Designed by Adjaye Associates, the Abrahamic Family House is a landmark project located in the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The center encompasses three separate houses of worship: a mosque, a church, and a synagogue, along with spaces for gathering and dialogue. First announced in 2019 following an international competition, the interfaith complex was officially inaugurated and opened to worshippers on 16th February 2023. Access to the forum and guided tours will be available to visitors from 1 March 2023.
The complex aims to become a center for learning and dialogue, inviting visitors to participate in religious services, guided tours, celebrations, and opportunities to explore faith. The dedicated houses of worship, called the Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque, His Holiness Francis Church, and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue, all feature spaces for observers.
Daily guided tours are planned to explore the 6,500 square meter complex, with tour guides showing visitors the particular design features chosen for the specific practices and traditions of each faith. Each of the houses takes the exterior shape of a cube measuring 30x30x30 meters. The dimensions render the three houses equal in volume and create visual harmony within the complex, while particular design decisions differentiate the architectural expression of each volume. A one-story plinth creates the main Forum, with the three houses of worship around it.
I believe architecture should work to enshrine the kind of world we want to live in, a world of acceptance, openness, and constant advancement. As an architect, I want to create a building that starts to rise above the notion of hierarchical difference and enhances the richness of human life. Our hope is that through these buildings that celebrate three distinct religions, people of all faiths and from across society can learn and engage in a mission of peaceful coexistence for generations to come. - Sir David Adjaye OM OBE
The complex was included in ArchDaily’s list of 23 most anticipated buildings to open in 2023, along with Studio Gang’s Museum of Natural History Expansion in New York, US and OMA’s The Buffalo AKG Art Museum. From the same list, Snøhetta’s Esbjerg Maritime Center in Denmark has already opened earlier this year.
