‘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.

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now completeview from waterimage © 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.

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now completeimage © 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.

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now completeimage © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now complete exterior view image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now complete cladding detail image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now completeimage © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now complete main interior view image © lenny warren / warren media

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now completeceiling form image © lenny warren / warren media

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now complete recreated indoor street image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now complete plaza space image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now completeat dusk image © culture & sport glasgow (museums)

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now complete during construction image © felipe agudelo jaramillo

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now completeimage © susyb2

zaha hadid: riverside museum of transport now complete 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