Architect Zaha Hadid Designs Unique Bottle & Box For Leo Hillinger's Icon Hill Wine.

Leo Hillinger presents an iconic wine with packaging created by an icon herself. On October 4th of this year, at the Albertina in Vienna, Austrian winemaker Leo Hillinger unveiled his exceptional red wine blend, the 2009 Icon Hill in a precious bottle and box created by Pritzker-winning architect Zaha Hadid.

"With the unique design and the ICON HILL ​​is optimally presented. Powerful and intense it is drawn from the creation in its spell. Zaha has perfectly embodied in the wine bottle shape."-- Leo Hillinger

Zaha Hadid, above, says of the design:
"The elongated volume of the bottle has been derived from the profile of liquid droplets. A continuous spatial curve was then projected onto the bottle’s surface, defining areas for the concave indentation and suggesting the waves created when droplets break a liquid’s surface.

The concave indentation and the bottle’s surface have the same curvature, enabling a set of bottles to interlock and be perceived as singular whole. A smaller indent and volume has been created at the base of the bottle for correct handling and to accommodate any tartrates.

To achieve the precision and accuracy required for production, the shape of the bottle was created using NURB-based CAD software. The bottle manufacturer directly implemented this 3D master geometry to produce the cast iron moulds for the glass forming process."

The Reviews
If you are wondering whether or not the wine is as good as the bottle, it has received a rating of 95/100 from Falstaff, the ultimate Austrian wine guide.



Falstaff chief Peter Moser who tasted the wine in advance and gave the following critique:
"Deep ruby ​​garnet with purple hues, subtle edge whitening. In the nose with fine Kräuterwürze backed mature heart cherry fruit, a hint of dark berries, spices in the background and nuances of fine wood, a delicate hint of nougat, multifaceted bouquet that develops well with air. On the palate, complex, extraktsüße dark fruit, prominent and well-integrated tannins that give the wine length, hints of blackberries and ripe plums, pleasant acidity that for vitality provides, salty minerality on the finish holds good, disposes of secure aging potential, fine cherry fruit in Rückgeschmack. If one were to fully enjoy this wine at this youthful stage, it is advisable to decant the bottle for a good two hours." (optimum eating ripeness 2016 - 2030)

and from René Gabriel:
"The color is a deep dark red with black core. On the nose the wine is fresh, cool and seems so very precise, fruit and seasoning are very harmonious with black berry fruit, smoky Brazil tobacco, licorice and black pepper. ICON HILL ​​displays a beautiful concentration. On the palate it is creamy, with dark caramel, prunes and ripe, balanced tannins stützende. This is not a wine that comes as a new multi-bomb wine, but considered his future and first in terms of class and harmony. Its beautiful balance we must here assume a potential that is loose and overheating of the first 10 years. His most beautiful ripe to eat I expect in about three to four years."



Only 999 bottles of ICON HILL are available. The ICON HILL ​​is available at 99 euros per bottle in all Leo Hillinger retailers and online www.leo-hillinger.at.

Zaha Hadid's Futuristic Capitol Hill Residence in Moscow, Commissioned by Vladislav Doronin for Supermodel Girlfriend Naomi Campbell.

The Capital Hill Residence is a private home measuring 2650 square metres by Pritzker Prize Winning architect Zaha Hadid commissioned by billionaire Vladislav Doronin for supermodel girlfriend Naomi Campbell. Design for the modern Space Age looking home which is located in Moscow, Russia, began in 2006 and is presently under construction.


above left: Vladislav Doronin and girlfriend Naomi Campbell at the Skyfall premiere, Oct. 23, 2012 and above right: The Capitol Hill Residence under construction

Located on the north-face hillside in Barvikha where pine and birch trees grow up to 20 metres high, a villa with fluid geometries emerges from the landscape. The structure is divided into two components: one merging with the hillside, another floating above the ground with dynamic views overlooking the forest.




As described by Zaha Hadid Architects:
"The form for the villa comes from the natural topography – a building that emerges from the landscape, while remaining partially embedded in the hillside.



The first of the villa’s components is strategically placed to merge with the sloped landscape, while a separate volume floats 22 metres above the ground, benefitting from the breathtaking views of the Barvikha forest.




The programme is organised vertically, on four levels. The lower level is envisioned as leisure space and includes a living room, massage and fitness areas as well as a sauna and hamman baths. One level up is the main living room, dining space, kitchen, entertainment and indoor swimming room and parking spaces are located on the ground floor.



The main entrance lobby, study/library, guest room and children’s room are distributed on the first floor while the master bedrooms and a lounge with an exterior terrace occupy the upper level.

Computer renderings of the interior:









The two main components of the house are articulated by three legs: concrete columns which establish a strong dialogue between both levels, while functioning as structural elements. Vertical shafts inside the legs contain all mechanical elements and services connecting to the upper level, including a transparent glass elevator and staircase.



The main entrance to the house is located on the first floor. Within this space, the three concrete columns intersect the main roof, proposing skylights and a double-height space. The view from the living room is framed by two-curved in-situ cast concrete structures which also serve to create divisions between the main living room, dining room and indoor swimming pool.

Construction photos:




The general design concept is to extend the exterior topography to the interior of the building, while geometrical definition is derived from the surrounding environment of flowing terrain levels stretched to generate the new landscape, creating continuous integration between interior and exterior spaces."

Moscow, Russia
2006 – 2011
Client: Commissioned by Vladislav Doronin for supermodel girlfriend Naomi Campbell
Under Construction
2650m2

FULL CREDITS:
Architect: ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS
Design: Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher
Project Director: Helmut Kinzler
Project Architect: Daniel Fiser
Project Team:
Thomas Sonder, Anat Stern, Gianni Giuffrida, Juan Estrada, Martha Read, Kristina Simkeviciute, Talenia Phua Gajardo, Muthahar Khan, Erhan Patat, Lourdes Sanchez, Daniel Santos, Tetsuya Yamazaki, Mariana Ibanez, Marco Vanucci, Ebru Simsek, Kevin McClellan
Interior Design: ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS
Engineering: ANT YAPI
General Contractor: ANT YAPI
Facade Contractors: FIBROBETON / SCHUECO-AYGUN ALUMINUM / SINERJI
Lighting Engineering: SYMETRYS | LICHTPLANNER
Landscape Designer: DAN PEARSON STUDIO
Acoustic Engineering: SOUND SPACE DESIGN

all images (construction photography and computer renderings) and information courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects

The Limited Edition Z Boat by Zaha Hadid. Twelve Available, Priced At $464,511.33

American art dealer Kenny Schachter commissioned this limited edition Z Boat from Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid, with whom he has worked several times, for his ROVE projects.


above: some of the projects that Zaha Hadid has created for ROVE

Current plans are to produce the boat in a range of colors, including white, gray, and blue (though the black prototype model designed for Schachter himself will likely be the most popular).

The eight-meter vessel is fabricated of fiberglass and carbon fiber and is being built by French manufacturer Shoreteam in a very limited edition of 12, slated for availability in early 2013.


computer renderings by INKWORKSHOP LLC

Hadid’s design statement reads as follows: “The asymmetrical design is sculptural in appearance while practically affording more seating accommodations. In a sense, the bespoke boat is as much a work of art as a Cisitalia sports car in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The idea is to think of vessels and vehicles as highly individualistic expressions of art, architecture and design reflecting the edge of what is possible using the most advanced means, including materials, software systems and methods of fabrication.”



Only 12 of these are being made and the price is $464,511.33 USD or €375,000.
Pre-order yours right here.

Architect Zaha Hadid Kicks Up Her Heels, Or Lack Thereof- Again.

Architect Zaha Hadid has collaborated with Lacoste for a new line of shoes for men and women. Not her first foray into shoes, she collaborated with Melissa of Brazil to bring us her version of molded plastic shoes in September of 2008.

Her shoes for French iconic brand Lacoste are leather, unisex and have Hadid's recognizable twisting structure. The women's are available in purple or black and the men's in black or navy.




In addition, a special limited edition (850 pairs) of boots for women, shown below, will be available at select boutiques like Colette in France, beginning July 20th.




press release:
Lacoste presents a collection of shoes by architect Zaha Hadid. Born from a digital interpretation of the iconic logo of the brand, the shoes are crafted from Italian calf leather and printed in relief realized by heated metal plates. “Wrapped around the foot, these shoes adapt in an ergonomic way to the shapes of the body" explains Zaha Hadid.



ZAHA HADID FOR LACOSTE


The Zaha Hadid for Lacoste footwear collaboration began with a digitized interpretation of the iconic crocodile logo. Hadid’s research team then used this as a basis to explore a series of surfaces with repeated patterns. ‘The design expression behind the collaboration with Lacoste footwear allows the evolution of dynamic fluid grids,’ explains Hadid. ‘When wrapped around the shape of a foot, these expand and contract to negotiate and adapt to the body ergonomically. In doing so a landscape emerges, undulating and radiating as it merges seamlessly with the body.’



To achieve this tactile landscape effect, Zaha’s team designed a series of metal plates depicting the desired wave pattern. These plates were subsequently utilised to apply a combination of heat embossing and debossing techniques to the calf leather, thus rendering the topography in relief. The effect is visible on the uppers, curving around the top of the toe, and on the exterior fascia of each shoe. A similar pattern is replicated on the sole of the shoe, crafted of moulded rubber, which is designed to reflect points at which the foot naturally exerts pressure. The heel itself is the minimum depth possible in footwear construction, emphasizing the slender and streamlined profile of the design.




The shoes also feature the unique Zaha Hadid for Lacoste logo, visibly wrapped around the side of the heel and on the in-sock. The sleek and sophisticated black box which packages the product also bears an embossed version of the same logo. The shoes are unisex in design; the women’s are available in black and purple, whilst the men’s come in black and navy. A limited-edition boot version of the Zaha Hadid for LACOSTE shoe will be available exclusively at such high-end boutiques as Colette in Paris, Dover Street Market in London and 10 Corso Como in Milan in July 2009 as a preview. The main shoe line will be appearing in stores worldwide from September 2009. This exclusive collaboration will be highlighted in store by a suite of bespoke material designed to compliment and enhance the themes and colours of the project.

the above images are courtesy of Lacoste.

This is not the first time Zaha Hadid has designed shoes, in her signature style, she created a collection for the Brazil brand of plastic shoes, Melissa:



above images courtesy of dezeen.

Read all about Melissa shoes here.

Not the only Architect to get into the shoe game, United Nude is an unusual brand of shoes by architect Rem D. Koolhaas and partner, Galahad JD Clark. learn about them here.


above: the Ultra Mobius, another shoe designed by an architect.