A Master Plan Proposal by Zaha Hadid Architects

We have always been strong advocates of Zaha Hadid Architects. Their fluid, organic designs are out of this world, and are certainly unique. Judging by Zaha Hadid Architects’ extensive portfolio, they seem to specialize in one-building developments, but we’ve always wondered what it would be like if the firm came to Canada to design a master plan.

Well, it seems it wouldn’t be all that fantastic after all – not if it was anything like their proposal for Bratislava Culenova New City Center. According to ArchDaily, the design is based on “a dynamic field strategy which aims to organize the city’s new city center program along a gradient of circular and elliptical patterns.” But really, it’s just Zaha Hadid Architects attempting to apply their signature style to a larger scale development.

Don’t get us wrong. We already said that we love the firm’s design style, but the buildings comprising the Bratislava Culenova New City Center are like dumbed-down versions of all their other designs. We think the proposal would be way more effective if the architects applied the same extreme curves and angles to the buildings, like the ones you see in their single-building designs. Perhaps they decided to tone it down a bit because they thought that seven alien-looking buildings (the reason we love their designs) would be too overwhelming.

Also, affordability is always a pressing issue when designing a proposal. Very often, you’ll find that the coolest proposal is the most expensive one, and then it’s not selected to be built. It is possible that Zaha Hadid Architects is trying to combine their unique style with cost-efficiency. For us, it’s just not working.

However, we do find the concept of the master plan interesting. If built, there would be retail portions, public parks, a cultural centre, museum shops, event halls, conference spaces, and of course, residential. What we like is how the perimeter of the site is slightly raised, setting a defined edge of where the Bratislava Culenova New City Center ends. Although the edges would be raised, the development would flow fluidly in the traditional style of a Zaha Hadid design, connecting with surrounding services and amenities.

So, our first view of a Zaha Hadid Architects-designed master plan did not strike us the right way, but we are looking forward to the firm producing more proposals for master plans. An architectural firm with this much skill is bound to produce – no matter what the project.