The meeting of The Arts Society Dukeries on Wednesday 6th February, will be a lecture by Anthea Streeter on ‘Dame Zaha Hadid’. Before her untimely death in 2016, Dame Zaha Hadid was one of the most distinguished architects in the world. She was also a talented designer. As well as receiving numerous awards and honours, she received the Pritzker Prize for Architecture in 2004; the UK’s most prestigious architectural award, the RIBA Stirling Prize, in 2010 and 2011; and the Royal Gold Medal in 2015. In 2012 she was made a Dame for services to architecture.
Zaha Hadid’s work is exciting because she developed a new form of architecture: she set architecture free by rejecting 90 degree angles. Her early abstract paintings are of particular interest because in them she began to create her visionary world where there is no definition, lines converge, and gravity disappears — all conceived before the advent of advanced computer software. From her early sharp-angled buildings she developed a fluid architecture, where floors, ceilings, walls — and even furniture — all form part of the overall design. Thus many of her later structures are extruded to the most extreme organic shapes in what she called a “seamless fluidity”.
The lecture tells the story of this pre-eminent architect. The group will move around the world to look at some of her completed works, including her most famous building in the UK, the Aquatics Centre for the London Olympics in 2012, as well as unexecuted designs. Members who enjoy breathtaking images and have a keen interest in cutting edge design will be mesmerised by the daring yet brilliant structures of Dame Zaha Hadid.
The group meet at the Civic Centre, Long Lane, Carlton-in-Lindrick, S81 9AP. As this is their AGM meeting, doors open at 9.30am for coffee, the AGM follows at 10.30am and the lecture is from 11.00am to 12.00pm. Visitors are very welcome to meetings at a cost of £6.00 per lecture. There is a free car park at the centre. For further details about the society or its lecture programme, please speak to Anthony on 01909 731415 or Gill on 01909 540506 or see www.theartssociety.org.uk/dukeries.