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'Architecture of Possibility: Zaha Hadid Architects'

An investigative exhibition at MOCAUP Shenzhen

Presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning (MOCAUP) in Shenzhen until 10th April 2026, the Architecture of Possibility: Zaha Hadid Architects exhibition charts the evolution of the studio’s pioneering work over recent decades.

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) redefined architecture for the 21st century with a repertoire of projects that have captured imaginations across the globe. Architecture of Possibility examines a series of chronological and thematic narratives that showcase ZHA’s multidisciplinary research and design methodologies.

Zaha Hadid first visited China in 1981, travelling south from Beijing throughout the country to Guangzhou and Hong Kong. This immersive exhibition investigates the Greater Bay Area’s remarkable transformation as the world’s most dynamic region, detailing ZHA’s long-standing commitment to China over five decades of contributions to the development of the country’s architecture and urbanism.

An industry leader across the globe for half a century, ZHA’s ongoing advancement of architectural design through research, technology and invention mirrors the Greater Bay Area’s position as a centre of excellence for innovation, connectivity and sustainability. With over 25 built and ongoing projects in the region—including more than 15 buildings currently under construction—ZHA's work demonstrates the practice’s longstanding engagement with the region’s dynamic cultural environment to develop the smart sustainable cities of tomorrow.

Mathematicians equate the fluid geometries of ZHA’s architecture to the beauty and coherence evident within the natural world’s systems and structures—but beyond the mathematical formulas and equations, the expressive fluidity within ZHA’s architecture engages the senses and captures the eye. For all their mystification of forms and remarkable ability to evoke our emotions, ZHA’s buildings remain clearly organized and intuitive to navigate.

Encompassing award-winning architecture throughout the Greater Bay Area that has been acknowledged across the globe for its virtuosity and has redefined our concepts of form and space, ZHA’s works in the region include the new Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum, The Henderson tower in Hong Kong, and Morpheus Hotel in Macau. Continuing this trajectory into the future, ZHA’s seminal designs for the Shenzhen Institute for Financial Technology, Tower C at Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base, and the High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus Development in Hong Kong are currently in development.

Enriching the cultural fabric of a city and providing gathering places that anchor our sense of identity and civic pride, ZHA’s projects such as the new Greater Bay Area Sports Centre in Guangzhou and GO PARK Sai Sha in Hong Kong embody the spirit and aspirations of their communities, while the upcoming Yidan Center for the Chen Yidan Foundation will create a nurturing environment for lifelong learning.

Exploring the evolution of ZHA’s architecture, the exhibition examines the studio’s pioneering advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), immersive and interactive design, and virtual spaces that are integral to ZHA’s rapidly evolving design ecosystem.

Collaborative research with world leaders in AI computing plays an important role in the development of ZHA’s work. The analytical power, speed and precision of AI, machine learning and data-driven digital technologies are enabling ZHA to explore myriad permutations of complex geometrical, environmental and behavioural models which inform design decisions and liberate creativity. The practice continues to develop these AI applications, offering exponential opportunities to enrich the firm’s architecture and urbanism.

Cyberspaces and metaverse environments are sophisticated digital platforms using state-of-the-art video gaming technologies enabling the virtual exploration and configuration of space. These advanced digital tools integrate 3D computer models of ZHA’s projects with virtual reality (VR), enabling architects to be immersed within the spaces they are designing and walk-through design proposals in VR and in real-time with clients, stakeholders and end-users.

Investigating ZHA’s development of these new technologies that are transforming the work of 21st century architects, five zones within the exhibition (“ZHA City: Greater Bay Area District”, “Metrotopia”, “Brainstorming”, “Interactive Plan Configurator”, and “Exhibition Digital Twin”) present the studio’s explorations of cybernetic architecture that is rapidly enhancing our interactions between the physical and virtual worlds.

Robotics and Digital Fabrication (RDF) techniques and the use of Architectural Geometries (AG) are changing how we design and construct. ZHA’s RDF research presented within the exhibition showcase the practices’ collaborations creating digital design models that are in constant dialogue with agile industrial robots to perform precise fabrication processes.

Architecture of Possibility: Zaha Hadid Architects

MOCAUP Shenzhen 184 Fuzhong Road, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, China
Until 10th April 2026 (Tues – Sun 10am – 6pm)

Image & Data Download

We are grateful for the kind support of:
Institutional Partners: UK Government, RIBA

This exhibition has been made possible through the generous contribution of our sponsors:
Exhibition Partners: NorthGlass, Far East Façade
Diamond Sponsors: Sun Hung Kai Properties
Platinum Sponsors: Moorgen, RFR Asia, Shenyang Yuanda Aluminium Industry Engineering Co.,Ltd, SPES, SYP Glass
Gold Sponsors: Trip.com Group, G&M Engineering Co., Limited, Jangho, Symbol
Silver Sponsors: Poly South China Holdings Co., Ltd, Keim Paints, Wuhan Lingyun BuildingDecoration Engineering Co., LTD., Jiangsu Huiquan
Bronze Sponsors: Catia – Dessault Systemes, Lasvit, Nagami

We acknowledge with appreciation the technical support of:
Exhibition Installation and Logistic: Top Space
Model Production: JYD, COSMOS, Gaojie Model
Lighting: ERCO
LED Support: Unilumin
AV Support: Yuanyi Ruibo Technology
IT Support: Global Data
Printing: Bee Exhibition
Modular Furniture: Matsu
Seating Collaboration: Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Film Making: Morean gmbh
Event Space Lighting Control: Lutron

Host: Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning (MOCAUP)
Organiser: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
Exhibition Design: Zaha Hadid Architects
Co-Curators: MOCAUP and ZHA

Zaha Hadid Architects
Principal: Patrik Schumacher
Exhibition Design Team: Alex Turner, Amelie Yizhou Liu, Baris Erdincer, Daria Zolotareva, Gizem Dogan, Haohao Chen, Henry Virgin, Huiyuan Li, Jillian Nishi, Juan Liu, Julian Lin, Lida Zhang, Lu Tan, Manon Janssens, Maria Eisl, Ningxin Zheng, Satoshi Ohashi, Shao-wei Huang, Shreya Chatterjee, Shuya Yang, Simon Yu, Veronica Erspamer, Woody Yao, Xuexin Duan, Yang Jingwen, Ziming He, and Ziyan Xu
Contribution and Support: Armando Solano, Bianca Cheung, Clemens Lindner, Congyue Wang, Ed Gaskin, Elena Castaldi, Feifei Fan, Jingsi Tian, Jinqi Huang, Kaloyan Erevinov, Karina Linnsen, Kelvin Ma, Lydia Kim, Marisa Udeozo, Nan Jiang, Rongzi Chen, Rui Li, Sara Klomps, Tingyu Wang, Yanran Lu, Ye Chela Deng, Yevgeniya Pozigun, and Xiaoyu Zhang
Press: Emma Hawes, Hannah Slater, Malin Berden, Yerosha Windrich, Rikki Jhaveri, Amy Gabriel, and Roger Howie

Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning
Director: Yan Weixin
Executive Director: Yang Kun
Exhibition Liaison: Li Kechun, Sang Hui
Exhibition Coordinator: Liao Danyu , Zan Wenhao
Execution: An Haoer, Cheng Yan, Chen Sirui, Deng Tianlin, Hei Chenshuang, Lin Yutong, Ke Zhihong, Suo Huaqiao, Tao Xin, Xue Xintian, Zhang Hang, Zhang Wenqiao,  Zhang Yun
Press Coordinator: Li Xiaoyu, Liu Xi, Liu Hongyuan
Filming: Niu Niu
MOCAUP Staffs: Cao Yanyue, Cao Longying, Deng Yapei, Huang Yuyuan, Han Chenggang, Lin Bin, Lin Yishan, Liu Jiangwei, Sun Lin, Sun Baoping, Suo Mengqian, Wang Ling, Wen Jiayi, Xu Zixian, Yang Yan, Yan Yulan, Zhou Ning, Zhang Junrong
Acknowledgment: Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Futian District, Shenzhen
Cooperation Partners: Shenzhen Airlines, Shenzhen Metro, Jiangdou Culture & Technology (Shenzhen), Sunshine Media, Shum Yip Upperhills, Didi