Drawing and birthday card from Zaha Hadid 1974

Great architects take the time to remember birthdays.

This birthday card takes us to a time when Zaha Hadid was a student at the Architectural Association, long before she enjoyed international success and recognition. She has since been awarded several major prizes, and today she will receive the Royal Gold Medal for her contribution to architecture.

Hadid illustrated and wrote this card for Antony Feldman, a fellow student at the Architectural Association. It takes us into the personal world of a well-known architect and reminds us to remember other people’s birthdays. You have no excuse now to forget your loved ones’ special day.

Image: Drawing and birthday card by Zaha Hadid, 1974, showing her design for an imagined replanning of Trafalgar Square, London, England; image from RIBApix (number RIBA21630)
Designer and artist: Zaha Hadid (1950-)
Credit: RIBA Collections

Article by Wilson Yau, RIBA
3 February 2016

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This is just one of over four million items in our world-class architectural collections at the RIBA Library – it's open to everyone and access is free. Visit the library to explore our collections of books, periodicals, drawings, photographs and models:

1. Book
   Futagawa, Y. ed., 2014.
   'Zaha Hadid'
   Tokyo: A.D.A. Edita
   Shelved at: 72.036.6(42):92H // ZAH [REFERENCE]
2. Drawing
   Birthday card using a drawing of a design for replanning Trafalgar Square, London, by Zaha Hadid, 1974
   Call/Ref. no. SE22/30
3. Journal
   Blackler, Z., 2004.
   Zaha Hadid becomes first woman to scoop one hundred thousand dollar Pritzker Prize.
   'Architects' Journal'. Vol.219, no.12, 25 March 2004, p.5.
4. Journal
   Waite, R., 2015.
   Zaha Hadid wins Royal Gold Medal
   'Architects' Journal'. Vol.242, no.12, 25 September 2015, pp. 10-11.