The Zaha Hadid Foundation Is Reopening the Late Architect’s Former HQ as a Public Arts Space

To mark the 10-year anniversary of Zaha Hadid’s death, the Zaha Hadid Foundation is reopening the architect’s former headquarters on October 29. The former Victorian schoolhouse, located at 10 Bowling Green Lane in Clerkenwell, will be repurposed as a public cultural space for architecture, design and the related arts.

The newly-refurbished space will include galleries, a learning space, lecture hall and collection display. The spaces will be used to host exhibitions, talks, workshops and creative residencies.

“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,” said Rana Hadid, chair of the trustees of the Zaha Hadid Foundation, in a statement.

She added, “At the heart of that mission is her extraordinary archive, a profound record of her work, imagination and intellectual life. 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.”

Katherine Nolan and Alex Butterworth, from the London-based Studio KA, spearheaded the renovation of the Grade II-listed schoolhouse built in the early 1870s. The pair have restored some of the building’s original features, while adding new flooring and taking hints from Hadid’s paintings for the finishing touches. Nolan and Butterworth have kept the memory of Hadid alive in the nuanced details such as the Z-shaped door pulls and shard-like flooring insets that the Iraqi-British architect incorporated herself.

Aric Chen, director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation, said in a statement that the organization is “thrilled” to see this “next evolution” of the site. “It will be where Zaha’s legacy will live on both through our programs and exhibitions drawn from her archive, and through her forward-looking ethos as we actively engage with architectural culture today,” he said.

The space will open to the press and private viewings on October 29, followed by the public opening on November 3. A new exhibition, titled “Zaha Hadid: Architecture of Performance”, will inaugurate the location. Curated by Catherine Howe and Libby Sellers, the show celebrates the stage and set designs Hadid imagined for contemporary dance, classical opera and pop music.



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