About the Zaha Hadid Foundation
The Zaha Hadid Foundation (ZHF) was founded in 2013 by the globally renowned architect Zaha Hadid.
The Foundation became fully active in 2022. The founding purposes of ZHF are to preserve, study and exhibit the full range of Zaha’s work – a considerable amount of which is in the Foundation’s collection – and more broadly, to advance and support research, learning, public understanding and enjoyment of Modern architecture, design and related arts.
The full development of ZHF was inevitably delayed by Zaha’s tragic early death in 2016, but work is now fully underway to carry out her intended vision. An inaugural Director (now retired), Professor Paul Greenhalgh, was appointed in 2021, followed by a Head of Research and Learning, Head of Collections and Head of Facilities. These have subsequently been joined by a team of specialists in research, public learning, conservation and collections management.
The Foundation is presently housed in two buildings in London, in Zaha’s former office at 10 Bowling Green Lane, Clerkenwell, and at Shad Thames, on the South Bank of the river. It has a wide-ranging collection of c.15,000 works of architecture, design, art, archival material and a research library.
As well as managing its collections, ZHF curates exhibitions related to Zaha’s work and artistic outlook, promotes learning through public talks, events, publications and loans, and supports research at all levels through grants, bursaries and fellowships.
Our mission
The Zaha Hadid Foundation will preserve and promote the work of Zaha Hadid and foster those arts that relate to her life and work.
The founding purpose of ZHF is to preserve and make publicly available the full range of Zaha’s extraordinary output, and more broadly to advance research, learning, and the enjoyment of Modern architecture, art and design.
ZHF will make Zaha’s work available physically and digitally through exhibitions, loans and on the Foundation’s website. In this way, ZHF will advance and preserve knowledge of Zaha across the creative sector.
To facilitate its aim to promote research projects and public learning programmes, ZHF will initiate and participate in creative collaborations with other organisations in the creative sector. The Foundation already has a number of these relationships and anticipates that this number will grow exponentially.
Zaha was an Iraqi woman and an émigré. Her rise to international prominence was by no means an easy one. The Foundation is committed to supporting increased equity and diversity in the architectural profession and related areas of creative practice. At this time, there are considerable economic, cultural and social barriers facing many young people. ZHF is committed to an agenda which will help them negotiate and move through these barriers.
In the spirit of Zaha Hadid, the Foundation will promote positive change in architecture, design and related arts.
Governance
Zaha Hadid Foundation is a registered charity, number 1152943. The Foundation complies with all regulations, terms and conditions of its charitable status.
The Foundation is managed and led by a Board of Trustees, who currently are:
Sir Brian Clarke (Chair)
Hanif Mohamed Kara OBE
Rana Hadid
Sir Peter Cook RA
Joseph Hage is an official advisor to the Board of Trustees
The Foundation is run by a senior management team, which in turn manages a full-time team of specialist collections managers, conservators, curators, researchers and administrators.
Professor Jane Pavitt, Head of Research and Learning
Leonora Baird-Smith, Head of Collections
Press
For image requests for publications, please download the form here.
For image requests for academic research, please download the form here.
For image requests for exhibitions, please download the form here.
For all press inquiries, please email comms@zhfoundation.com.
