Dubai Museum of the Future - poetry in steel

Dubai Museum of the Future is one of the most challenging and unique construction projects in the world and a veritable architectural experiment. Its unusual torus shape with an elliptical void is made possible by its steel frame and façade panels. The elliptical design was designed by architect Sean Killa of Killa Design, winner of the 2015 Museum Design Competition. Killa is no stranger to complex projects: he has worked on the Burj Al Arab, one of the tallest hotels in the world, and the legendary Address Jumeirah Gate. 77-storey building. The 78-meter-high Museum of the Future is scheduled to open in 2021. It will become a showcase of innovation and technology, so its design is aimed at inspiring visitors to see the future, to create the future.

According to Killa, the client's initial idea was to create a form that represents our vision of the future today through the physical building and its exhibition floors, and all the unknown about the future through the void in the center. In the next 10 years, the void may be filled with something new.

The museum consists of three main parts: a green hill forming a landscaped three-story podium, buildings at the top, and voids in the center. Inside, there are six pillarless exhibition floors, one administration level, and a deck of food and drinks. Also in the plans is a conference hall, a shopping area, a parking place and other services.

The museum is a radical alternative to the traditional skyscraper shape. BuroHappold Engineering and Bam International were brought in to fulfill Killa's ambitious vision.

Engineers used computer programming to define the architectural form. Dynamic links were created between parameters using their aspects, allowing continuous design changes in real time. Although it was a painstaking process, this modeling meant that all steel pipes had the same diameter. This uniformity made construction work much faster and easier. After the reinforced concrete ring girder and the tower supporting the diagonal * were built, the required steel was produced in just 14 months.

The torus shape is supported by 890 fiberglass-reinforced stainless steel plastic panels that form a solid silver facade. Thousands of intertwined steel triangles have been 3D printed. Poetic phrases have been cut from the panels, which are a distinctive feature and also serve as showcases of the museum. Poetry was written by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai. After dark, the cursive font will be illuminated by a 14 km LED backlight.

The construction work, in which US $ 136 million was invested, is now in its final stages. Moose