Zaha Hadid

This month David Gill reopened his gallery in London with an exhibition of designs from Zaha Hadid entitled 'Liquid Glacial'. The show, which runs until May 30th, features four pieces exploring the movement of ice and water through the medium of a newly-developed acrylic resin. The material is smooth to the touch despite the impression of flowing water and frozen ripples. The innovative material and techniques garner a starting price of £100,000 for a coffee table- pretty spectacular eh?

Hadid's first venture into furniture design, 'Dune Formations', which was commissioned by Gill for the Venice Biennale in 2007, is also on display in the gallery this month. It consists of a series of wall-shelving, tables and benches in a tarnished acrylic resin moulded into stretched, fluid yet solid shapes that Hadid describes as 'domestic objects redefined by abstraction'. Hadid's modern style of static movement has been developed throughout her career as an architect- during which she became the first woman to win the esteemed Pritzker Prize for Architecture in 2004. In the past she has used a quote from suprematist Kasimir Malevich to explain her way of designing: "We can only perceive space when we break free from the earth, when the point of support ends", going on to describe her works as "a new fluid kind of spatiality". See below for some examples of her work and if you're in London be sure to catch her exhibition before it ends on May 30th. 

'Liquid Glacial', Acrylic Resin, 2012

'Dune Formations', 2007, Venice Biennale

E.ON Energy Research Centre, Aachen, Germany
 Currently a work in progress having started in 2006. Designed to harness regenerative energy techniques in order to produce more energy than it consumes.

Abu Dhabi Performing Arts Centre
Work began in 2007 with completion date TBC. Described as 'a growing organism', housing 5 theatres, a concert hall and an opera house, among other facilities- all spread over 14 floors.