Recently I posted a few images of Zaha Hadid’s work on Instagram (@anissakaps), and was asked to do something a little longer as a blog.

First, a disclaimer. I’m neither an architectural critic nor a design critic. Simply put, I really like furniture! And I am blown away by Hadid’s work, vision, accomplishments, drive, and aesthetic.

Ordinarily I’m more drawn to furniture made of wood, but Hadid uses wood as well as so many other materials in wonderful ways. She manipulates materials and finishes to play with reflection, light, and shadows, always choosing the right material for the design.  Her work is organic, sleek, contemporary, and cutting edge. Form is foremost, and it’s simple and wildly exotic and complex at the same time. And uniquely hers.

The following images are just a few of her pieces from www.davidgillgallery.com

The Liquid Glacial Series

The work in the Liquid Glacial series is made of clear and colored acrylic. Her furniture, like her architecture, appears light, ethereal, flowing even. This particular series plays with reflection and shadows in a way wood can never imitate.

 

 

The UltraStellar series

This series manages to transform wood into liquid— pure alchemy.

 

 

 

 

The Dune series

The Dune series mimics the windswept formations of the desert or beach in a futuristic yet still natural way.

 

 

If you want more on Hadid, here is a BBC documentary and a few articles (below), including an obituary in the New York Times, about Zaha Hadid. Take a look at them. They’ll give you a well-rounded sense of the dame behind the work.

• The Guardian – Zaha Hadid: queen of the curve
• The New York Times: Zaha Hadid, Groundbreaking Architect, Dies at 65
• The New Yorker: The Abstractionist – Zaha Hadid’s unfettered invention

 

 

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Drafting Tools

Add a hole guide to this kit, and you'll have the tools you need to work out your designs with scale drawings.

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Drafting Tools

Add a hole guide to this kit, and you'll have the tools you need to work out your designs with scale drawings.

Buy at Amazon

Compass

An essential tool for drawing circles and curves accurately. Also good for layout.

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