ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS
Prototyping is a mindset
Zaha Hadid Architects London Makerspace
Mind and Hand
From Insight to Impact — Lessons from Zaha Hadid Architects
A recent visit to Zaha Hadid Architects ( (Zaha Hadid Architects) in London was deeply intriguing — not because of iconic forms alone, but because of the method behind them.
At the heart of the studio’s culture is a principle that perfectly mirrors our
FROM INSIGHT TO IMPACT mindset: Mind and Hand are the bridge.
At the MIT Media Lab, this philosophy is known as Mens et Manus — mind and hand working as one. At Zaha Hadid Architects, this idea becomes tangible in the MakerLab, where 3D printing turns bold visions into fast feedback loops. Ideas don’t wait to be finished — they are tested, iterated, and refined through making.
As Effie Nakajima put it, space is shaped through iteration.
Not by defending concepts, but by exposing them to reality early.
Prototyping as a way of thinking
Session with Patrick link @ hslu lucerne
We explored the very same principle with Patrick Link, who reminded us that prototyping is not about polish. It’s about making ideas tangible, testing assumptions, and unlocking real understanding.
We carried this learning directly into the BEAM Summit — specifically into the BRAVE NEW SPACE Lab — where prototyping became a tool for transformation rather than presentation.
At MIT in Boston, they call this approach “modeling everything.”
Because the path of building is the path of thinking.
Why we prototype
Whether in workshops, studios, or site visits, one thing becomes clear:
We don’t prototype because we have the answer.
We prototype to find better questions.
This is the essence of BRAVE NEW SPACE.
And it’s why Mind and Hand will remain central to how we design environments where culture, collaboration, and connection can truly emerge.Mind and Hand are the bridge — to curate our
“FROM INSIGHT TO IMPACT ” process. (MIT Media Lab calls it: Mens et Manus.)
That mindset comes to life at the Zaha Hadid Architects MakerLab (London)
where 3D printing turns bold visions into fast feedback loops —
shaping space through iteration.(Effie Nakajima)
Protoype @Zaha Hadid Architects London
Philipp Kirnbauer , London May 25
