Zaha Hadid to Design Architecture Foundation Building

Baghdad-born Zaha Hadid has won the international competition to design the Architecture Foundation's new centre for architecture to be built in Southwark Street.

A free public exhibition revealing the winning design for the £2.25 million freestanding building in Southwark from the eight-strong shortlist of diverse international talent, will run until 23 January at The Ragged School, 47 Union Street.

Tate director Sir Nicholas Serota announced the winning design at an event at The Ragged School on Wednesday night.

The foundation says that the new centre for architecture will be a place of energy, creative ideas and activity where the public can engage with the best contemporary architecture. Due to open in 2006 on the corner of Southwark Street and Great Guildford Street, the building will be the new home of the Architecture Foundation and will house exhibition space, events space, offices and a bar.

The building and the competition to design it have been made possible with sponsorship from Land Securities, the company behind the Bankside123 development being constructed on the former St Christopher House site.

It is claimed that Zaha Hadid's scheme will set the highest standard of design, creating dramatic and engaging architecture that will take The Architecture Foundation's programme and mission to a new le