The architect behind the dazzling Aquatic Centre in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Zaha Hadid, has been award the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture, an accolade personally approved by the Queen.
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In the United Kingdom, Hadid’s most recognisable works are Cardiff Bay Opera House and the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games.
The interview had begun with Montague asking Hadid about her “scary” reputation. This is a very serious story and it should be reported accurately.
Hadid referred to her failed bid to build Tokyo’s 2020 Olympics stadium as a “scandal”, adding: “I pulled out because we had no contractor to go with”. Globally, her notable designs include Guangzhou Opera House in China and the Vitra Fire Station in Germany.
No construction workers are known to have died while working on her stadium in Doha, but campaigners claim that more than 1,000 employees have died on construction projects linked to the controversial World Cup. I think that’s an issue the government – if there’s a problem – should pick up’.
While Claire Fox, tweeted: ‘I absolutely love Zaha Hadid but especially now that she’s stood her ground on @BBCr4today.
Ms Montague tried to change the subject, but the architect said: ‘Don’t ask me a question when you can’t let me finish it, then I won’t say anything’.
“Let’s stop this conversation right now”.
When Montague suggested “soaring costs” had been blamed for the project being abandoned, Hadid brought the interview to a close. I don’t want to carry on.
RIBA President and chair of the selection committee, Jane Duncan, says that Hadid is a formidable and globally-influential force in architecture. “Thank you very much”.
Also tweeting, Hicham Yezza, said: ‘Shocking interview with Zaha Hadid on #r4today, a woman wins a prestigious architecture prize and gets interrogated like she’s a shoplifter’.
However the architect has always miantained that none of those were on the site of her proposed 2022 World Cup stadium and in September previous year Hadid called for an alliance of architects to lobby for improved conditions for workers in the area.
The 64 year old architect was being interviewed on receipt of the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in recognition of her life’s work.
Hadid continues to lead the fray for women in the industry having already become the first female to receive architecture’s highest honour in 2004, The Pritzker Architecture Prize.
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The architect, who has twice won the UK’s top architecture award, the Riba Sterling Prize, was made a dame in 2012.
