Born in Iraq, Hadid attended boarding schools in Europe from the age of 16. From 1972 she trained at the Architectural Association in London, with Elia Zenghelis and Rem Koolhaas. In 1994 she won a competition for the Cardiff Bay Opera House in Cardiff, Wales. She began her own practice in 1979, but realized no built works until 1994 with the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein, Germany. Known for the dynamic, sculptural, and complex forms of her built works, she was the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize (2004). She was also the first woman to win Britainu2019s Royal Gold Medal when she was named the 2016 recipient.
