FINAL COMMISSION: As well as designing the award, Hadid has an impressive portfolio which includes the London Olympic Aquatics Centre (Pic cred: The Brit Awards)
FINAL COMMISSION: As well as designing the award, Hadid has an impressive portfolio which includes the London Olympic Aquatics Centre (Pic cred: The Brit Awards)

Next year’s Brit Awards statuette, which was designed by the late Dame Zaha Hadid, has been unveiled.

The British-Iraqi architect started work on the project three months before she died in March and was one of the final commissions of Hadid’s incredible career.

The project was led by Maha Kutay, Director at Zaha Hadid Design and Niamh Byrne, since Hadid personally accepted and commenced on the brief in January of this year.

BRITs Chairman Jason Iley said: “We are delighted with the finished statues. Like Zaha, they are innovative and original and have gone well beyond our expectations to create something special that will progress the Award into the future.”

Zaha’s team produced a ‘family’ of five statues, a concept that Kutay explains, “represents diversity; the family is connected by a wave of transition, they are different yet connected.”

With a career spanning four decades, Hadid redefined design in the 21st century with her ground-breaking vision. Like music, her work celebrated the creative richness and diversity of culture.

The 2017 statue both honours and adds to Hadid’s remarkable legacy. The 2017 BRIT Award winners will be rewarded with her unique creativity.

Speaking about Zaha’s vision for the statue, Kutay said: “Zaha was truly excited to be doing this. Our design expresses Zaha’s unwavering belief in progress and optimism for the future and a break from the norm. The biggest challenge was to create something different within certain guidelines, yet achieving a result recognisable to the public. You have to respect the existing to create something new.”

In March this year Zaha Hadid passed away suddenly in Miami after suffering a heart attack. Hadid, widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest architects, inspired people with her powerful creations.

 A visionary with an incredible imagination she was often described as the superstar of architecture. No stranger to awards herself, her work saw her pick up some of the most prestigious design awards in the world.

The BRIT Awards 2017 with Mastercard will be broadcast live on ITV – Wednesday 22nd February from London’s O2 Arena.

Five different statues have been revealed, but only one – a depiction of Britannia with her hips to one side – will be handed out to winners at the February ceremony.

Artists Damien Hirst and Sir Peter Blake are among those to have previously designed versions of the statuette that is given to winners at the Brit Awards.