Structure - HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER - Cultural Center

MERO double-curved space frame structure supporting solid external and internal
envelope: MERO KK system (Fabricated by MERO-TSK Germany) made of solid steel ball
nodes and CHS members.
Nodes with diameter between 110 and 350 mm and up to 16 threaded holes in different
directions. Due to double-curved geometry all nodes and members are different and
individually produced. Members with diameter from 60.3 to 273 mm automatically
prefabricated of steel cones, CHS pipes, threaded bolts and sleeves, up to 4.5 m long.
All node and tube connections assembled on site without any welding. To achieve high
corrosion protection all parts are galvanized and coated in accordance with DIN EN ISO
12944.
All Items are under strict MERO quality control in accordance with DIN ISO 9001 and ISO
14001.
Curved boot columns at ground level connection points enable inverse peel of solid
external skin on the west side of the building from the plaza floor surface. MERO
Additional framing construction: In situ concrete sheer walls and floors, steel floors.
External skin ( HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER ): Solid external skin: Fiberglass reinforced
polyester rain screen cladding panels to roof higher than datum at approximately 3 m above
ground level. Arabian Profile. Color match with off-white fiberglass reinforced concrete
panels achieved by using a gelcoat layer with special mixture for visible faces. Sheen,
sparkle, and texture to match fiberglass reinforced concrete panels. 120 mm returns on all
edges. 50 mm wide primary joints between panels, allowing access to fixings, with 15 mm
wide transverse joints.
Support structure for external skin panels: Curved primary transverse steel tubes with rod
connections to space frame. Secondary longitudinal steel tubes spanning between
primaries and supporting rain screen panels. Weatherproofing: Prefabricated trays
comprising U-profile purlins fixed to space frame stools supporting trapezoidal metal decks
supporting rigid insulation boards with weatherproof membranes above and self-adhesive
vapor barriers below. Roof drainage: Weirs in weatherproofing below roof rain screen
discharging into downpipes.
Access and maintenance system: Solid external envelope: cherry pickers, safety point
hooks in 50 mm gaps between panels at approx. 3 m centers, with rappelling strategy for
steepest surfaces. Glass curtain walling: Unitized structurally bonded fixed glazing with split
mullions and transoms, adaptor frames, and vertical cover profiles. Suspension points at
tops of units.
Insulating glass units with combined solar-control coating and low-e coating on the outer
panes. Inner and outer panes contain fully tempered safety glass. Outer pane: laminated
glass with polyvinyl butyral laminate, either standard PVB laminate for medium acoustic
requirements or with noise-control foil. 2-pane insulated glass units comprise laminated
glass with 2 panes 6 mm tempered glass externally. Glass heat soak tested to EN 14179,
combined solar-control coating and low-e coating on face 2. 16 mm air cavity with highly
insulating spacer, stainless steel spacer, or comparable. 8 mm tempered glass to inside
heat soak tested to EN 14179.
Acoustic insulation: max. Rcwtr = 41 dB required for glazing.

The insulated glass units allow and guarantee for a deflection of the glass panel edge of up
to L /150 (approx. 25 mm over a length of 4 m). Deflection in the middle of panes with
supports along all edges not limited to a certain value.
Structural silicone seals to inner and outer panes of insulating glass units.
Mullions and transoms aluminum extruded rectangular/ polygonal sections to outside.
Mullions and transoms:
Curved glass panels around museum / tunnel elevation: tempered outer pane, with enamel
frit at the edges to cover the spacer bonding, with bendable and temperable solar-control
coating.

Project HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER.

Architect Zaha Hadid Architects.
Design Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher with Saffet Kaya Bekiroglu.
Project Architect Saffet Kaya Bekiroglu
Project Team Sara Sheikh Akbari, Shiqi Li, Phil Soo Kim, Marc Boles, Yelda Gin, Liat Muller,
Deniz Manisali, Lillie Liu, Jose Lemos, Simone Fuchs, Jose Ramon Tramoyeres, Yu Du,
Tahmina Parvin, Erhan Patat, Fadi Mansour, Jaime Bartolome, Josef Glas, Michael Grau,
Deepti Zachariah, Ceyhun Baskin, Daniel Widrig, Special thanks to Charles Walker

HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER FACTS AND FIGURES

Project name Heydar Aliyev Center
Location Baku, Azerbaijan
Start of project September 2007
Completion May 10, 2012
Client The Republic of Azerbaijan
Program Mixed-use cultural center
Procurement Design-build
Total floor area 101,801 m2
Site area 111,292 m2
Auditorium capacity 1,000
Unique fiberglass reinforced polyester panels 13,000 (40,000 m2)
Fiberglass reinforced concrete panels 3,150 (10,000 m2) GRC panels Fiberglass reinforced
polyester panel production Max 70 unique panels per day Museum space frame 12,569
Members / 3,266 Nodes Auditorium space frame 17,269 Members /4,513 Nodes Total
surface space frame area approx. 33,000 m2 Internal skin fixing plates 70,000 Surface area
of inner skin Over 22,000 m2 Metal deck roof purlins at tender stage 3,607total length

10,092m Metal roof deck trays at tender stage 3,936total area 26,853 m2 Roof area
39,000 m2

The Heydar Aliyev Center is a 619,000-square-foot building complex in Baku, Azerbaijan designed
by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid and noted for its distinctive architecture and flowing, curved
style that eschews sharp angles.[1] The center is named for Heydar Aliyev, the leader of Soviet-era
Azerbaijan from 1969 to 1982, and president of Azerbaijan from October 1993 to October 2003.

Design[edit]

The Center on a 20-qapik stamp for the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Baku

The Center houses a conference hall (auditorium), a gallery hall and a museum. The project is
intended to play an integral role in the intellectual life of the city. Located close to the city center, the
site plays a pivotal role in the redevelopment of Baku.
The Heydar Aliyev Center represents a fluid form which emerges by the folding of the landscapes
natural topography and by the wrapping of individual functions of the Center. All functions of the
Center, together with entrances, are represented by folds in a single continuous surface. This fluid
form gives an opportunity to connect the various cultural spaces whilst at the same time, providing
each element of the Center with its own identity and privacy. As it folds inside, the skin erodes away
to become an element of the interior landscape of the Center.[2]
Heydar Aliyev Center had an official soft-opening ceremony on 10 May 2012 held by current
president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.[3]
An internationally recognized architectural work, the building of the Heydar Aliyev Center has
become a signature landmark of modern Baku due to its innovative and cutting-edge design. The

building was nominated for awards in 2013 at both the World Architecture Festival and the biennial
Inside Festival.[4]
In 2014, Centre won the Design Museums Design of the Year Award 2014 despite concerns about
the site's human rights record.[5][6] This makes Zaha Hadid the first woman to win the top prize in that
competition.[7]

In popular culture[edit]
The building was featured in Extreme Engineering, a documentary television series that airs on
the Discovery Channel and the Science Channel. The episode called "Azerbaijan's Amazing
Transformation" was aired on April 22, 2011 as part of Season 9.

Ongoing activities[edit]
On June 29, 2012, the Heydar Aliyev Center held the official opening of Crans Montana Forum,
attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili, President
of Macedonia Georgi Ivanov, President of Montenegro Filip Vujanovic, as well as foreign public
figures, MPs, intellectuals, and business circles.[8]
On July 3, 2012, the Center held the ceremony of the official seeing-off of the Azerbaijani delegation
to take part in the XXX Summer Olympic Games in London. The ceremony was attended by the
President Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the National Olympic Committee Ilham Aliyev and his
spouse Mehriban Aliyeva. Photo banners reflecting the Olympic movement in Azerbaijan were
installed in the lobby of the Heydar Aliyev Center. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made a
speech at the ceremony.
On Nov. 2 and 3, 2013, Moscow music theater Helikon-Opera under the direction of People's Artist
of Russia Dmitry Bertmann presented performances at the Heydar Aliyev Center. On Nov. 2, the
Helikon-Opera presented a gala concert The Enduring Love, a program that included lyric songs
by Marilyn Monroe, Tina Turner, Elton John, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, The Beatles, with All
You Need is Love, I believe in Love,Je Suis Malade, Only You, Lady in Red, Love me Tender
performed. On Nov.3, the artists of the theater performed the opera Siberia by the Italian composer
Umberto Giordano staged by Dmitry Bertmann. The opera narrates the story of love between two
young people, which starts at brilliant imperial St. Petersburg and ends tragically in hard labor in
Siberia.[9]

Exhibitions[edit]
Life, Death, and Beauty[edit]
On June 21, 2013, the Center held the opening of the exhibition of works by American artist Andy
Warhol titled Life, Death, and Beauty supervised by Gianni Mercurio, dated for the 85th anniversary

of the artist. The exhibition, taking place first ever in Azerbaijan, displayed over one hundred works
by the artist, including featurettes by Warhol [15]. There were shown photos of the author, portraits of
the world film, music, and fashion stars, as well as other world-renowned works, with "Flowers"
"Camouflage", The Last Supper, Male Hands Praying, Electric Chair, etc. On August 6, the
artist's birthday, Baku residents and visitors could freely visit the exhibition, which ran till September
9.[10]
At the turn of the century[edit]
On October 1, 2013, the Heydar Aliyev Center held a personal exhibition of the People's Artist of
Azerbaijan, vice- president of the Russian Academy of Arts Tahir Salakhov titled At the turn of the
century. The exhibition was dated for the 85th anniversary of the artist. His great contribution to the
development of the Azerbaijani fine art was highlighted at the exhibition opening. The artistic
heritage of Tahir Salakhov is an integral part of the art of not only Azerbaijan, but also the entire
former Soviet Union. He is recognized as one of the founders of the severe style in painting. The
exhibition featured over 100 works by the artist, created at different times, and his works on the
carpets. There are portraits of Heydar Aliyev, the composer Gara Garayev and Dmitri Shostakovich,
the musician Mstislav Rostropovich, the works Aidan, Morning. Absheron,Koroglu, Absheron
triptych Atyashgyah, The Caspian today, Maiden Tower, and other well-known works of the
peoples artist. The exhibition ran till November 8.[11]

Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, Baku

Location:Baku
Architects:Zaha Hadid, London
Client:DIA Holding, Istanbul
Near the center of the Azerbaijanian capital Baku, on the Caspian Sea, one of the most distinctive buildings of the
country was installed. In memory to his deceased father, the late President Heydar Aliyev, President Ilham Aliyev has
initiated the construction of a superlative cultural centre.

The futuristic design was developed by famous London architect Zaha Hadid and unmistakably bears her signature in
form and style. The supporting structure of the building envelope is a MERO KK ball node system.
In comparison to the originally projected steel structure, this type of construction has many advantages for the design,
production and above all for the erection, all complicated by this very sophisticated geometry.

The visible cladding consists of fibre-glass reinforced concrete slabs which are not part of MERO-TSK's work.
The Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center houses three concert and conference halls of varying dimensions, a library,
restaurants and a museum. The surrounding urban complex will feature hotels, office buildings, shopping malls and
generously dimensioned outdoor facilities.

This project is an impressive example of the economical benefits derived from using a MERO space frame structure
for the realization of extremely complex roof constructions.