In Memory of Zaha Hadid | Jason R Woods | Architectural Photography

Exterior photograph of Ely and Edythe Broad Art Museum in East Lansing, Michigan by architect Zaha Hadid. Photo by Jason R. Woods.

Exterior photograph of Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in East Lansing, Michigan by architect Zaha Hadid. Photo by Jason R. Woods.

Few individuals have the ability to transform entire professions like Zaha Hadid did in her relatively short career as an architect. On the surface it would seem that the deck was stacked against her being born a woman in Iraq. Through pure determination, she became one of the most recognized and respected figures in her field. All but two of her major architectural commissions were realized in just the last 15 years, and she became the first woman ever to win the Pritzker Prize.

Zaha passed away yesterday (March 31, 2016) in Miami at the age of 65. Much of her work was controversial and polarizing, but such is the case with any revolutionary. Every field needs at least one representative to push boundaries and challenge convention; Zaha was one of those individuals. I admittedly struggled with her commission that was built across town from where I grew up, but in the end I accepted it for its forward-thinking design. The world would be far too boring without people like Zaha Hadid, I’m grateful that she was able to leave such a legacy and I hope to experience more of her works throughout my lifetime.