HEYDER ALIYEV CENTRE, Azerbaijan

Zaha Hadid Architects

Background
In 2013, the Heydar Aliyev Center opened to the public in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The cultural center,
designed by Zaha Hadid, has become the primary building for the nation's cultural programs, aspiring instead
to express the sensibilities of Azeri culture and the optimism of a nation that looks to the future.

This report presents a case study of the project. It will include the background information, a synopsis of the
architect's mastery of structural design. Also, some special elements of this building will be discussed in detail.
And the structural design of the whole complex will be reviewed through diagrams and the simplified
computer-based structural analysis.

The Heydar Aliyev Center

Since 1991, Azerbaijan has been working on modernizing and developing Baku’s infrastructure and architecture
in order to depart from its legacy of normative Soviet Modernism. 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. The project is located in the center of the city. And it played an extremely important role in the
development of the city. It breaks from the rigid and often monumental Soviet architecture that is so
prevalent in Baku. More importantly, it is a symbol of democratic philosophy thought. Under the influence of
the new Azerbaijan party and the Soviet Socialist Republic of Azerbaijan leader’s political and economic reform,
the center was also designed to show the potential of the country’s future cultural development, to encourage
people to study the history, language, culture, national creed and spiritual values of their own country.
DESIGN CONCEPT
The design of the Heydar Aliyev Center establishes a continuous, fluid relationship between its surrounding plaza and
the building’s interior. The plaza, as the ground surface; accessible to all as part of Baku’s urban fabric, rises to
envelop an equally public interior space and define a sequence of event spaces dedicated to the collective celebration
of contemporary and traditional Azeri culture. Elaborate formations such as undulations, bifurcations, folds, and
inflections modify this plaza surface into an architectural landscape that performs a multitude of functions:
welcoming, embracing, and directing visitors through different levels of the interior. With this gesture, the building
blurs the conventional differentiation between architectural object and urban landscape, building envelope and
urban plaza, figure and ground, interior and exterior.
SITE PLAN

West Entrance

Café Entrance Main entrance VIP Entrance

LEVEL ONE LEVEL TWO LEVEL THREE
Welcome zone

Auditorium Bar

Cafe Multipurpose hall Library Meeting room

Book store/Gift shop Auditorium Temporary Art Gallery
LEVEL FOUR LEVEL FIVE LEVEL SIX

Administration
LEVEL SEVEN LEVEL EIGHT LEVEL NINE
Structural Features
Baku, which in old Farsi means ‘where wind beats’, is subject to
high wind loads throughout the year, and as the city lies within a
seismic zone, the project’s structural engineers faced a multitude
of challenges. The freeform structure of the project derives from
the architectural design concept of modifying a single surface to
adopt different functional requirements. The aim was to create a
large column-free space giving visitors the opportunity of
experiencing the fluidity of the interior. To achieve this, vertical
elements are absorbed by the envelope and curtain wall system.
The Heydar Aliyev Centre consists of 2 structural systems: Space
Frame and concrete with a single movement joint (Figure 1 and 3 Figure 1. Structural System - Space Frame
on the following page).

Figure 3. Structural System - Overall View Figure 2. Structural System - Concrete Cores
Building Components and System
Space Frame Concrete
The space frame enables the construction of this free form Reinforced concrete is mainly used to construct shear walls as
structure while offering significant savings in time throughout the the partition to separate main spaces and to support the space
construction process. The surface geometry driven by the frame. It also used to construct the footing of the building. As
architecture, dictates the need to pursue unconventional Earthquakes are one of the biggest threats to construction in
structural solutions; the introduction of curved ‘boot columns’ to Baku, the building must be reinforced by massive 150-foot-long
achieve the inverse peel of the surface from the ground at the concrete piles buried below the Earth's surface to withstand an
west, and the cantilever beams ‘dovetails’ tapering towards the earthquake measuring up to magnitude 7.0.
free end, supporting building envelope at the east. The
substructure enables the incorporation of a flexible relationship
between the rigid structural grid of the space frame and the
free- formed exterior cladding seams which derive from complex
geometry rationalization, architectural aesthetics and usage.
Special nodes
Due to the large span of the space
frame, it is connected to the reinforced
concrete structure in addition to the
support of the columns and directly to
the foundation, in order to maintain the
stability of the structure as much as
possible. The method of maintaining
stability is to extend the steel core beam
from the reinforced concrete core tube,
fix the vertical steel member to the joist,
and connect the space frame to the joist.

As shown in the figure, the

space frame will be subjected
to a large bending moment. In
order to solve this problem and
ensure structural stability, the
structural engineer will thicken
the space grid here, from the
other parts of the single layer
into multi-layer, to provide
adequate bending resistance.
Interesting spaces in the structure

The continuous architecture contains three major

programs, including the museum, exhibition halls and
convention center, mainly composed by rigid concrete
structure grid free from external space frame with a
single movement joint. The three spaces are separated
from each other and have their own entry and security
areas. Also they share some common places under the
continuous external skin. In order to make column free
space, the certain wall and envelope serve as vertical
elements.
The convention center could be used for both convention and music performance with 1200 auditorium seats. This
section of 4 levels embraces 2 multifunctional conference halls, meeting rooms and the media center. The auditorium
is 18 meters height and spans approximately 28 meters supported by concrete shear wall around the space. To reach a
large span, the ceiling is constructed by two-way system and adopt steel space frame. As for the interial surface of
ceiling, it is created by gypsum board supported by cables to meet acoustical and lighting requirements. The first floor
and second floor have a continuous large space and transfer the self-weight to narrow reinforced concrete beams and
columns at the base. Then the loads are transferred to the pile foundation. Different sizes of cross bracing according to
the height of seats are used to resist lateral force and stiffen structure. All information is shown in the figure 4.
The multifunction hall is near the convention center which is divided into three smaller ones toward north in the
garden. The hall spans about 27 meters with a height of 10.5 meters. The ceiling of hall is constructed by steel open
web trusses which have height of 2.2 meters, which is effective and could be used to resist deflections in a given size.
There are three meeting rooms with a concrete rigid system above the hall, which transfer gravity loads to the
concrete floor slab that is approximately 0.8 meter and trusses by columns and shear wall. Then the hall transfers
loads to slab, beams and columns at the basement which has a grid and patterns system through shear walls in the
east, west and south.

The museum occupies 9 floors with exhibition halls, administrative office, restaurant and a cafeteria. It consists of a
permanent gallery and a temporary exhibition gallery. In the temporary gallery, a double-height space lobby is in the
entrance with curve ceiling in the above. It has a very thin slab of 8-13mm thickness which covers the ceiling so
they would have a very light self-weight transferring to the foundation. The ceiling is made by steel trusses of nearly
1.5 meters height that support its self-weight as well, serving as a cantilever of 25 meters and transferring loads to
the element B –the tilt shear wall with a wide of 1.4 meter. Then the loads are carried by 3.1 meters thick mat
foundation and 1.1 meter thick piles underground. The element C is a cantilever floor that spans approximately 20.4
meters supported by the tilt shear wall. In order to reach the large span, the structure could be two-way concrete
waffle slab with a height of nearly 2.2 meters. As for the basement, it is a grids patterns constructed by the concrete
flat slab and columns.
In the permanent collection gallery, the space is
divided by element B, the tilt shear wall. Element D
spans nearly 9.8 meters while element E spans 8.2
meters measuring 1.2 meter depth. This beam in turn
supports both dead loads and live loads from roof and
the floor of exhibition and then transfer forces to the
mat foundation.

The library is 8 stories seated in the north of site with

a continuous exterial building skin in the façade. The
AHU room is a large space that sits on a 1.2 meter mat
foundation spanning 21.6 meters with a height of 9
meters. The 120-mm-thick reinforced concrete slab is
supported by shear wall in four directions. The beam
in turn supports the reinforced concrete slab every 3.5
meters by 0.8 meter depth. For the AHU room embeds
in the finer grid, heavy girders are needed to carry
more loads transferred from top elements like
concrete columns, beams, slabs and trusses of the
ceiling.
Wind load

Calculating wind load using the Generic formula: F=A*P*Cd

F is the wind load, A is the area exposed to wind direction, P is the pressure, Cd is a factor
The surface area of inner skin is 22,000 square meters, we estimate one sixths is exposed to the wind’s
direction, so A equals to 3666.7 square meters. P equals to 0.00256 multiplies the quadratic of V, which stands
for local wind speed, and the number is 14mph. So we get P is 2.44 kilogram per square meters.
For a flat area, Cd is 1.4.
So we can calculate F is 3.72KN
Moment Diagram under wind load

11.046 3.092
17.289
11.0463.0924.738
25.822
17.289
19.869 11.147
4.738
29.57
25.822
19.869
29.57 11.147
13.171
13.171
6.193
6.193 1.194
1.194 0.645
0.645 4.084 6.416 43.73135.903
4.084 59.24 42.46
6.416 35.903 28.977
61.207 46.27142.46
15.509 82.89
32.23 36.619 20.304 25.8
20.304 88.393
51.38859.531
51.38859.531 49.826
62.59349.826
112.574
112.574
180.265
180.265
242.441
242.441 188.016
295.613
295.613 325.816
342.527
342.527
384.986
378.029
378.029
188.016
325.816
384.986
4.137
828.509
4.137
997.017

372.23
372.23

29.646 586.914
586.914

828.509
83.707 92.511

59.931
61.531
Shear diagram under wind load

2.7861.936
2.2722.686
2.851 1.321
2.881 0.265

0.89
0.085
0.916 0.501 1.477 1.407 6.421 6.749
3.737 19.63418.318
1.278 3.959 18.57217.526
2.912 2.334 0.955 15.614
14.174
9.804
2.037
2.022

62.34
28.107
6.245
7.262
3.78 3.934

62.209

59.954

62.663
47.633 72.771
Member axial reactions under wind load

1.85T5.823T 9.577T
2.275C 13.146T
2.689C 16.801T
2.022C3.263C
2.064C 20.501T 24.185T 27.848T 31.623T 31.24T 29.024T 32.487T 36.295T 43.789T
40.035T 53.842T
49.688T 57.761T
38.161T 45.738T
42.308T 58.661T62.891T

60.159T

31.558T28.01T
2.881C
31.628T

0.584C 73.623T
18.173C
4.841C 3.554T
39.012C

48.271C

50.581C
42.163C
Gravity

• For gravity, The construction has been used 121,000 cube meters of reinforced concrete, 194,000tn
formwork and 19,000tn mold steel. The density of reinforced concrete is 2400 kilogram per cube meters, so
we can use 2400 to multiply 121,000 to get the weight of reinforced concrete, and the number is 290,400,
000 kilogram.
• Since 1tn=907.2kg, and we already know it uses 194,000tn formwork and 19,000tn mold steel, we can
convert it to kilogram. The weight of formwork is 175,996,800kg, while the weight of mold steel is
17,236,800kg.
• Adding these three number together, we can get the total weight is 483,633,600kg, or 4739609.28KN
• The total floor area is 101,801 square meters, so we use 4739609.28 divided by 101,801 to get 46.56 kN per
square meters.
Moment diagram under gravity

3527.81
3253.639
266.723 2808.454
266.723
173.837 1790.12
173.837
770.6631153.963
770.663
1153.963
1664.964
1664.964
2101.32
2101.32 209.209 1112.871
2391.33
2391.33 209.209 274.171 247.626 972.505
2581.627 671.695
671.695
2581.627 102.561 70.831 176.795 354.918
354.918
69.317 366.583
366.583
2678.992
2678.992 978.294
978.294 513.678 69.317 116.289
411.116 116.289 140.366 1066.345
9.674
2429.826
2429.826 1796.623
1796.623 9.674
243.621 49.133495.389
495.389 1066.345
1432.468
203.52649.133
305.11
243.621
305.11203.526
1432.468
1586.669

1800.367
2778.1041800.367 746.774
746.774
960.823 1586.669
960.823

120.938

2778.104
1524.876
179.588 174.502

202.193
117.982
Shear diagram under gravity

335.193
288.862
185.928147.37
196.272 103.185
57.485 365.196
318.918
12.768

31.771
157.311
46.998 109.841
78.508 2.963 64.188
127.155 43.366 17.332
44.137
173.157
90.807 29.831 211.733
222.345 137.612 272.016
13.24 76.333
268.944 307.53
123.23269.76
294.505 167.177
173.915
13.359
12.64
15.112 7.069

354.257
Member axial reactions under gravity

3.693C
7.704C
26.693C
62.617C 10.127C
13.24C
18.129C
142.698C
23.221C
31.683C 25.843C
30.875C 12.076T 8.672T 28.483T
37.795C 22.713T 20.415T
24.5C 19.299T 17.167T 49.358T
10.724T 47.837T
41.706T
37.426T
31.442T
23.766T
7.355T

381.982C 21.822C

250.866C
125.292C

139.88C
343.777C 221.723C
315.82T 682.125C
224.78C

254.571C

334.434C
341.49C
Summary

The design of the Heydar Aliyev Center establishes a continuous, fluid relationship between its surrounding
plaza and the building’s interior. This was achieved by using an ingenious and elegant structure system, which
has two collaborating systems: a concrete structure combined with a space frame system. Because vertical
structural elements are absorbed by the envelope and curtain wall system, the large-scale column-free spaces
can allow the visitor to experience the fluidity of the interior.
Another important issue is the building’s skin. To make the surface so continuous that it appears homogenous,
a broad range of different functions, construction logics and technical systems were brought together and
integrated into the building’s envelope. It makes the building appear homogenous since different parts were
covered and connected.
From this case, by analyzing the structural system and its relation with the exterior skin, we have seen how the
structure design can better help the design concept come true.