World
the world's most visited architecture website
i

Sign up now and start saving and organizing your favorite architecture projects and photos

Sign up now to save and organize your favorite architecture projects

✕

i

Find the most inspiring products for your projects in our Product Catalog.

Find the most inspiring products in our Product Catalog.

✕

i

Get the ArchDaily Chrome Extension and be inspired with every new tab. Install here »

✕

i

All over the world, architects are finding cool ways to re-use run-down old buildings. Click here to see the best in Refurbishment Architecture.

Want to see the coolest refurbishment projects? Click here.

✕

i

Immerse yourself in inspiring buildings with our selection of 360 videos. Click here.

See our immersive, inspiring 360 videos. Click here.

✕

All
Projects
Products
Events
Competitions

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Headquarters / HOK

02:00 - 5 June, 2018
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Headquarters / HOK, © Mohammed Al Janabi
© Mohammed Al Janabi

© Tim Griffith © Tim Griffith © Tim Griffith © Tim Griffith + 17

X-Architects' to Design an Urban Mosque That Forms the "Heart of the Neighborhood" in Abu Dhabi

06:00 - 24 May, 2018
X-Architects' to Design an Urban Mosque That Forms the "Heart of the Neighborhood" in Abu Dhabi, Courtesy of X-Architects
Courtesy of X-Architects

The Dubai-based firm, X-Architects, have found inspiration in the cultural and architectural heritage of Islam for their new design. The Revelation Mosque, a +2500 square meter project, aims to create a new "heart of the neighborhood" in Abu Dhabi, UAE. In creating a generous urban void among a towering context, the proposal offers an immersive escape from everyday life, where the public (regardless of religion) can gather, communicate, and interact with one another.

Courtesy of X-Architects Courtesy of X-Architects Courtesy of X-Architects Courtesy of X-Architects + 16

Capital Gate / RMJM

02:00 - 28 April, 2018
Courtesy of RMJM
Courtesy of RMJM

Courtesy of RMJM © Edgard EI Courtesy of RMJM Courtesy of RMJM + 34

  • Architects

    RMJM

  • Location

    Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates

  • Architect in Charge

    Jeff Schofield, Senior Design Architect & Neil van der Veen, Associate Director

  • Area

    53100.0 m2

  • Project Year

    2011

  • Photographs

    Edgard EI, Serge Bystro, CC 3.0

The World's First Commercial Hyperloop is Coming to Abu Dhabi in 2020

12:00 - 20 April, 2018
The World's First Commercial Hyperloop is Coming to Abu Dhabi in 2020, Courtesy of HyperloopTT
Courtesy of HyperloopTT

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) has released details of their plan to create the world’s first commercial Hyperloop system in Abu Dhabi. Situated on the border between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, in close proximity to both the Al Maktoum International Airport and World Expo 2020 site, the HyperloopTT will begin with the construction of six miles (ten kilometers) of infrastructure, with future development potentially creating a commercial Hyperloop network across the United Arab Emirates and beyond.

Courtesy of HyperloopTT Courtesy of HyperloopTT Courtesy of HyperloopTT Courtesy of HyperloopTT + 17

How to Celebrate New Architecture: Shaping Identity with Spectacular Opening Ceremonies

09:30 - 15 March, 2018
How to Celebrate New Architecture: Shaping Identity with Spectacular Opening Ceremonies, “Vives réflexions, museum reflections,” multimedia and pyrotechnic show for the grand opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 2017. Artistic direction: Christophe Berthonneau, Groupe F. Image © N. Chavance, Groupe F
“Vives réflexions, museum reflections,” multimedia and pyrotechnic show for the grand opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 2017. Artistic direction: Christophe Berthonneau, Groupe F. Image © N. Chavance, Groupe F

After finishing a building, the client is faced with an important question: How do they celebrate the new architecture? This moment offers an essential opportunity to inform the public about the existence and mission of the building. Therefore, the designs of opening ceremonies are often loaded with symbolic imagery to construct a new identity. Fireworks and light shows are an especially common part of the powerful repertoire used to magnify the aura of architecture. This luminous storytelling can underline the client’s uniqueness and superiority on both a local level and an international stage. I spoke with two leading designers to get their insights on how opening ceremonies have changed in recent years: Christophe Berthonneau, Creative Director at Groupe F, who introduced the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Fred Thompson, Creative Director at Laservision Mega Media, who worked on the opening of the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Grand opening at Lotte World Tower, Seoul / South Korea, 2017. Design: Groupe F. Image © N. Chavance, Groupe F Inauguration of Rion-Antirion Bridge, Patras / Greece, 2004. Design: Groupe F. Image © T. Nava, Groupe F Grand opening of Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg / Germany, 2017. Architecture: Herzog & de Meuron. Concept: Jung von Matt and gestalt communications. Image © Ralph Larmann Grand opening of Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 2011. Design: Laservision Mega Media. Image © Laservision Mega Media + 32

The Engineering Behind the Louvre Abu Dhabi's Striking Geometric Dome

09:30 - 28 December, 2017
The Engineering Behind the Louvre Abu Dhabi's Striking Geometric Dome, © Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia
© Luc Boegly & Sergio Grazia

Walking into Abu Dhabi’s new Louvre Museum, one is immediately greeted by a flood of dappled light created by the stunning, multi-layered lattice covering the interweaving interior spaces of the building. The intricate geometric dome is both reminiscent of traditional Arabic architecture screens and crucial in achieving Architect’s Jean Nouvel’s vision for a “rain of light.” But what went into the design and construction of the building’s most striking element, and how does it function structurally? Ateliers Jean Nouvel worked for over one year in close collaboration with BuroHappold Engineering to develop a design which is both an architectural and structural masterpiece. We spoke with Andy Pottinger, Associate Director at BuroHappold, to understand the dome in more depth.

© BuroHappold Engineering © BuroHappold Engineering © BuroHappold Engineering © BuroHappold Engineering + 13

MVRDV Unveils Pixelated Mixed-Use Community Around BIG-Designed Plaza in Abu Dhabi

10:31 - 5 December, 2017
MVRDV Unveils Pixelated Mixed-Use Community Around BIG-Designed Plaza in Abu Dhabi, Courtesy of MVRDV
Courtesy of MVRDV

MVRDV has teamed up with local architects Dewan Architects + Engineers to create Pixel, a 76,000-square-meter (818,000-square-foot) mixed-use residential development that will serve as a centerpiece of Abu Dhabi’s new Makers District.

Also featuring a landscape and public realm design by BIG, Pixel will become MVRDV’s first constructed project in the United Arab Emirates upon its scheduled completion in 2020.

Courtesy of MVRDV Courtesy of MVRDV Courtesy of MVRDV Courtesy of MVRDV + 11

Critical Round-Up: The Louvre Abu Dhabi by Jean Nouvel

09:30 - 21 November, 2017
Critical Round-Up: The Louvre Abu Dhabi by Jean Nouvel, © Laurian Ghinitoiu
© Laurian Ghinitoiu

Earlier this month, Abu Dhabi’s much-awaited “universal museum,” the Louvre Abu Dhabi designed by Pritzker Prize-winner Jean Nouvel, was opened to the public. After several years of delays and problems including accusations of worker rights violations, revisions in economic strategies, and regional turmoil, the completion of the museum is a feat in itself. Critics, supporters, naysayers, artists, economists, and human rights agencies, have all closely followed its shaky progress, but now that it’s finally open, reviews of the building are steadily pouring in.

Read on to find out how critics have responded to Nouvel’s work so far.

© Marc Domage © Roland Halbe © Roland Halbe © Roland Halbe + 9

See the Incredibly Complex Louvre Abu Dhabi Constructed Over 8 Years in This Timelapse

12:30 - 20 November, 2017

With its massive, intricate roof and man-made pools and canals, Ateliers Jean Nouvel's astonishingly complex Louvre Abu Dhabi was a project 10-years in the making before finally debuting to the public earlier this month. But even if the project missed it's original completion date, it certainly wasn't for lack of trying – and that's proven in this new video timelapse from EarthCam.

The video captures the 8-year-long construction process from groundbreaking to completion, showing the museum as it came together from a variety of perspectives, including how the roof was assembled in mid-air before being gently lowered into place, and the enormous effort of earth moving to build the unique site.

Check out the video below.

Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu

10:30 - 10 November, 2017
Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu, © Laurian Ghinitoiu
© Laurian Ghinitoiu

The much-anticipated Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Jean Nouvel, opens this week in the United Arab Emirates. The project has enormous significance as a transnational partnership between the French and Emirati governments, and is set to become a center for art and learning in the Gulf region. Located on Saadiyat Island and surrounded by the sea, the museum comprises twenty three permanent galleries and exhibition spaces, a Children's Museum, an auditorium, and a research center – all connected together by waterfront promenades and a vast, shimmering dome.

Louvre Abu Dhabi / Ateliers Jean Nouvel

06:00 - 8 November, 2017
© Roland Halbe
© Roland Halbe

© Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority © Roland Halbe Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority. Photographed by Fatima Al Shamsi © Mohamed Somji + 94

Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi Opens To The Public Following a Decade in Development

09:30 - 7 November, 2017
Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi Opens To The Public Following a Decade in Development, © Roland Halbe
© Roland Halbe

Following ten years of multinational collaboration between France and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi opens this week to the public. Located on Saadiyat Island and surrounded by the sea, twenty three permanent galleries and exhibition spaces, a Children's Museum, an auditorium, and a research center are connected by waterfront promenades which weave beneath the building's iconic dome.

© Roland Halbe © Roland Halbe © Marc Domage © Roland Halbe + 11

Louvre Abu Dhabi Announces November Grand Opening

12:20 - 8 September, 2017
Louvre Abu Dhabi Announces November Grand Opening, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s plaza. Image © Mohamed Somji
Louvre Abu Dhabi’s plaza. Image © Mohamed Somji

The Ateliers Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre Abu Dhabi is ready to make its grand first appearance, as the museum announced it will open to the public on November 11th.

Opening celebrations will take advantage of the unique structure, with a series of concerts, performances and events planned for a variety of spaces beneath the building’s 180-meter geometric dome. Comprised of nearly 8,000 arabic motif stars, the steel pattern will filter sunlight into a dramatic ‘rain of light’ on the museum’s walls and floors that calls to mind shadows created by overlapping palm trees.

Louvre Abu Dhabi’s exterior. Image © Mohamed Somji Louvre Abu Dhabi’s exterior with Abu Dhabi’s skyline (night). Image © Mohamed Somji Louvre Abu Dhabi’s ‘rain of light’. Image © Mohamed Somji View overlooking the sea. Image © Mohamed Somji + 5

A Sneak Peek into Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi as It Prepares for Fall Opening

17:01 - 25 August, 2017
A Sneak Peek into Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi as It Prepares for Fall Opening, via Twitter user Ludovic Pouille
via Twitter user Ludovic Pouille

The long-awaited Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel, is getting ready for a grand opening, with images showing the metal-domed building in the final stages of construction. Officially started in 2009, work on the museum is nearly complete, with a rumored opening date scheduled for this November.

Wahat al Karama / bureau^proberts + Urban Art Projects

22:00 - 18 July, 2017
Wahat al Karama / bureau^proberts + Urban Art Projects, © Jonathan Gainer
© Jonathan Gainer

© Jonathan Gainer © Jonathan Gainer © Jonathan Gainer © Jonathan Gainer + 37

Wire Mesh Installation Features Architectural Fragments Constructed At 1:1

10:30 - 18 May, 2017
Wire Mesh Installation Features Architectural Fragments Constructed At 1:1, © Roberto Conte
© Roberto Conte

Commissioned for a large-scale event in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Edoardo Tresoldi in collaboration with Design Lab Experience have constructed a vast indoor "piazza" of architectural fragments. Accommodating a 7000sqm event space, each "Classical" element is built entirely from wire mesh and comprises domes, arches, colonnades, columns, and imitations of sacred spaces (namely Italian basilicas). Together they create a translucent and ephemeral sequence of indoor rooms – all layered by a strikingly contemporary aesthetic.

5 Zaha Hadid Buildings Seen From Above

08:00 - 31 March, 2017
5 Zaha Hadid Buildings Seen From Above, Galaxy SOHO, Beijing, China. Image © Deimos Imaging
Galaxy SOHO, Beijing, China. Image © Deimos Imaging

This week marks the first anniversary of the death of Zaha Hadid, the most successful and influential female architect in the architectural discipline. Born in Baghdad (Iraq) in 1950, Hadid became the first woman to receive the Pritzker Prize in 2004, and twelve years later received the gold medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Hadid's untimely death left a fascinating and inspiring legacy. Meanwhile her firm, Zaha Hadid Architects, continues to work on nearly a hundred projects worldwide. To remember her legacy, Spanish company Deimos Imaging has shared a series of photographs focusing on Hadid's work in five countries.

The images were captured by the Deimos-2 satellite, which was launched in 2014 and designed for very high-resolution Earth observation applications, providing multispectral images of just 75 centimeters per pixel. Hadid's incredible works take on a new dimension when you contemplate their proportions from the sky—or rather, from a satellite.

Zaragoza Bridge Pavilion. Image © Deimos Imaging Sheikh Zayed Bridge. Image © Deimos Imaging Heydar Aliyev Center. Image © Deimos Imaging Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Image © Deimos Imaging + 26

Al Hilal Bank Office Tower / Goettsch Partners

22:00 - 3 January, 2017
Al Hilal Bank Office Tower / Goettsch Partners, © Lester Ali
© Lester Ali

© Lester Ali © Tom Rossiter © Lester Ali © Tom Rossiter + 16