The Exhibition Hall, a retail concept planned in the 360° Mall in Kuwait City, will meld cultural and commerce spaces in a series of galleries reminiscent of the long passages of the souq—traditional, open-air marketplaces found in Arab cities.
OMA partners Iyad Alsaka and Rem Koolhaas teamed with Tamdeen Real Estate Co. to develop the design scheme for the department store project, which will span some 101,000 sf over three floors and feature a translucent façade to showcase the activities inside and present a glowing aspect to the street at night.
The gallery design will provide highly flexible spaces—with multifunctional partition walls with circular cut outs will accommodate transversal access—that will allow retailers easily customize their experience. Within the retail environment will be curated galleries devoted to cultural events.
The project is developed with Kuwait’s 360° Mall management, Majed Al-Sabah and Giacomo Santucci, and overseen by OMA project architect Alessandro De Santis. Construction is scheduled for the beginning of 2014 and will be completed within the same year.
For more on the project, visit: http://www.oma.com/news/2013/the-exhibition-hall,-a-new-retail-concept-in-kuwait,-by-oma.
Related Stories
Architects | Apr 10, 2017
New Bjarke Ingels documentary gives a peek behind the curtain
The movie takes a slightly darker tone than previous projects chronicling the starchitect’s rise to prominence.
Architects | Apr 4, 2017
Architect Howard Elkus dies at 78
Cofounder of Elkus Manfredi Architects, his career spanned five decades, and included a spectrum of major design projects.
Building Team | Apr 4, 2017
Dispelling five myths about post-occupancy evaluations
Many assume that post-occupancy (POE) is a clearly-defined term and concept, but the meaning of POE in practice remains wildly inconsistent.
Structural Materials | Apr 3, 2017
Best of structural steel construction: 4WTC, Fulton Center, Pterodactyl win AISC IDEAS2 Awards
The annual awards program, sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction, honors the best in structural steel design and construction.
Green | Mar 29, 2017
Copenhagen Zoo and BIG unveil yin yang-shaped panda habitat
The new habitat will sit between two existing buildings, including the Elephant House designed by Norman Foster.
Architects | Mar 28, 2017
A restroom for everyone
Restroom access affects everyone: people with medical needs or disabilities, caretakers, transgender people, parents with children of the opposite gender, and really anyone with issues or needs around privacy.
High-rise Construction | Mar 27, 2017
Density and tall buildings
CRTKL’s Maren Striker examines Europe’s desire to build upward.
Architects | Mar 9, 2017
Watch Frank Lloyd Wright and Buckminster Fuller discuss architecture in animated video shorts
Given more time, Wright wanted to rebuild the country and change the nation.
Architects | Mar 6, 2017
Demolished Frank Lloyd Wright buildings get new life with photorealistic renderings
Architect David Romero recreated the Larkin Administration Building and the Rose Pauson House with detailed, fully colored renderings.