The Yas Hotel / Asymptote

Dec 2009

Uploaded by David Basulto — Filed under: Featured ,Hotels and Restaurants ,Selected , Abu Dhabi, AD Project Insights, Asymptote Architecture, UAE

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© Asymptote: Hani Rashid + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Architect: Asymptote - Hani Rashid + Lise Anne Couture
Client: Aldar Properties PJSC
Size: 85,000 sqm
Start: November 2007
Completion: October 2009
Photography: © Asymptote: Hani Rashid + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

The Yas Hotel, a 500-room, 85,000-square-meter complex, is one of the main architectural features of the ambitious 36-billion-dollar Yas Marina development and accompanying Formula 1 raceway circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Asymptote envisioned an architectural landmark embodying various key influences and inspirations ranging from the aesthetics and forms associated with speed, movement and spectacle to the artistry and geometries forming the basis of ancient Islamic art and craft traditions.

Of architectural and engineering significance is the main feature of the project’s design, a 217-meter expanse of sweeping, curvilinear forms constructed of steel and 5,800 pivoting diamond-shaped glass panels. This Grid-Shell component affords the building an architecture comprised of an atmospheric-like veil that contains two hotel towers and a link bridge constructed as a monocoque sculpted steel object passing above the Formula 1 track that makes its way through the building complex. The Grid-Shell visually connects and fuses the entire complex together while producing optical effects and spectral reflections that play against the surrounding sky, sea and desert landscape. The architecture as a whole “performs” as both an environmentally responsive solution as well as an architecture of spectacle and event. The entire jewel-like composition of the project responds visually and tectonically to its environment to create a distinct and powerful sense of place as well as a breathtaking backdrop to the Formula 1 and other events that the building will celebrate. The Yas Hotel is designed to be a significant landmark destination on Yas Island for Abu Dhabi and the UAE at large.

Facade detail © Asymptote: Hani Rashid + Lise Anne Couture

Products in this project

Lighting, Heating, Home/building automation: Enfis, Cooper Lightning and Safety, e:cue

Lighting: LEDs by Enfis
Lighting: Luminaires by Cooper Lightning and Safety
Lighning: Controls by e:cue

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture, Courtesy of Bjorn Moerman

: Skin © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture

: Long section © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture

: Elevation © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture

: Facade detail © Asymptote: Hani Rashi + Lise Anne Couture

About David Basulto: Graduate Architect. Co Founder and Executive Editor of ArchDaily.com. Architecture geek.

Cite:
Basulto , David . "The Yas Hotel / Asymptote" 10 Dec 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed 07 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/43336>

Comments (59)
Tweets (5)
Links to this entry (15)

aa says:

Iiiiiiii don’t know…mh. Flashy? Yes. Relevant? Not sure. This only demonstrates that they’ll do anything ($) to show-off. And what’s up with that restaurant? I’d hate hate to have dinner there!

# December 10, 2009 at 07:29

N!CK says:

A death city in 20 years

# December 10, 2009 at 07:57

Mookie Wilson says:

A death city in 20 weeks….

# December 10, 2009 at 11:01

peter says:

Good one guys! I would seriously rather people with this sort of comentary not bother and go play your little puter games because I for one am sick of it!

this part of the world seriously needs to do what they are doing to be viable in the next century. If they don’t do this now, when the west is still oil dependant then they will forever be a region in 3rd world status. It is also worth noting that although sometimes overthetop this region as well as china and other countries seem to be the ones exploring environmental building design ideas in a large and inovative way!

# December 16, 2009 at 04:53

further south Korea urbanised in close to 30 years I think roughly 40 million people ?? in a tiny peninsula of land, not all the buildings are great actually very few, however the city is amazing and evolving continuously, this is the posible future for this middle east region but hopfully even better.

peter

# December 16, 2009 at 04:59

David says:

Are there any plans available? It looked really amazing watching the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with the LED lights changing colour.

# December 10, 2009 at 08:25

Rembo says:

Rembo says “holy wow!” Flashy or not, and no matter where this is, that gridshell is an architectural tour de force. Just think of the coordination required to get that built – never seen anything like it at that scale. This gets a “yaaaaarrrr!”

# December 10, 2009 at 09:16

B.EID says:

although the buildings demonstrates the highest tech in design, construction, lighting, …. and it is really impressive
but my only concern is, what kind of view I people get when staying in a room , covered with this this glazed screen?

# December 10, 2009 at 09:21

Wing says:

agree!!

# January 10, 2010 at 06:58

ajay ghai(india) says:

i agree with u b.eid but we doesn’t even know in past time that we will live in concrete structure..

# February 14, 2011 at 00:11

lisa says:

it’s like those light nets my dad puts on the bushes out side his house for Christmas. so what is the architecture? the shell? the hotel? the location of the race track?

# December 10, 2009 at 09:49

jim-0 says:

is mtv now pimping my hotel? i wonder who the host is?

# December 10, 2009 at 09:51

WSBY says:

magnificent

# December 10, 2009 at 09:54

hmm says:

The cool looking skin serves no function basically other than
visual

# December 10, 2009 at 10:05

M says:

So?

Aesthetics are functional as well.

# December 10, 2009 at 10:29

jabba says:

well it serves the function of catching all the heat available, doesn´t it, … why would you build a glass house screen in Abu Dhabi? If it would be a different material and provide shade, I would understand it, but it looks like you will have to turn aircondition a little bit higher because of the screen? I m no expert though… ;)

# December 10, 2009 at 11:29

Kevin Church says:

Also, I should make this a Design Fetish post but I want to share it RIGHT NOW: http://is.gd/5iHnF OMG YOU GUYS

# December 10, 2009 at 17:35

timothy says:

why do “avant-garde” buildings look so much the same lately? Hmmm, maybe everybody is doing the same after all?

# December 10, 2009 at 18:30

anon says:

Everytime I see their work all I can think about is their use of indentured servitude to do their work. The architectural profession is despicable for its applauding and support for work of firms who promote this kind of unethical behavior in the profession. Its the perpetuation of this practice that prevents the rise in architectural salaries and creates an atmosphere of elitism. You don’t see people going to work for Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, or GE for free.

# December 10, 2009 at 18:52

tony d says:

it doesn’t help that a lot of these firms are not built upon an actual business plan that can sustain itself…. it’s a lot of old rich funding their own hobby in which kids do the work

# December 10, 2009 at 19:29

Angel says:

Yeah, Asymptote uses a lot of unpaid interns. All the time, for all projects. These two priciples are shameless. Lisa paid some intern before. But no more. Such a bi_tch and di_ck.

# December 11, 2009 at 02:02

Mo says:

alongside the Formula1 track!

# December 10, 2009 at 22:05

moop says:

The design is executed very well.

I’m not too sure about the previous comment of unethical behavior and elitism. To me, architecture is about the work, not about who did it or what car the architect drives. I know elitism exist in our profession, but I just choose to ignore that kind of stuff. If I’m an elitist, then whatever, I just want to go on my drawing table and make good design…

# December 11, 2009 at 01:06

DCHa says:

Having worked on this project I can reassure you unpaid interns were not involved. At asymptote interns, paid and unpaid, are only involved in competition work for the most part. The 30+ staff I worked with in new York and Abu dhabi were pros as are tHani and Lise Anne. I can say having worked for other ‘star’ firms this is one of the most ethical and upstanding by far.

# December 11, 2009 at 03:04

sammy says:

so, the bar just set really low then.

# December 11, 2009 at 15:49

himun says:

i am confused.is it really needed in the name of architecture? why all are doing so big,so costly things?

# December 11, 2009 at 08:17

Ronny Nunez says:

I’m wondering if you would personally refuse a load of money from any of those petroleum kings to do “big” and “flashy”? when opportunities like this arrive we can surely leave our theoric depth aside for a little while and sell the crap out of ourselves.

We are always complaining about short budgets, ignorant clients, wrong or right design philosophies… the list could go on forever. Can’t we just sit and understand that money DOES HAVE TO DO WITH ARCHITECTURE, for once? Most of you make me think we’re some kind of pseudo-superheroe doing design-charity all over the world.

Cheers.

# December 11, 2009 at 13:09

Al says:

The shell looks like slime :)
Why it?
Some good pictures, still

# December 11, 2009 at 15:34

Stan says:

I can see one very old tradition comming back in architecture with the greatest strenght ever: FACADISM….I mean nothing against…but wrapping an absolutely simple and rational plans ( two ellypses in this case) with a highly tecnological glass skin, which basically is just there for its own formalistic sake,is not something that could be called a great architectural creation.
“Les concepts sont morts, vivent les BUBBLES”.

# December 12, 2009 at 08:39

shadi osyli says:

nothing interesting without the cool looking nonfunctional shell, & it’s block the transparency of some windows !!!

# December 12, 2009 at 13:59

Oh please use your brain (you seem to be indicating you have one?) and research a little more! the skin is very functional!

# December 16, 2009 at 04:39

martin says:

This is an architectural wank no matter what. The skin serves no purpose whatsoever, the form doesn’t relate to anything in its context and the whole thing is helplessly useless. Looks like the work of a first-year student! Shame…

# December 28, 2009 at 14:39

peter .f says:

martin, if you did your ‘research’ you might know that there is an interesting video that explains the whole scheme ….and no I am not going to post the link for you… but maybe it might be educational and worth your while to find things out before you start typing away!

# December 30, 2009 at 23:10

skl says:

I think this is a rather cleaver way to make an iconic exterior without messing up hotel functions.

I worked on some big casino hotels and the client would change their mind every week on overall hotel footprint, individual room sizes, and room type mix like how many x type of rooms to be located on floor y and face to view z. If you try to tie the exterior form to the hotel function and room modules, you either end up designing big bars (which is fine) or you broke yourself (plus consultants) along with client’s budget and time frame and you got fired.

Not every building has to be a great architecture creation. A hotel has to attract travelers as well as make profit to the developer/investors. When you spend half a billion on a building, what you care the most is how fast your investment returned and how much profit, to that point, this project is great enough.

# December 14, 2009 at 20:10

thomas says:

I won’t argue on the unethical aspect of the project, but I’m surpised, as someone mentioned it earlier, that there is no view of the hotel rooms or interior spaces as a matter of fact. With such a specatular envelope, it’s kind of frustrating, if not worrying, to have no idea of the consequences of the structure, the light given by the skin through the windows… on the inner spaces of the project.

# December 15, 2009 at 11:17

I would like to have seen more info on that also

# December 28, 2009 at 18:37

SuperMacro says:

it would be best if those glass are solar panels..

# December 16, 2009 at 02:11

interesting… that is an idea that I am currently working on and yes it offers great potential. A student of mine also used solar cladding on a hybrid bus to assist with generating power.

# December 16, 2009 at 17:04

roger says:

Does it only have one nut?

# December 17, 2009 at 18:26

Modern Zen Architecture says:

Like anything cutting edge, there will be some that vehemently oppose to this type of design. I think only when you consider all variables: form & function, usability, “wow” factor, I can see how this project made if past the drawing board. Risk takers reap the rewards. I imagine the nay sayers in this project; ultra- conservatives living in their boxy homes, with no cable, no internet access, yadi, yadi, yah…

# December 18, 2009 at 04:30

mr gaga says:

great tech and light use. but volumetric seams a bit borred because horizontality are not articulated with the curve cover.

# December 22, 2009 at 16:58

alan says:

Nice renders !

# December 26, 2009 at 04:24

janardan says:

hey i just wnt to whats yhe function of the external laminating shell that has been applied on this building?

# December 27, 2009 at 15:33

Rembo wants to know why the design team is not credited!! Surely, Rashid and Couture didn’t build this thing with their own two hands. They credit some obscure photographer but not their staff nor list their consultants?

Perhaps this speaks to ego, or ignorance, or even better – inexperience at this level of the game. It seems those that spread the love earn a lot more respect in the end.

# December 30, 2009 at 10:49

I agree with you Rembo to a point however as often is the case the architects have not been credited at all in several building and marketing videos which I find continually disturbing.

# December 30, 2009 at 23:15

john says:

this building looks like the esplanade in singapore, doesn’t it??

# December 30, 2009 at 11:47

rmissin says:

Stunning building, I wouldn’t like to be the window cleaner tho’ ;o)

Could anyone point me to more black and white plans/blueprints for this building?
I’m needing more details/viewing angles for a 3d project I’m working on. I have the 5 posted here, but could do with more views. Are these available any where ?

rmissin at fastmail.co.uk

Many Thanks

# February 10, 2010 at 12:52

Chiaro Scuro says:

Really????

# March 3, 2010 at 11:25

WiBu says:

More like façade of the year.

Just goes to show that in the minds of the masses, this stuff works. Shame.

# March 3, 2010 at 11:54

M91 says:

Absolutely stunning building. I had the privilege of spending a day on the site during construction and hearing about engineering behind the shroud was fascinating. The fact that the whole thing is separate from the building and held up at just 6 points makes it such an amazing accomplishment. Flashy? Yes, but why shouldn’t it be? I think its a great approach to shading the building

# March 3, 2010 at 13:46

brooke says:

thought it was amazing when i saw formula 1 on tv last year especially nite view. love it

# March 5, 2010 at 06:44

shady sydes says:

this is completely retarded. god help us

# March 11, 2010 at 16:59

Rob says:

To all of those who are against it…I was part of the design and branding team for The Yas Hotel and the Gridshell itself was a gift from one of the Sheikhs and it is an incredible piece of architectural design…architecture of this type (by Asymptote) DOES look the same because they use the same principles in all their designs…the ‘asymptote’…a mathematical sequence that creates endless shapes…it’s particularly prevalent at the moment which is why someone said they all look the same…well they don’t, it’s just that Asymptote Architecture is popular at the moment and Lise is the pioneer and therefore used very frequently for projects all over the world.

# May 14, 2010 at 04:09

vahid sheikhloi iran says:

it is only think!

# November 15, 2010 at 09:53

narges says:

hi,
I find your website.
I need to have hotel yas plans to complete my project at university. thank you.

# November 25, 2010 at 05:58

Harry says:

Splendid

# January 16, 2011 at 07:02

tian gujing says:

what a great and imaginative design

# January 28, 2011 at 07:36

Viktor says:

that is look like Fuksas’s Surface but in more original way)

# February 11, 2011 at 20:48

alaa dalleh says:

It is more to architecture than just the outside appearance of the building,Interior design is a huge part of why people find it so beautiful.the outside is the part that initially grabs the attention but the interior is what makes the building memorable and functional.

# October 7, 2011 at 05:01

5:17 PM Nov 12th

Alex Fernández V.

waiting for the end of the @formula1 > http://www.archdaily.com/43336/the-yas-hotel-asymptote/ @ASYmptote_

5:04 PM Dec 2nd

denisenko olga

The Yas Hotel / Asymptote | ArchDaily http://t.co/RRLiEQJ via @archdaily

12:24 PM Feb 12th

ikkairi

The Yas Hotel / Asymptote | ArchDaily http://t.co/Cw52Asf via @archdaily

7:28 PM Apr 14th

sharwe