Report by: Sardar Ali Turk
According to global Times news Agency Europe,In Reco di Calabria, one of the oldest cities in Southern Italy, the construction of the Maritime Museum is starting according to the project of Zaha Hadid, a famous British architect and designer of Iraqi origin. Zaha Hadid, the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Prize, is the author of the project of the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.The Global Times Europe reports with reference to the Italian mass media that the project called “Regium coast” was developed in 2007-2008 in accordance with the name of the city adopted in Rome. In 2009, Zaha Hadid won the international competition announced for the new design of Reco di Calabria’s coastal street for this project. Only now, more than 10 years later, after the death of Zaha Hadid, who is considered a legend of the world of architecture, the author’s intention can become a reality.
According to the terms of the agreement signed recently with Zaha Hadid’s studio (Zaha Hadid Architects), 61 million euros will be allocated for the realization of the project. These funds were allocated while Mario Draghi was the head of the Italian government. At that time, the Maritime Museum was considered one of the 14 strategically important projects.The Maritime Museum (or the Mediterranean Sea Museum, as it is called in the project) is supposed to consist of two large buildings: a museum building located along the main coastline and a multifunctional complex. Although this area, located opposite the city station, is currently empty, the district is the center of attention today. One reason for this is the renewed interest in building a bridge over Messi Bay. According to the project, it is envisaged to create a space of public facilities around these buildings, including the construction of underground passages, and the creation of a direct connection between the coastal street and the Villa Communare park in the center of the city. The Maritime Museum, which will take the main place in the new ensemble, looks like a starfish. The museum will house exhibition halls, libraries, restoration workshops and an archive. A port for motor boats and yachts will be built under the museum building.
The second “Star of the Sea” is a multifunctional complex consisting of a sports center, a cinema and three theaters of different sizes. Those halls can be used for holding conferences, as well as performances and concerts. The new waterfront street and its buildings will be clearly visible from the Messi Bay on the Sicilian coast. They will also serve as landmarks for ships entering the city port.
Zaha Hadid’s works, distinguished by her unique creative style, live on even after her death. The first large object that brought the architect world fame was the Vitra fire station in Germany. Later, Zaha Hadid was also the author of such famous projects as the 21st century National Museum of Art (MAXXI) in Rome, the water sports center in London for the 2012 Olympic Games, the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, and the Opera Theater in Guangzhou.
The architect considered the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku one of his main projects. In 2014, this building was awarded one of the most prestigious awards in the field of architecture: the London Design Center called it “Project of the Year”. Zaha Hadid died on March 31, 2016 at the age of 65.
