(2001) Zayed Heritage & Cultural Museum

client : Municipality of Al Ain
typology : Institutional
services : Architecture
where : Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Designed to house a large collection of rare mints and manuscripts relating to the history of the United Arab Emirates, this 11,500 sqm museum will contain various exhibition and educational facilities, designed to raise public awareness of the country’s heritage and traditions.

Located across the street from the Al Jimi Mall, this public institution occupies a prominent position along Selmi Street and complements various other learning institutions in Al Ain’s rapidly developing city center.

With four libraries and three seminar rooms, the museum will also serve as a special events venue with its 650-seat auditorium, equipped with simultaneous translation services and a full multi-media annex.

A fully equipped back of house gives the museum the capability of exhibiting a wide range of temporary exhibitions and maintaining optimal conservation standards.

The elevations evolved from the space planning exercise which sought to express the project parti in its arrangement of program into three categories: public services, exhibition halls and back of house functions.

Accents and contrasts in materials, as well as calm articulations of volumes, make this museum institutional in its typology yet contemporary and modern in its treatments.