In the landscape of 21st-century architecture, few names command the reverence and transformative power of Zaha Hadid. A decade after her untimely passing, the architect’s influence continues to ripple through the global skyline, from the fluid curves of the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku to the sharp, defiant geometries of the MAXXI Museum in Rome. Now, as the Zaha Hadid Foundation marks the tenth anniversary of her death, it is not merely looking back at the structures she built, but turning inward to the very place where her creative process was forged.
On October 29, the Zaha Hadid Foundation will officially reopen the architect’s former headquarters at 10 Bowling Green Lane in London’s Clerkenwell district. Once a Victorian-era schoolhouse, this site served as the nerve center for Hadid’s practice for decades. By transforming this historic space into a public cultural hub, the Foundation is ensuring that the "Queen of the Curve" remains a living, breathing force in the discourse of contemporary design.
The Chronology of a Visionary Practice
To understand the significance of the 10 Bowling Green Lane reopening, one must first look at the trajectory of Hadid’s career. Born in Baghdad in 1950, Hadid moved to London in the 1970s to study at the Architectural Association. Her early career was defined by conceptual rigor and a reputation for "unbuildable" designs—paintings and sketches that pushed the boundaries of Euclidean geometry.
It was during these formative years in London that Hadid established her studio. The Clerkenwell schoolhouse, a Grade II-listed building dating back to the early 1870s, became the crucible for her radical experiments. Through the 1990s and early 2000s, this building housed the team that would eventually change the lexicon of global architecture.
The timeline of the site’s evolution is as follows:
- 1870s: The schoolhouse is constructed, serving the local Clerkenwell community as an educational facility.
- 1990s: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) takes occupancy of the building, transforming the traditional classrooms into a studio environment that prioritized open-plan collaboration.
- 2016: Zaha Hadid passes away suddenly in Miami, leaving behind an unparalleled archive of intellectual work, models, and personal artifacts.
- 2020–2024: The Zaha Hadid Foundation undergoes a rigorous period of planning and renovation, led by Studio KA, to transition the studio into a public-facing cultural institution.
- October 29, 2024: Official unveiling of the new Foundation space to press and private viewings.
- November 3, 2024: The space opens to the general public, inaugurating its programming with the exhibition "Zaha Hadid: Architecture of Performance."
Restoring the Past, Designing the Future
The renovation of 10 Bowling Green Lane was not a process of erasing history, but one of layering it. Tasked with the delicate balance of preserving a Victorian structure while honoring the aesthetic of a modernist icon, Katherine Nolan and Alex Butterworth of the London-based Studio KA approached the project with archaeological care.
The architects opted for a "nuanced restoration." Original Victorian features were meticulously cleaned and repaired, serving as a textured backdrop for the sleek, futuristic interventions that define Hadid’s design language. Flooring insets, reminiscent of the shard-like fragments found in Hadid’s early paintings, now puncture the space, creating a sense of movement across the gallery floors. Perhaps most poignant are the Z-shaped door pulls—custom-designed elements that act as subtle, tactile homages to the architect’s signature forms.
"We wanted to ensure that when a visitor walks into this space, they feel the presence of Zaha not just as a historical figure, but as an active, disruptive force," says a spokesperson for the Foundation. The new configuration includes dedicated galleries, a flexible lecture hall, and a comprehensive research and learning space designed to foster the next generation of architects.
Official Perspectives: The Foundation’s Mandate
The Zaha Hadid Foundation has made it clear that this is not a static museum, but a center for "creative discovery." The mission is twofold: to safeguard the vast, complex archive of the architect’s life and to use that archive as a pedagogical tool.
Rana Hadid, chair of the trustees, underscored this mission in a formal statement: "It was Zaha’s wish for the foundation to preserve her legacy while carrying her ideas forward: advancing education, supporting future generations, and contributing to the wider field of architecture."
For Rana, the archive is the beating heart of the institution. "It is a profound record of her work, imagination, and intellectual life," she noted. "This next step will allow us to safeguard that archive, open it to wider audiences, and create new opportunities for learning, scholarship, and creative discovery, ensuring that Zaha’s ideas continue to inspire generations to come."
Aric Chen, the director of the Foundation, echoed these sentiments, framing the reopening as an "evolution." According to Chen, the site is designed to be a "forward-looking" space. By actively engaging with the current state of architectural culture, the Foundation intends to move beyond mere retrospection, using Hadid’s ethos as a springboard for contemporary debate on sustainability, urban density, and the role of the architect in a polarized world.
Implications for Architectural Discourse
The reopening of 10 Bowling Green Lane arrives at a critical juncture for architecture. As the industry faces existential questions regarding its impact on the climate and its role in social equity, the legacy of Zaha Hadid—a pioneer who frequently challenged the status quo—provides a necessary touchstone.
Educational Impact
By opening the archives to scholars and students, the Foundation is effectively democratizing access to the "Hadid process." The collection includes not just finalized project models, but the raw, messy, and brilliant sketches that reveal how she moved from abstraction to reality. This transparency is expected to influence how design education is approached globally.
Urban Regeneration in Clerkenwell
The revitalization of the building also serves as an example of adaptive reuse. By repurposing an existing Victorian structure rather than commissioning a new build, the Foundation demonstrates a commitment to sustainable development—a practice that aligns with modern environmental mandates in the construction industry.
Artistic Cross-Pollination
The choice of the inaugural exhibition, Zaha Hadid: Architecture of Performance, speaks to the breadth of her vision. Curated by Catherine Howe and Libby Sellers, the exhibition shifts the focus away from skyscrapers to the intimate, kinetic world of stage design. By highlighting Hadid’s work for opera, classical ballet, and pop music, the Foundation reminds the public that her architecture was never limited by the vertical axis; it was always an exploration of human movement and performance.
A Legacy in Motion
As the doors open to the public on November 3, the Zaha Hadid Foundation is positioning itself as more than a memorial. It is a laboratory. The site will host workshops, creative residencies, and public lectures, effectively turning the studio where she once worked into a classroom for the future.
In a world where digital archives and virtual museums are becoming the norm, the physical presence of 10 Bowling Green Lane offers a grounding experience. It is a place where the physical traces of a brilliant mind—the charcoal smudges on a print, the weight of a brass model, the specific geometry of a door handle—come together to form a coherent, powerful narrative.
Ten years on, the debate surrounding Zaha Hadid’s work has shifted from whether it was "too radical" to how it has fundamentally altered our expectations of public space. With the opening of this new cultural space, the Zaha Hadid Foundation ensures that the conversation will not end with her death, but will continue to evolve, iterate, and inspire. As the architectural community gathers in Clerkenwell this autumn, they are not just looking at the past; they are participating in the ongoing unfolding of a vision that refused to be contained.
Raul Delapena Setiawan
Sagoh
Nana
