Renato Barilli on Zaha Hadid's Radical Break with Euclidean Geometry

Renato Barilli, professor emeritus at the University of Bologna, reflects on Zaha Hadid's legacy as the most resolute architect in declaring the death of Euclidean geometry. Hadid, the only woman to achieve archistar status, rejected the 90-degree angle and embraced curvilinear, parabolic forms driven by electromagnetic-electronic technology. Barilli notes that her phrase "The world is not a rectangle" encapsulates a shift toward computer-aided design. He cites the Heydar Aliyev Center and the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum as examples, and mentions the unfinished "Storto" skyscraper in Milan, which twists away from the plumb line. Barilli compares Hadid's impact to Gaudí's, questioning how humanity will adapt to spaces freed from traditional rectangular safety. The article originally appeared in Artribune Magazine #31.