A new art house will be OMA’s first foray into the United Arab Emirates.
The Rotterdam-based architecture firm Office for Metropolitan Architecture is turning four warehouses on Dubai's Alserkal Avenue into a 1,000-sm multipurpose gallery.
ArchDaily reports that the new building will connect local architects with artists and showcase intelligent design. It will feature four 8-meter moveable walls, creating spaces that will provide enough room for lectures, exhibitions, shows, and other gatherings. Full-height transparent sliding doors are also part of the design.
“The main strategy for the design of the event space is to blur the boundary between interior and exterior by bringing view and daylight into the space and extending the action and events to the public space outside," said Iyad Alsaka, OMA's MEA Partner in Charge.
Located in an industrial area, the Alserkal Avenue district contains 25 contemporary art galleries and arts spaces. OMA will separate the venue from its neighbors by wrapping its exterior in a customized concrete spray.
The gallery is being previewed this week at the Dubai Art Week and it is expected to open in the fall.
Other recent OMA art and museum projects include the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow, the Lehmann Maupin Gallery in Hong Kong, and the Fondation d'Entreprise Galeries Lafayette in Paris.
(Click photos to enlarge)
Related Stories
| Jun 25, 2014
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Spring House, Cincinnati’s Union Terminal among 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2014
The National Trust for Historic Preservation released its annual list of 11 Most Endangered Historical Sites in the United States for 2014.
| Jun 23, 2014
Gehry's 'glass sail' cultural center for Foundation Louis Vuitton set to open in October
Comissioned by Bernard Arnault, American legendary architect Frank Gehry's newest structure in Paris for Foundation Louis Vuitton will house eleven galleries and an auditorium for performing arts.
| Jun 20, 2014
HOK releases proposal for Obama Library and Museum Campus
Proposal would locate the library in Chicago's historic Bronzeville neighborhood, aiming for urban revitalization as well as Living Building certification.
| Jun 20, 2014
Sterling Bay pulled on board for Chicago Old Main Post Office project
Sterling Bay Cos. and Bill Davies' International Property Developers North America partner up for a $500 million restoration of Chicago's Old Main Post Office
| Jun 19, 2014
First look: JDS Architects' roller-coaster-like design for Istanbul waterfront development
The development's wavy and groovy design promises unobstructed views of the Marmara Sea for every unit.
| Jun 18, 2014
Six World Cup stadiums have achieved LEED certification
In conjunction with the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that six World Cup stadiums have achieved LEED certification, including South America’s largest stadium, Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.
| Jun 18, 2014
Study shows walkable urbanism has positive economic impact
Walkable communities have a higher GDP, greater wealth, and higher percentages of college grads, according to a new study by George Washington University.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 16, 2014
6 U.S. cities at the forefront of innovation districts
A new Brookings Institution study records the emergence of “competitive places that are also cool spaces.”
| Jun 13, 2014
First look: BIG's spiraling museum for watchmaker Audemars Piguet
The glass-and-steel pavilion's spiral structure acts as a storytelling device for the company's history.
