’s fluid architectural designs. Her ability to incorporate formal purity in her designs is said to be of greater range than Frank Gehry’s. Her designs are favourably appealing to the masses as her versatile design style works seamlessly with a diverse range of building types and massing. The magnificent work showcased worldwide is a strong testament to Hadid role as a groundbreaker for female architects; she is also simply the best.

In 2004, Hadid became the world’s first female winner of the prestigious Pritzker prize. Widely deemed as a success story for female architects, her accomplishments not only proves her outstanding talents, but also proves that this particular industry is still highly male-dominant.

It is no wonder Hadid lament the architecture industry by saying “it’s still a man’s world”.

After 911 – Keypad 2014 Jan-issue

Translated By Hilary Luk


Click here to Keypad to see the original (P.86) | 中文版


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Imagine a development where all the world’s most renowned architects including Norman Foster, Daniel Libeskind, frank Gehry, work together.


Would this be a smashing success or too many chefs in the kitchen?













After near thirteen years, the New York’s One World Trade Center is finally topped out. The redevelopment was colossal in scale large and involved many different buildings. Furthermore, with the many “Starchitects” working in one project, the final outcome was bound to be highly anticipated.






Among the many celebrity architects is Daniel Libeskind, an American Architect of Jewish ancestry who designed the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the City University Run Run Shaw Creative Media Center in Hong Kong. Libeskind beat out other contestant to win the World Trade Center masterplan competition. His design concept was to turn the original twin towers footprint into a memorial. All five of the office buildings were to be located on the northeast side.







Memorial Garden was designed by the young Michael Arad. His concept of “Reflecting Absence” features two thirty-foot deep voids, symbolizing the absence of the fallen Twin Towers. The emptiness profoundly expresses the tragedy of the September 11 attack.





The redevelopment also includes a transportation hub designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The inspiration for his design is a “bird in flight.” The building, a trademark Calatrava brand of structural expressionism, features glass-and-steel wings that allow natural sunlight to penetrate down to the sixty-foot deep train platform below.






The most eye-catching among the various structures is One World Trade Center. The 104-story skyscraper is co-designed by Daniel Libeskind and SOM, a leading global architecture firm whose works includes theHong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The iconic tower will soar to 1776 feet, signifying the year when the Declaration of Independence was signed. Originally, the skyscraper was once named “Freedom Tower,” symbolizing America’s resolve to stand up against terrorism. However, the structure was later renamed One World Trade Center for fear of scaring off tenants.







Nevertheless, when you put several Starchitects in the mix, challenges are sure to arise. The first problem was the battle between the two Prima Donnas designing One World Trade Center. Libeskind and SOM could not agree on anything. Their public feud attracted a lot of unwanted media attention. At one point, Libeskind ordered his staff to raid SOM office. They reportedly snatched drawings and took photographs of models over the protest of SOM. The New Yorker Post called it the “Watergate break-in”.









The odd couple came to an agreement in 2003 and construction was finally able to begin. Then, the New York Police Department suddenly issued a report citing that the new design failed to comply with the anti-terrorism security standard, thereby sending the design team back to drawing board. Even the ceremonial cornerstone laid by the New York State Governor George Pataki had to be quietly removed from the site.


The final design of One World Trade Center is the building we see today, a modern reinterpretation of an obelisk. Problem is, this kind of symmetrical building is suited to be placed on a common axis which is absent from the original master plan. With the tower located in the northeast corner, the new building form is now somewhat incompatible with the rest of the elements of the overall site.


The other four office buildings have their own unique styles but they do not seem to communicate with each other. The lack of dialogue among them makes them, at best, a cluster of interesting buildings which happen to be next to each other.


Calatrava-designed transportation hub has a unique yet elegant bird-like form. However, its proverbial wings are clipped by being squeezed between two skyscrapers. This results in the structure looking like a caged bird.











While each individual building is convincing in its own right, there is a lack of coherence among them. Several disconnected structures are now lined up next to one another, making the overall project look more like a World Expo of Architecture. This lack of unity can only be put down to a poorly-coordinated plan.






Afterthought


The World Trade Center redevelopment has been a mission impossible from the start. The project has to fulfill many purposes. It needs to demonstrate New York’s resilience in the face of terrorism, without making itself an open target. It needs to commemorate the tragedy of September 11, while restoring the area status as a financial nerve center and reconstructing the world’s most famous skyline. Not only does it need to revitalize lower Manhattan, it also needs to be a commercial success. With so much baggage to carry, it is not surprising that thirteen years after the attack, the project is still not completed. No doubt criticism and maintenance headache will continue to beset the World Trade Center site in year to come.