Crest by Zaha Hadid

Crest, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and supported by Meliã Hotels International, provided an engaging feature across the pool in the centre of the V&A’s John Madejski Garden. Crest was designed as a demountable sculpture to be installed as a permanent feature within the ME Hotel in Dubai, also designed by Zaha Hadid which opened in 2016. The form explored the relationships between fluid and Cartesian, solid and void, surface and structure inherent within the hotel’s design. Engineered with Buro Happold and manufactured by Litestructures, the shell-like structure was pre-stressed in order to be realised as thin as possible, assembled as a flat plate of aluminium which was then bent into shape in situ. “We envisioned creating a piece that would emerge from the pool which is the centrepiece of the space, both visually and in terms of social interaction,” explained Hadid. “Crest is intended to offer an exciting new perspective with which visitors experience the courtyard. It will multiply the movements of the water and the historic backdrop within which it is sited. It will capture the attention of visitors as they enter the space and draw them towards exploring the new quality of space created within.” Hadid’s intention for Crest was that it should complete the pool as though it was always intended to be a part of the space. The title came from the crest rising above the waves in the pool, creating a new peak and visual focal point within the courtyard. The crest was simultaneously in dialogue with the historic architectural environment as well as actively reflecting the movements within it, via the metallic surface which reflected the sky on one side and the rippling water on the underside. Supported by Melia Hotels International.