From a brilliant idea to a bright future
Zaha Hadid architects got a chance to design the center based on the results of the competition in 2007. The main architectural principle was to host and showcase cultural events of modern Azerbaijan, freeing themselves from the rigid and often monumental Soviet architecture that was so common in Baku. Thus, the designers sought to express the sensitivity of Azerbaijani culture and the optimism of a nation that has set its sights on a bright future. Indeed, it was an ideal precedent for the grand opening of the center, which took place on May 10th, 2012 as part of the celebration of the 89th anniversary of the birth of National Leader Heydar Aliyev.
Hadid’s Legacy
During her speech at the Design of the Year Award ceremony at the London Design Museum in 2014, Hadid admitted that the Heydar Aliyev Center was an incredibly ambitious project for her, considering it one of her main personal and professional achievements. She considered the center one of the most important projects of her career – not least because it was awarded the Design of the Year award in the architectural category, but mainly because of its mesmerizing structural and symbolic harmony. Parametric design and modern materials embodied Hadid’s vision of blurring the boundaries between the Heydar Aliyev Center and the capital against which it is located: a smooth symbol of unity.
The devil is in the details
One of the most important and really complex elements of the project is its facade. Its undulating roof, almost flowing directly into the nearby Caspian Sea, has a total area of 40,000 m2 and consists of 2,027 panels of various geometric shapes. Moreover, the bright whiteness of the cladding not only symbolizes a bright future, but also allows the bright sunlight of Baku to emphasize the unusual shape of the building, casting playful distorting shadows as the sun moves across the sky. At night, the center is illuminated from the inside, projecting light from the heart of the project onto its surroundings – another hint of harmony, unity and a new dawn of Azerbaijani architecture.
An integral part of Azerbaijani culture
But thanks to its unusual appearance, the Heydar Aliyev Center welcomes not only people! The interior also has some jewelry of its own. The museum complex is home to a wide range of permanent curatorial works and temporary exhibitions that explore the best of local and international art, cultural heritage, technology and music.