
first image
'riverside museum of transport' by zaha hadid architects in glasgow, scotland
image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)
the 'riverside museum of transport' by internationally-practicing architect zaha hadid is anticipating
its official opening later on this month in glasgow, scotland. situated adjacent to the historical city's
two most important rivers - kelvin and clyde - the design draws from the presence of these site features
by sculpting its form to reference the flowing energy of the water.

view from water
image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)
read as a dynamic extrusion of an angular 2D face, the museum sits on the asymmetrical site
to hug the edges of the port. the overall volume lies low to the ground and gradually pulls up
in height near the water. featuring a series of hills and valleys in its roof form, the exterior view
changes depending on the vantage point from round and curvy to sharp and graphic. the structure
is wrapped in a system of metallic cladding, enforcing a solid expression on site.

image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)
the interior space is conceived as a 'tunnel-like shed', which is open at opposite ends to the city
and the clyde river. the museum serves as a flowing connection between the urban and natural
context of glasgow. the tight turns and curves in the layout creates a meandering exhibition space
which can be either hermetic or porous depending on the specific display.
to watch a video of the museum in its 3D model form, click here.

image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

exterior view
image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

cladding detail
image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

main interior view
image © lenny warren / warren media

ceiling form
image © lenny warren / warren media

recreated indoor street
image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

plaza space
image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

at dusk
image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

during construction
image © felipe agudelo jaramillo

image © susyb2

physical model
image © iqbal aalam
project info:
client: glasgow city council
total area: 11,000 m2
exhibition area: 7,000 m2
site area: 22,400 m2
footprint area: 7,800 m2
architect: zaha hadid architects
project director: jim heverin
project architect: johannes hoffmann
project team: achim gergen, agnes koltay, alasdair graham, andreas helgesson,
andy summers, aris giorgiadis, brandon buck, christina beaumont, chun chiu,
claudia wulf, daniel baerlaecken, des fagan , electra mikeliedes, elke presser,
gemma douglas, hinki kwon, jieun lee, johannes hoffmann, laymon thaung,
liat muller, lole mate, malca mizrahi, markus planteu, matthias frei, michael mader,
mikel bennett, ming cheong, naomi fritz, rebecca haines-gadd, thomas hale, tyen masten
competition team: malca mizrahi, michele pasca di magliano, viviana r. muscettola,
mariana ibanez, larissa henke
services consultants: buro happold (glasgow, UK)
acoustic consultants: buro happold (bath, UK)
fire safety consultants: fedra (glasgow, UK)
cost/project management: capita symonds
no mention of the structural engineers?
This structure was not in fact designed for this site or function. Instead, superficially transformed from a project in a different country with a different program. Poor architecture, shamefully sold to a great city.
am I allowed to say I quite like it?
no mention of the sanitation engineers?
Good idea, nice exteriors, disastrous interiors
No mention of the mechanical & electrical engineers..?
zaha who? no more name dropping for cities and other big clients please. I totally dislike it.
bad joke
too much 3d printing