Emirati Architecture

Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the United Arab Emirates and a major anchor of Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Cultural District, has opened to the public. The project was awarded to Foster + Partners following a 2007 design competition, with construction commencing the following year. Its inauguration marks a significant moment in the UAE's cultural development, coinciding with a year that saw the opening of teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, as well as the reopening of Al Ain Museum, broadening the region's institutional landscape.

Back in April 2022, Abu Dhabi unveiled the first images of a new Natural History Museum designed by the Dutch practice Mecanoo. Three years later, on November 22, 2025, the museum opened its doors to the public, presenting 13.8 billion years of science and discovery with a special focus on the Arabian region. Covering more than 35,000 sqm, the design is intended to resonate with natural rock formations. Geometry acts as the unifying theme, with pentagonal shapes referencing cellular structures. Water and vegetation, symbols of life in the desert, also play an important role in the design. Located in Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Cultural District, the building houses rare meteorites, dinosaur fossils, and reconstructions of the region's prehistoric landscapes, combining natural history, storytelling, and immersive environments. Through interactive exhibitions, special events, and community-science programmes, the museum seeks to encourage audiences of all ages to engage with the natural world.

The second round of award winners of the 2025 World Architecture Festival (WAF) has been announced, following Day Two of the world's largest international live-judged architectural event, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Florida.

Established in the UAE in 1989 by Chairman Brian Johnson and now led by Managing Director Jason Burnside, Godwin Austen Johnson draws on a British design lineage dating back to 1847 and has contributed to the development of the Middle East's built environment for over three decades. Its 110 multinational professionals, based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and the United Kingdom, work across disciplines, combining technical rigor, contextual analysis, and digital methodologies within a collaborative design process.

Urban playgrounds are evolving from simple swing sets and slides into dynamic, multi-faceted urban landscapes. These new designs are more than just places to play; they are thoughtfully integrated spaces that address urban challenges, promote community, and inspire creativity. A key trend is the intentional use of color and pattern. Designers are utilizing vibrant color zones to segment different functional areas, creating a visually dynamic experience that contrasts with natural surroundings. This approach can also be used to establish a cohesive urban identity, with thoughtful color palettes that complement the existing cityscape.

The Sharjah Architecture Triennial has announced the theme for its upcoming edition: Architecture Otherwise: Building Civic Infrastructure for Collective Futures. Scheduled for November 2026, the event will unfold across the city and the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE, through site-specific installations, exhibitions, performances, workshops, and public programs. Positioned as a platform for architectural and urban exploration across West Asia, South Asia, and the African continent, the Triennial will combine practical and theoretical approaches to contemporary urban life. Conceived by its curators, Vyjayanthi Rao and Tau Tavengwa, SAT03 aims to explore how architecture can shape collective life in regions undergoing rapid urban transformation. Consequently, selected participants will take part in month-long residencies, embedding their work within the social and cultural fabric of Sharjah.

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has unveiled images of a master plan for Khalid Bin Sultan City in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Located adjacent to its BEEAH Headquarters, the development draws inspiration from that building's design, incorporating fluid architectural forms reminiscent of wind-swept desert dunes. Planned as a design and business district, the new urban area will consist of seven residential neighbourhoods connected by shaded walkways and anchored by a two-kilometre-long central oasis.

Architecture firm HWKN has been commissioned by Al Marwan Real Estate Development to design eleven distinct buildings for a new commercial neighborhood in central Sharjah, the third most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. The district, featuring offices, retail spaces, cafés, childcare and healthcare facilities, specialized institutes, and a mosque, has been fully researched, conceptualized, and planned using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) has announced the 19 shortlisted projects for its 2025 cycle. Selected from a pool of 369 nominations, these projects will compete for a share of the USD 1 million prize, one of the most significant awards in the field. The shortlist was determined by an independent Master Jury composed of nine members: Azra Akšamija, Noura Al Sayeh-Holtrop, Lucia Allais, David Basulto, Yvonne Farrell, Kabage Karanja, Yacouba Konaté, Hassan Radoine, and Mun Summ Wong. The Jury will meet later this summer to review on-site evaluations and select the final recipients of the 16th Award Cycle (2023–2025).

Oystra, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is a 128,000-square-metre seafront development located on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, that comprises 950 residential units, a comprehensive range of shopping, dining, and leisure amenities. Ras Al Khaimah, one of the UAE's fastest-growing emirates, is projected to see a 55% increase in its population by 2030, driving the need for an additional 45,000 homes. The emirate's tourism sector is also experiencing significant growth, with the number of visitors expected to rise to 3.5 million annually by 2030, up from 100,000 in 2013.