Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi by Mecanoo. Exterior photograph. Image Courtesy of Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi
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.
With deep roots, sturdy trunks, and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures, date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) are among the species best adapted to the arid desert environment. It is no coincidence that in many local indigenous cultures they are known as the "tree of life," as their fruits, leaves, and trunks have provided food, shelter, and building materials for thousands of years. Without them, much of human settlement in desert regions would not have been possible. Today, widely cultivated across desert regions around the world, the species continues to sustain traditional agricultural practices, yet its potential can be further enhanced and expanded through the efforts of contemporary researchers.
Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture recently revealed images of the AlUla Immersive Living project, a proposed dwelling envisioned to emerge from the desert landscape of Saudi Arabia. Its form is shaped by the site's light and wind, rooted in climate, and positioned between rock and dune. The design follows the concept of a shelter belonging as much to the desert as to its inhabitants, and behaving as a "living landscape." The structure is conceived with thick rammed-earth walls, contrasted by open platforms that frame the sky. It is presented as a statement of architecture intended "not to dominate but to host," providing refuge without severing connections, reflecting Lina Ghotmeh's position at the intersection of context, craft, and care.
The 2025 edition introduced projects that examined themes of ecology, memory, and connectivity while responding to the challenges of building in the desert. Ranging from intimate interactive pieces to monumental landmarks, the installations encouraged reflection, participation, and community engagement before disappearing at the close of the event.
Telosa is a conceptual proposal designed by Bjarke Ingels GroupBIG in collaboration with entrepreneur Marc Lore, first announced in 2021. Planned to accommodate five million residents by 2050, the project sets out to establish a framework for sustainable and equitable urban living. Its initial phase, projected for 2030, is expected to house 50,000 people. Positioned as a purpose-built city, Telosa presents a long-term vision that combines ecological resilience, technological systems, and an alternative governance model as a possible prototype for future urban development.
The colorful houses of Aswan in the south of modern-day Egypt attract tourists who venture that far up the River Nile. Accessed by small river boats, islands like Suheil West are the homes of Nubian communities, some of whom had had to relocate after the building of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s. Behind the picturesque views of plastered walls covered in murals and motifs, perched on rocky hills overlooking the Nile, is a construction technique used locally for centuries. It uses locally sourced materials, conserves nature, and regulates internal temperatures against the heat in the day and the cold at night.
Residential houses, villas, and retreats are increasingly being designed as places of pause—spaces where architecture supports rest, reflection, and stronger connections to nature. Rather than focusing solely on urban living or compact efficiency, these homes are set in remote, scenic, or rural locations, where the landscape becomes an essential part of daily life. Through careful siting, use of natural materials, and open layouts, they offer an elevated standard of living that is both intentional and grounded in place.
The desert is a landscape in constant transformation. Shaped by the wind, its dunes, ridges, and fissures emerge and fade in an ever-shifting expanse, as if the scenery itself were alive. It is a land of stark contrasts, where the scorching heat of the day gives way to the crisp coolness of the night, revealing nature in its most primal form. In such a dynamic and untamed environment, how can architecture not only integrate but also respect and engage with its surroundings? This is the challenge faced by hotels built within Latin America’s vast desert landscapes.
Desert X is a site-specific international art exhibition taking place this year across the Coachella Valley, California. Its fifth edition, curated by Artistic Director Neville Wakefield and co-curator Kaitlin Garcia Maestas, opened on March 10, 2025, featuring eleven installations by international artists integrated into the desert landscape. Artists were invited to propose alternative ways of perceiving a world "increasingly encircled by the transformational effects of nature and humanity," through physical installations in specific locations within the California desert. In this context, architecture is understood as the most visible evidence of human transformation, while immaterial elements, such as wind and light, highlight the transformative effects not only of human activity but also of nature itself. The exhibition is free and open to all, running through May 11, 2025. Below are images and descriptions of the eleven art installations featured in this year's Desert X exhibition.
The AlUla Arts Festival, running from January 16th to February 22nd, 2025, features a significant exhibition of works by renowned Light and Space artist James Turrell. Presented by Wadi AlFann, the exhibition, curated by Michael Govan of LACMA, offers a unique preview of Turrell's upcoming monumental commission for Wadi AlFann, a sprawling contemporary art destination in the AlUla region of north-west Saudi Arabia. The exhibition, located in AlJadidah Arts District within AlUla's historic old town, provides context for Turrell's ambitious project, which will involve the creation of a series of chambers within the canyon floor, designed to create a sensory experience of light, color, and perception.
Known for its unconventional art installations and striking desert setting, the Burning Man festival has concluded this year with an array of temporary installations spread across the Black RockDesert in Nevada. The festival's 2024 theme, "Curiouser & Curiouser," inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, encouraged participants to embrace wonder and whimsy.
At Burning Man, a tapestry of themes emerges through diverse installations, from reflections on connectivity and isolation to explorations of time and space. Installations like Nebula Shroom Grove and the Temple of Together emphasize community and unity, inviting interaction and participation. Pieces like "I'm Fine" and Tree Circle delve into universal emotions and humanity's connection to the infinite, while works like Matter Out of Time and The End of Time play with perceptions of time and reality.
Every August, the Black Rock Desert in Nevada transforms into a vibrant city for Burning Man, a week-long festival that culminates in the ceremonial burning of a large wooden effigy. Established in 1986, the festival is renowned for its unconventional art installations and striking desert setting. While varied in their expression, the installations follow a central theme of the year. For this edition, the title “Curiouser & Curiouser” takes inspiration from the Mad Hatter from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, prompting participants to engage with wonder and embrace the whimsical and mysterious. This year’s central temple installation is designed by Caroline Ghosn to represent togetherness and mutual respect. Following a Burning Man Tradition, the temple design is selected following an international competition.
Thermal mass is the ability of a material to absorb, store, and release heat. Used to moderate building temperatures by reducing fluctuations, the concept is crucial in improving energy efficiency. Materials with relatively high thermal mass, such as stone, concrete, rammed earth, and brick, can absorb significant heat during the day and release it slowly when temperatures drop at night, reducing the need for heating and cooling systems. Properties like heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and density are all considered when assessing the thermal mass property of a material.
Courtesy of Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation | Taliesin West by Andrew Pielage
The renowned Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has entrusted Sasaki with the task of designing a comprehensive design for Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States. Deemed a world heritage site, the location is a testament to the cultural and architectural legacy of the famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, serving as his winter retreat and experimentation hub. The design seeks to pay homage to the heritage of Taliesin West while ensuring its longevity and relevance for generations to come.
Imagine a world thousands of years into the future, one where humanity has conquered planets from galaxies away, only to default to a neofeudalistic social order in a constant power struggle, all built upon an intricate tapestry of cultures and religions and set in a harsh yet vivid landscape that becomes a character in and of itself. This was the challenge faced by director Denis Villeneuve and production designer Patrice Vermette in creating the cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel. The two Dune movies, released in 2021 and 2024, were conceived as a whole and therefore share a coherent style and cinematic expression. Beyond aesthetics, the environment and architecture of Dune present a lived-in, believable world, one that anchors the action and characters, silently offering invaluable insights into the values and mythology of each civilization.
The Mysk Al Badayer Retreat in the desert outside Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Image Courtesy of Mysk Al Badayer Retreat
Set deep within some of the most isolated desert landscapes across the Middle East and further afield, these desert camp hotels offer a way to connect with their surroundings through the solitary experience of open and expansive scenery.
