Zaha Hadid Architects still wed to costly licensing agreement, UK court says

A legal ruling has disfavored Zaha Hadid Architects in their attempt to extract themselves from a licensing agreement with the Zaha Hadid Foundation that dictates the annual payment of royalty fees equal to 6% of the firm’s annual net income.

According to the first reports from British outlet The Times, “[Patrik] Schumacher said the agreement was only intended to provide Hadid with an income during her lifetime to regularise a ‘rather haphazard system of Dame Zaha claiming remuneration and expenses on an ad hoc basis’ which could lead to press scrutiny.”

The London-based practice, which is unable to exit the agreement, reported a turnover worth close to $86 million in 2023. Zaha Hadid Architects has paid a total of £21.4 million (appx. $26.5 million USD) to the foundation through the agreement since 2018.