The long-awaited inaugural phase of what will eventually serve as the future home of London’s Zaha Hadid Foundation (ZHF) is now set to go after the organization announced a new museum and research center initiative slated for two locations in the adopted hometown of its late namesake.

The two sites will be split between the former location of London’s Design Museum at Shad Thames, which was acquired by ZHF in 2013, and the studio’s longtime Clerkenwell home in Bowling Green Lane, which it vacated last year citing concerns over workspace limitations during COVID.

Together they will house a collection of more than 10,000 objects including paintings, sketches, furniture, fashion design, jewelry, models, and other media that are all either directly from or related to the life’s work of the first woman ever to win the Pritzker Prize.

Furthermore, the foundation announced the appointment of Paul Greenhalgh as its inaugural Director. Greenhalgh has held several academic and curatorial positions in the UK and Canada. 

“In the creative and intellectual spirit of Zaha, we will also address the condition of architecture and related arts of our times, through education and research programs,” the former Sainsbury Centre director said. “Zaha loved to teach and to promote understanding of Modern architecture and art. She constantly sought to give access to the world of architecture and design to young people and a wider public.”

Plans for the exhibitions component of the museum are still underway. ZHF says the intention is to continue its mission of “actively support[ing] young people and students from diverse and complex backgrounds in their quest to become architects, designers, and scholars.” This will be accomplished via a series of bursaries, grants, and other awards that are administered by the new head of research and learning, Jane Pavitt, whose hiring was also announced by the Foundation. 

A collaboration with the curatorial MA program at London’s Courtauld Institute is also in the works. The names of designers and an anticipated groundbreaking were not available at press time. Archinect will share a project timeline once it becomes available.