Even as I type these words, I cannot believe that one of the greatest architects in the world, Zaha Hadid, died today at age 65. It seems impossible that this powerful, talented phenomenon of a person can be stilled.
It is also striking to me that one of my most cherished idols, passed away here in South Florida, in Miami, closer in proximity to where I live than I ever would have thought. After all don’t giants pass from this world in far off places, like Mount Olympus.
This past December, I was invited to celebrate the launch of REVOLUTION PAVILIONS at Design Miami/ –a collection of limited edition pre-crafted home and pavilions designed by 30 of the world’s most acclaimed architects and designers introduced by real estate impresario, Robbie Antonio.
One of the two fully constructed pavilions there at the Design Miami/ was Zaha Hadid‘s curved VOLU Dining Pavilion.
A masterful fusion of lightweight engineering and precision fabrication, this pavilion elevated outside dining to an innovative level I have never seen before. As a born and raised New Yorker, who regularly fronts a wary sangfroid, I was awestruck.
For almost an hour I examined it – I walked around it, I sat around it, I took photos of it, I walked in it and finally sat in it. Simply out, it is a spectacular structure that I love to own much less dine in.
This was just a tiny example of her work. Fortuitously, a much greater example, will be located here in Miami – the One Thousand Museum luxury residential skyscraper. Got fingers crossed that I will be invited to the preview when it opens in 2018 as I would love to take a closer look at this singular mind of genius that has left us foolish mortals behind.