The Asian capital home to the Heydar Aliyev Center, designed by Zaha Hadid, is Baku.
The center is a major cultural complex in Baku, Azerbaijan, named after Heydar Aliyev, the country’s former Communist-era leader and president. Zaha Hadid Architects won the design competition in 2007, and the building officially opened in 2012.
Its flowing white shell, sweeping curves, and lack of conventional sharp corners make it one of Baku’s best-known modern landmarks. The complex contains exhibition galleries, a museum, conference facilities, and a 1,000-seat auditorium.
A common mix-up is confusing Baku with Tbilisi or Yerevan, neighboring South Caucasian capitals. The center’s name refers to an Azerbaijani political figure, while its architect was the Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, not an Azerbaijani designer.