This cultural centre, containing a museum, auditorium and multipurpose hall near the centre of Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, is arguably Zaha Hadid Architects' finest work. Surrounded by apartment blocks, the cultural centre sits at the high point of a large sloping plaza formed as a continuation of the building's architectural skin. Its curved wavelike form contains the building's various functions arranged around a giant central foyer. The structure comprises concrete beams and columns and a space frame. Vertical structural elements are absorbed by the envelope and curtain wall in order to achieve large-scale, column-free spaces, which allow the visitor to experience the interior's fluidity.
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