First major Zaha Hadid retrospective opens at Palazzo Franchetti during Venice Biennale

From May 27 to November 27, 2016, Fondazione Berengo presents the first major retrospective dedicated to Zaha Hadid at Palazzo Franchetti on the Grand Canal in Venice, coinciding with the Biennale curated by Alejandro Aravena. The exhibition explores the work of Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) through architectural paintings influenced by Malevich, technical drawings, models, films, and photographs by Helene Binet, covering built, under-construction, and unrealized projects. The show emphasizes the collaborative evolution within ZHA's design team, highlighting Hadid's iterative process—from her early studies at the Architectural Association in London to recent works. Key projects include the Vitra Fire Station (1993) and the Mathematics Gallery at the Science Museum in London, where the in-house CODE research team developed computational models for airflow and form. The retrospective underscores Hadid's relentless experimentation and lasting influence on architecture.