Zaha Hadid's Clerkenwell Headquarters Reopens with Performance Exhibition
The Zaha Hadid Foundation has reopened the architect's former London headquarters as a public cultural space, launching with an exhibition on her stage and set designs to mark the tenth anniversary of her death.
The Zaha Hadid Foundation has reopened the architect’s former headquarters at 10 Bowling Green Lane as a public cultural space for architecture, design and related arts. The opening on October 29 marks the tenth anniversary of Hadid’s passing and inaugurates the exhibition 'Zaha Hadid: Architecture of Performance'. Zaha Hadid’s practice was based in this Clerkenwell building for more than thirty years.
Building and Refurbishment Details
The building is a Grade II-listed former Victorian schoolhouse from the early 1870s. Studio KA, led by Katherine Nolan and Alex Butterworth, spearheaded the renovation. The refurbishment opened the building as a public cultural space. It now includes galleries, a learning space, a lecture hall, a collection display, and venues for exhibitions, talks, workshops and creative residencies.
Inaugural Exhibition: Architecture of Performance
The opening exhibition, 'Zaha Hadid: Architecture of Performance', is curated by Catherine Howe and guest curator Libby Sellers. It explores the stage and set designs Hadid imagined for contemporary dance, classical opera and pop music. Featured projects span from 1989 to 2014.
| Project | Year | Location/Context |
|---|---|---|
| Collaboration with Rosemary Butcher | 1989 | d1 performance |
| Music Video Pavilion | 1990 | Groningen |
| Metapolis Ballet | 1999 | Charleroi |
| Pet Shop Boys’ Nightlife World Tour | 1999-2000 | Global tour |
| Reimagining of Mozart’s Così fan tutte | 2014 | Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles |
New Commissions and Foundation Activities
The reopening features two new commissions from 2026. LionHeart created a dual-channel, 11-minute video work titled The Rebar Beneath. Pulitzer Prize-winning illustrator Mona Chalabi produced a timeline visualisation called The Completely Exhausting Inexhaustibility of Zaha Hadid. Chalabi's work is installed in the foundation’s foyer and is projected onto a textile surface inspired by an Issey Miyake coat once worn by Zaha Hadid.
Tribute and Programme Context
The foundation is an independent charitable organisation established by Dame Zaha Hadid. It maintains, disseminates and activates her collection and archive. Chair of the trustees is Rana Hadid, and the director is Aric Chen. The reopening coincides with a new visual identity by Amsterdam-based studio Experimental Jetset and a new website launched in the week of October 12, 2026.
A two-day symposium titled '89° of Zaha Hadid' took place on October 30 and 31. It was organised by the Zaha Hadid Foundation, the Architectural Association and the Serpentine. The events were held across all three partner venues. October 31, 2026, would have been Zaha Hadid’s 76th birthday. The foundation will host a pop-up outpost of the Architectural Association’s AA Bookshop at the reopened building.
