# Rana Hadid on Taking the Zaha Hadid Foundation Into the Future The foundation reopens its Clerkenwell headquarters to preserve the late architect's expansive legacy. - **Source:** [ARTnews](https://www.artnews.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-05 - **Topic:** [culture](https://brifing.si/c/culture) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/32a748e7-6b35-4081-b054-1d1150ff717a ## Foundation Headquarters Reopens The Zaha Hadid Foundation has officially reopened its doors at 10 Bowling Green Lane in Clerkenwell, London. This site, which served as the architect's headquarters for 35 years, is a former Victorian schoolhouse. It now functions as a public space featuring galleries, a lecture hall, and dedicated areas for creative residencies and workshops. ## Preserving a Vast Archive The foundation manages a massive collection of 300,000 objects documenting Zaha Hadid’s life and career. This archive includes architectural models, paintings, sketchbooks, and personal items like her wardrobe. Rana Hadid, the current chair, emphasizes that these items provide critical insight into the architect’s methodology and her unique way of thinking beyond traditional architecture. ## Resolving Legal Complexities Rana Hadid assumed the role of chair and trustee in 2025, succeeding the late artist Brian Clarke. This transition follows a difficult period marked by a four-year legal battle over the architect’s $133 million estate, which was settled in 2020. Rana noted that she was unexpectedly named an executor, necessitating immediate focus on complex legal matters. ## Honoring a Complex Legacy To mark the 10-year anniversary of Hadid's death, the foundation hosted a two-day symposium titled 89 Degrees of Zaha Hadid. Held at the Architectural Association, the event featured discussions on her origins in Baghdad and Beirut. Speakers addressed common misconceptions about her personality, including debates regarding her reputation and her experiences as a woman. ## Global Exhibition Strategy The foundation is planning international retrospectives to share Hadid’s work with a global audience. An upcoming exhibition, Zaha Hadid: Visionary Museum Designs, is scheduled for March 2027 at the Sir John Soane’s Museum. Rana expressed a strong desire to take the archive to Iraq, honoring the architect’s deep pride in her cultural heritage. ## Architecture of Performance The newly opened headquarters launched with an inaugural exhibition titled Zaha Hadid: Architecture of Performance. Curated by Catherine Howe and Libby Sellers, the display explores the architect’s lesser-known work in stage and set design. It highlights her creative contributions to contemporary dance, classical opera, and pop music productions throughout her storied career. ## Personal Connection to Iraq Despite never visiting Iraq, Rana Hadid maintains a strong connection to her aunt’s homeland. Zaha Hadid frequently credited her Iraqi identity for shaping her perspective and creative drive. The architect often shared her heritage through traditional cooking, such as simmering lamb for 20 hours, and by using colloquial Iraqi Arabic phrases in conversation. ## Future Institutional Vision Rana Hadid views the foundation as a platform for maintaining the architect’s extensive network of friends, supporters, and former clients. By transforming the private office into a public institution, the foundation aims to serve the community. The focus for the next two years remains on international outreach and preserving the architect's profound influence. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/rana-hadid-taking-the-zaha-hadid-foundation-into-the-future-1234804752/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._