The W Macau, Zaha Hadid's Newest Addition to Studio City, Opens to the Public

The W Macau, Zaha Hadid's Newest Addition to Studio City, Opens to the Public

Zaha Hadid was born on October 31, 1950, in Baghdad, Iraq. She studied mathematics at the American University of Beirut before moving to London to study architecture at the Architectural Association School of Architecture. After completing her studies, Hadid worked with various architectural firms, including the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) and the Architectural Association.

In 1980, Hadid established her own architectural practice in London, called Zaha Hadid Architects. At the time, her unconventional and futuristic designs were considered radical and challenged the traditional notions of architecture. Some of her early notable projects include the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein, Germany, and the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Throughout her career, Hadid continued to push the boundaries of architectural design, often incorporating innovative technologies and organic forms into her projects. Her designs were characterized by sleek lines, fluid curves, and dynamic spaces. Some of her most well-known projects include the Guangzhou Opera House in China, the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games, and the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Zaha Hadid received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004, becoming the first female architect to win the award. She was also made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to architecture in 2012.

Sadly, Zaha Hadid passed away on March 31, 2016, at the age of 65 in Miami, USA, due to a heart attack. Despite her untimely death, her legacy as one of the most influential and groundbreaking architects of our time lives on through her iconic designs and innovative approach to architecture.

One of the two hotels Zaha Hadid Architects designed in their Hollywood-Inspired “Studio City” Resorts has just opened to the public. Located in the Cotai district of Macau, the resort features leisure, entertainment, and hospitality facilities, including one of Asia’s largest indoor & outdoor water parks. The resort also features 557 rooms and suites spread across 40 floors. Inspired by Hollywood, ZHA was commissioned in 2018 to expand the resort, resulting in Studio City Phase 2.

The Studio City resort has been a destination for guests and visitors in the Cotai district since 2015. When Zaha Hadid Architects were assigned to the expansion in 2017, new facilities were being designed, ranging from cafes, restaurants, a pool, a spa, a gym, and a recording studio for the guests. The design draws inspiration from the “cinematic references” from the existing resort, reinterpreting Art Deco in a contemporary way. Moreover, the design focuses specifically on bold geometries, detailing, and intricate craftsmanship in an up-to-date manner.

The project was named the ‘Regional Award Asia’ winner at the BREEAM Awards 2021, recognizing its high-performance building envelope and high-efficiency services that reduce energy consumption. In order to reduce solar heat while ensuring a comfortable thermal environment, W Macau’s architecture boasts three different types of glass with external fins that emphasize the verticality of the towers.

The building of Studio City Phase Two was detoured away from the surrounding 15-hectare protected wetland of the Macau Cotai Ecological Zone due to extensive environmental analyses. The orientation and design of the circular towers were carefully considered to enable natural airflow throughout and around the resort. In fact, an ecologist also came up with ways to conserve the area's current plant life and introduced compensatory plantings of local species appropriate to Macau's climate.

" Since opening in 2015, Studio City has become a destination landmark in Macau with its unique entertainment theme and experience. The extension project will complement our existing offering of ‘next-generation’ world-class entertainment and further enhance the distinctive Studio City experience. -- Mr. David Sisk, Chief Operating Officer of Macau Resorts, Melco "

Last February, the City of Vilnius, Lithuania, approved the Zaha Hadid-designed Business Stadium Central. The project aims to become a new gathering space filled with public space, flexible workplaces, and health and wellness facilities for the entirety of the city. The most recent international Worldcon took place at the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. This event is the largest science fiction festival worldwide, hosting the 81st annual convention. Finally, the studio was recently selected to deliver the new Aarhus football stadium in Denmark in collaboration with architecture and engineering consultancy Sweco and landscape architects Tredje Natur.