In Abu Dhabi, a Cultural Beacon Takes Shape

"Ranging from some 240 to 400 feet high, the building's lightweight steel fins not only pay homage to falconry (a practice embedded in Emirati life for centuries) but also reinterpret the region's traditional wind towers, used to cool interiors. "The design is a tailored environmental response to Abu Dhabi's climate," says Gerard Evenden, the head of studio at Foster + Partners."

"The central atrium, which will host meetings and performances, as well as the pod-shaped galleries and research labs, are all surrounded by a mound 100 feet tall. "This approach insulates the building from solar gain, forming a protective shield that prevents heat from entering the space," explains Evenden. "It also features large overhangs to provide shade to the building's perimeter and walkways." The textured exterior is an abstraction of the topography of the Jebel Hafeet mountain range that skirts the UAE-Oman border."

Zayed National Museum officially opened December 3 on Saadiyat Island, adjacent to the Louvre outpost and the nearing-completion Guggenheim. The museum spans more than 600,000 square feet across three levels plus a basement and additional facilities and is set within gardens of local flora inspired by Sheikh Zayed's re-greening efforts, including cloud seeding and vertical farming. Lightweight steel fins, ranging from 240 to 400 feet, reference falconry and traditional wind towers while aiding natural ventilation and daylight control; air cooled through buried pipes feeds a low-level ventilation system. A central atrium, pod-shaped galleries and research labs are encircled by a 100-foot mound and shaded overhangs, and the textured exterior evokes the Jebel Hafeet topography.

Read at Architectural Digest