# Heydar Aliyev Center The Heydar Aliyev Center, located in Baku, Azerbaijan, is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture designed by the legendary Zaha Hadid. Completed in 2012, this 57,500-square-meter complex has become an international landmark, representing a radical departure from the rigid, monumental Soviet architecture that formerly dominated the city. Its fluid, sweeping forms and lack of sharp angles symbolize a wave-like transition between the building's interior and the surrounding plaza, reflecting a sense of optimism and modernization in post-Soviet Azerbaijan.  Hailed as one of Zaha Hadid's most significant works, the center’s design establishes a continuous, fluid relationship between its surrounding plaza and the building’s interior. The plaza, as the ground surface accessible to all as part of Baku’s urban fabric, rises to envelop an equally public interior space and define a sequence of event spaces dedicated to the collective celebration of contemporary and traditional Azeri culture. Elaborate formations such as undulations, bifurcations, folds, and inflections modify this plaza surface into an architectural landscape that performs a multitude of functions: welcoming, embracing, and directing visitors through different levels of the interior.  The interior of the center is just as breathtaking as its exterior. It houses a conference hall, a gallery hall, and a museum, all seamlessly integrated into the building’s organic structure. The use of advanced geometry and innovative engineering allowed for the creation of vast, column-free spaces that enhance the feeling of weightlessness and flow. The center was awarded the London Design Museum's Design of the Year in 2014, making Hadid the first woman to win the top prize in the competition's history.