Eden – Abu Dhabi Edition is a large-scale installation by artist Pamela Tan of Poh Sin Studio that examines the relationship between constructed environments and natural forms. Drawing conceptual reference from the mythical Garden of Eden, the project presents an abstracted landscape composed of organic structures and controlled material language.

The pavilion is conceived as an immersive, all-white environment that emphasizes form, texture, and spatial sequence. Through the enlargement and repetition of natural motifs, the work encourages close observation of subtle details and alters conventional perceptions of scale. The restrained palette and sculptural composition create a calm spatial atmosphere, defined by continuity rather than enclosure.

image by Nada Alkarra

Eden airy installation emerges from the Desert Context

For its Abu Dhabi edition, Eden extends beyond an indoor exhibition context and is situated within the desert landscape. Positioned directly on sand, the installation introduces a contrasting spatial condition, where a garden-like structure emerges within an arid environment. The work appears as a temporary presence, shifting in perception between visibility and disappearance as lighting and atmospheric conditions change from night to day. This juxtaposition between a constructed landscape and its desert setting establishes a dialogue between abundance and scarcity, permanence and impermanence.

The installation by artist Pamela Tan of Poh Sin Studio is experienced outdoors under the open sky. At night, its white structural elements reflect artificial light, forming a luminous field against the surrounding darkness. Organic passages and vine-like arches guide movement through the space, while the overall composition maintains a low, horizontal profile that responds to the stillness of the desert context.

image by Poh Sin Studio

Suspended system constructs a Temporary open canopy

Structurally, Eden is defined by a suspended, cloud-like canopy composed of hanging vine elements. This canopy acts as both the primary architectural feature and the main structural system. The form originated through an intuitive design process and was later refined through engineering analysis, in which its curvature was translated into a truss-based framework. Computational simulations were used to ensure structural stability under desert conditions while maintaining visual lightness. The installation operates as a hybrid between sculpture and architecture, where form and structure are developed simultaneously. Hanging vines, arched elements, and dispersed glass spheres contribute to a spatial environment that responds to light, movement, and viewpoint, producing a variable sensory experience throughout the day and night.

All steel components are designed as a flat-pack system, allowing for efficient transportation, installation, dismantling, and reassembly in different locations. The modular construction employs interlocking joints, slip-lock connections, and bolt-and-nut assemblies, enabling precise on-site assembly while supporting flexibility and reuse. This approach addresses logistical constraints associated with remote sites and reinforces the project’s adaptability as a temporary spatial installation.

image by Nada Alkarra

image by Poh Sin Studio

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

image by Lancer Gerber, courtesy of Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi & Public Art Abu Dhabi

project info:

name: Eden – Abu Dhabi Edition (2025)
designer: Pamela Tan – Poh Sin Studio | @pohsin_studio

location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

photographer: Lancer Gerber, Nada Alkarra, Poh Sin Studio

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Zayed National Museum, UAE’s long-awaited institution in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi, opens today, on December 3rd, 2025, designed by Foster + Partners. The project (find designboom’s previous coverage here) combines architecture, environmental engineering, and cultural storytelling in a building where five lightweight steel wings function as solar thermal chimneys. Working like a wind tower in reverse, the system draws cool air up from ducts buried deep underground and exhales hot air through the towers, using negative pressure and the thermal stack effect to regulate the interior climate.

‘Zayed National Museum tells the story of Sheikh Zayed’s creation of the Emirates and the many facets of his legacy, including his vision of greening the desert. The building itself is an expression of sustainability, with five aerodynamic wings that are an integral part of the environmental system, acting as thermal chimneys and drawing cool air through the public spaces. They are also symbolic of Sheikh Zayed’s love of the traditional sport of falconry and have become markers on the city skyline,’ notes Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners.

images courtesy of Foster + Partners, unless stated otherwise

a Foster + Partners-designed institution embedded in landscape

Set along the coastline between Louvre Abu Dhabi and the recently opened Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum forms a new cultural anchor for Saadiyat Island. The building sits within Al Masar Garden, a 600-meter landscaped route that introduces visitors to the UAE’s desert, oasis, and urban ecologies through native plantings, a working falaj irrigation system, multisensory installations, and a timeline charting the life of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. 

From the outside, the museum, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Norman Foster, reads as a sculpted mound, its faceted panels abstracting the topography of Jebel Hafeet, pierced by the five soaring wings. The mound itself doubles as environmental infrastructure, insulating the interior from solar gain and creating a shaded, thermally stable enclosure. The warm-white exterior materials echo the specific color of Saadiyat Island’s sand, continuing a regional tradition of architecture tuned to local geology.

UAE’s long-awaited institution opens in the Saadiyat Cultural District | image courtesy of Zayed National Museum

environmental engineering as architectural expression

The environmental strategy of the museum becomes a spatial experience. Cool air, channelled through buried pipes, enters at a low level and rises naturally into the full-height atrium, while the wings’ vents open to draw warm air upward. Their triple-laminated glazing limits heat while channeling daylight into the spaces below, and each wing can be individually tuned depending on the sun path. Together, the mound, wings, and ventilation system act as a contemporary interpretation of passive desert cooling.

Visitors enter through Al Liwan, a light-filled lobby designed as a civic living room. The atrium hosts performances of traditional dance and poetry throughout the day, positioning live culture at the center of the visitor experience. Suspended above are four pod-shaped galleries—clad with dense mesh interlayers and topped with electrochromic rooflights that adjust to external light levels to protect delicate artifacts. The pods form anchor points for the museum’s thematic narrative, while circulation between them remains open-ended, allowing visitors to navigate the collection at their own rhythm.

combining environmental engineering, and cultural storytelling | image courtesy of Zayed National Museum

tracing 300,000 years of history

The permanent exhibition of the museum brings together more than 3,000 objects, with 1,500 on display across six galleries. The journey begins in Our Beginning, dedicated to the life and leadership of Sheikh Zayed, presented through archival film, photographs, personal items, letters, and recordings of his voice. The gallery examines the social and political formation of the UAE and the forces that shaped the nation’s early years.

Through Our Nature takes visitors into the mountains, oases, desert, and sea, examining how geography informed life and culture over millennia. To Our Ancestors expands the timeline to 300,000 years of continuous habitation, showcasing archaeological finds ranging from one of the world’s oldest pearls to a reconstruction of the Hili Grand Tomb.

The narrative widens again in Through Our Connections, charting new technologies, materials, and beliefs from the Iron Age through the 1100s CE, including the development of the Arabic language and the emergence of Islam. The maritime gallery, By Our Coasts, focuses on the last five centuries of navigation, trade, and pearling, while To Our Roots explores inland customs, crafts, and daily life, threading Emirati identity from past to present.

the wings are glazed to channel natural light into the galleries below, and each one is individually tunable

markers on the city skyline

a building where five lightweight steel wings function as solar thermal chimneys

working like a wind tower in reverse

the building’s form addresses the challenge of sustaining life in a desert environment

the system draws cool air up from ducts buried deep underground | image courtesy of Zayed National Museum

visitors enter through Al Liwan, a light-filled lobby designed as a civic living room

a meeting and orientation space

the mound, wings, and ventilation system act as a contemporary interpretation of passive desert cooling

suspended above are four pod-shaped galleries

circulation remains open-ended

the permanent exhibition of the museum brings together more than 3,000 objects

controlled environments protect the sensitive artefacts on display

threading Emirati identity from past to present

visitors can choose their own route through the different galleries

the environmental strategy of the museum becomes a spatial experience

the wings’ vents open to draw warm air upward | image courtesy of Zayed National Museum

project info:

name: Zayed National Museum | @znmuae

architect: Foster + Partners | @fosterandpartners

location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

height: 123 m (above National Abu Dhabi Datum, NADD)

gross area: 56,687 m²

built-up area: 88,870 m²

site area: 86,876 m²

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DRIFT brings three new large-scale light installations to Manar Abu Dhabi, transforming Jubail Island into an illuminated landscape of shifting wind, data, and memory. Part of the outdoor festival’s second edition, running until January 4th, 2026, the works are staged within mangroves, tidal waterways, and open sky, allowing technology and environment to operate as a single system.

Across Jubail Island, the three installations introduce different modes of engagement. Whispers unfolds at ground level within the grassland, Unfold operates as an interactive AI-driven environment responding to visitors’ heartbeats, and Wind of Change expands into the sky through a 2,000-drone performance. Together, they span landscape, body, and atmosphere, using light, movement, and real-time data to examine how human presence intersects with the natural setting of the island.

all images by Arjen van Eijk, Xinix Films

whispers, unfold & wind of change explore ground, body, and sky

The Dutch duo’s contribution includes three distinct encounters. Whispers (2025) places 500 illuminated elements among wild Guinea grass, echoing its proportions and its instinctive ability to bend with the wind. Instead of towering over the landscape, each glowing tip aligns with the height of the viewer, collapsing hierarchies between artwork, environment, and human presence. As breezes move through the installation, the field responds with a rippling light pattern that feels both orchestrated and accidental, a reminder that adaptation is nature’s quiet superpower.

Unfold (2025) turns biometric data into a fleeting digital sculpture. Visitors’ heartbeats are measured in real time and translated into a shifting audio-visual display that blossoms like a character-driven flower. Every pattern, rhythm, and chromatic decision stems from the body’s internal tempo, making the artwork less a spectacle and more a moment of self-recognition. 

The most expansive work, Wind of Change (2025), animates the sky with 2,000 coordinated drones. Their flight traces invisible natural forces, wind currents, oceanic movement, and the gradual sculpting of dunes. The shapes in the sky move from abstraction toward a collective symbol, the falcon, emblem of Abu Dhabi, crossing the night before dissolving into a vortex that releases drifting seeds. The narrative lands on renewal rather than finale, imagining the city as something continuously forming rather than fixed.

DRIFT brings three new large-scale light installations to Manar Abu Dhabi

an illuminated landscape of shifting wind, data, and memory

Whispers unfolds at ground level within the grassland

each glowing tip aligns with the height of the viewer

allowing technology and environment to operate as a single system

Wind of Change expands into the sky through a 2,000-drone performance

tracing natural forces, wind currents, oceanic movement, and the gradual sculpting of dunes

the shapes in the sky move from abstraction toward a collective symbol

a vortex that releases drifting seeds

Unfold (2025) turns biometric data into a fleeting digital sculpture

Visitors’ heartbeats are measured in real time

a shifting audio-visual display that blossoms like a character-driven flower

every pattern, rhythm, and chromatic decision stems from the body’s internal tempo

a moment of self-recognition

project info:

name: Whispers (2025), Unfold (2025), Wind of Change (2025)

artist: DRIFT | @studio.drift (Lonneke Gordijn & Ralph Nauta)

location: Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

festival: Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 | @publicartabudhabi

theme: The Light Compass

dates: November 15th, 2025 – January 4th, 2026

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Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi opens its doors tomorrow, November 22nd, 2025, in the Saadiyat Cultural District, marking a major moment for the UAE’s cultural and scientific landscape. Designed by Mecanoo, the 35,000-square-meter museum traces 13.8 billion years of cosmic and earthly evolution while casting natural history through an Arabian lens. Inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the institution positions itself as the largest natural history museum in the Middle East and introduces a rare set of world-first paleontological displays, including two Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons locked in a prehistoric battle and the first-ever exhibition of a five-species sauropod herd (find designboom’s previous coverage here).

Mecanoo’s design takes direct cues from the geological forms that structure the region. The architecture is conceived as a cluster of sculpted volumes that echo eroded rock formations, using geometry as the underlying language of the project. Pentagonal shapes, reminiscent of cellular structures and naturally occurring crystal patterns, repeat across the exterior and interior surfaces, setting up a visual system that links micro and macro scales of the natural world. 

all images © Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi

an immersive journey through deep time

The narrative unfolds from the origins of the universe to the ecological futures we are shaping today. Early galleries spotlight the natural history of the Emirates and surrounding region, reconstructing a seven-million-year-old savannah-like environment once populated by now-extinct species, including a four-tusked giant elephant, which is displayed as part of the permanent collection. These scenes anchor the global story of natural history within the specific climatic shifts and geological legacies of the Arabian Peninsula.

At the entrance atrium, visitors are met by the unprecedented sauropod herd, featuring five distinct long-necked giants arranged as if frozen mid-migration. Deeper inside, the dramatic T. rex encounter stages two fossil specimens, among them the 67-million-year-old Stan, one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever found, locked in confrontation over a Triceratops carcass. Bite marks and fossil evidence preserved across the scene offer one of the most detailed reconstructions of predation behavior currently on public view.

the entrance plaza is framed by indigenous trees

built around research and long-term knowledge production

While the galleries deliver spectacle, the institution places equal emphasis on scientific inquiry. Integrated research facilities will support studies in palaeontology, earth sciences, biodiversity, and conservation, strengthening the UAE’s growing ecosystem of knowledge production. The museum aims to act as a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration, from lab-based investigations to community science initiatives, and positions youth engagement as central to its mission. Workshops, public programs, and educational labs are designed to encourage future generations to pursue scientific fields and environmental stewardship.

The museum aligns its programming with the UAE’s climate commitments, foregrounding biodiversity, conservation, and environmental literacy. Exhibitions invite visitors not only to observe but to think critically about the long arc of planetary change and the responsibilities that come with it. 

Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi joins a constellation of major institutions, including Louvre Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, and the forthcoming Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, shaping the Saadiyat Cultural District as a global destination for cross-disciplinary exchange.

sculptural forms by Mecanoo reflect Abu Dhabi’s ambition to connect the world with life’s story

white facades and native greenery express Mecanoo’s architectural vision for the museum

distinctive modules reflect the dedication of the museum to celebrating Earth’s natural wonder

sculpted volumes echo eroded rock formations

Arabia’s Climate with Act 1B – The Evolving World – Cenozoic

Brydes Whale: an endangered species of whale often found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans

female blue whale skeleton measuring 25 metres in length and consisting of 189 bones

two of the world’s most complete and exceptionally preserved skeletons ever recovered

a herd of five Triceratops considered the first Triceratops herd to ever be discovered in one nest

Ash Shaqqah 002 Meteorite, a dark-greyish rock showcasing a fusion crust

project info:

name: Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi | @nhm_abudhabi

architect: Mecanoo | @mecanoo_

location: Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi, UAE

size: 35,000 square meters

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KAWS’ monumental Companion lands on Abu Dhabi’s waterfront, not floating this time, but stretched across the edge of Mina Zayed as if pausing between breaths, lifting a glowing moon toward the sky. The arrival of KAWS:HOLIDAY Abu Dhabi, created in collaboration with long-time partner AllRightsReserved, marks the newest stop in the artist’s global series of large-scale public sculptures. On view until January 4th, 2026, the artist’s signature figure spans 32 meters in length and anchors Manar Abu Dhabi 2025, the citywide light art exhibition organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. Now in its second edition, Manar brings together 22 site-specific works by 15 Emirati and international artists across the emirate under the theme The Light Compass.

images courtesy of AllRightsReserved

moonlit figure becomes a guide along the water’s edge

Against the reflective gulf waters and the illuminated skyline, KAWS’ reclining Companion holds a radiant full moon close to its chest. Dhows, traditional sailing vessels, once relied on constellations to chart their journeys, reading tides by moonlight long before GPS. Here, that memory becomes a visual guide once again, transformed into a sculpture. The soft glow of the moon diffuses onto the water, scattering light across the harbor and echoing the lantern-lit origins of the installation’s debut. Within the wider exhibition, which unfolds across Jubail Island, Al Ain’s UNESCO-inscribed oases, and coastal and urban sites, Companion becomes one of the key markers linking the theme to the Gulf’s ancestral relationship with light.

From the promenade, the scene feels strangely intimate despite its scale. The Companion’s posture, arms curled, legs slightly bent, brings a sense of stillness rarely associated with works of this size. Visitors encounter it almost at eye level, framed by palm trees and the long horizontal sweep of the pier. The surrounding lights create a ring of illumination around the sculpture, amplifying the moon’s luminosity while grounding the figure firmly within the fabric of Mina port. As one of the central works presented at Souq Al Mina, the Brooklyn-based artist’s sculpture stands apart from the installations at Jubail Island or the shaded trails of Al Ain, yet remains fully tied to Manar’s focus on orientation and spatial memory.

KAWS’ monumental Companion lands on Abu Dhabi’s waterfront

Light becomes material and map across shifting horizons

The water gathers the reflection of the moon and sends it back, turning the entire waterfront into part of the installation. In this exchange between object and environment, KAWS:HOLIDAY Abu Dhabi underscores the exhibition’s broader exploration of light, scale, and imagination. Across the emirate, artists including Shaikha Al Mazrou, DRIFT, Ezequiel Pini (Six N. Five), Pamela Tan, Lachlan Turczan, and others introduce parallel approaches to light as material and compass.

At night, the moon appears almost within reach, tucked neatly between Companion’s hands, steady and clear. Across the harbor, the lights on the skyline of Abu Dhabi flicker in response, mirroring the artwork’s luminous core and reinforcing the thread that unites Manar Abu Dhabi’s second edition.

the sculpture lies stretched across the edge of Mina Zayed as if pausing between breaths

the Companion figure lifts a glowing moon toward the sky

created in collaboration with AllRightsReserved

the work spans 32 meters in length

KAWS’ reclining Companion holds a radiant full moon close to its chest

the scene feels intimate despite its scale

the Companion’s posture brings a sense of stillness

framed by palm trees and the long horizontal sweep of the pier

the surrounding lights create a ring of illumination around the sculpture

project info:

name: KAWS:HOLIDAY Abu Dhabi

artist: KAWS | @kaws

location: Souq Al Mina, Abu Dhabi, UAE

collaboration: AllRightsReserved

exhibition: Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 | @publicartabudhabi – The Light Compass

dates: November 15th, 2025 – January 4th, 2026

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The Row Saadiyat, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group for Aldar Properties, introduces a new residential quarter within Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District. Positioned beside the Zayed National Museum and within walking distance of Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the development engages directly with the city’s emerging cultural landscape.

Comprising seven buildings, each rising to nine stories, which will bring 315 contemporary residences, The Row Saadiyat establishes a horizontal rhythm that mirrors the surrounding museums and coastal topography. Its plan is defined by shaded walkways and air-conditioned bridges that link residents to Saadiyat Grove’s retail precinct and Mamsha Beach. This connective structure brings a walkable, social environment while offering protection from the desert heat.

The Row Saadiyat is a new residential quarter designed by BIG for Aldar Properties | images © Aldar Properties

a masterplan of luminous homes at The Row Saadiyat

In composing The Row Saadiyat, Bjarke Ingels Group’s design approach privileges proportion, material restraint, and clarity. The architects plan curving facades, which are expressed through a consistent grid of deep balconies and fine metal fins that filter light and frame views toward the museum’s sculptural wings.

Light-toned cladding and pale metal detail contribute a quiet material palette suited to the desert-edge context. Inside, apartments wrapped in interiors by Kettle Collective feature a restrained selection of finishes — deep wood flooring, pale stone surfaces, and floor-to-ceiling glazing that frames the cultural landscape beyond.

seven mid rise buildings form a composition of curving residences

Spatial Balance and Material Calm

Bjarke Ingels Group designs The Row Saadiyat to balance civic life with private retreat. Ground floors are animated by cafés, wellness studios, and community venues, while the residences above open onto private terraces and horizon views. Circulation is placed at the edges, allowing open living areas oriented toward natural light. Throughout, Bjarke Ingels Group’s design prioritizes measured exposure: shading and depth modulate the desert sun, maintaining comfort without isolating interiors from their surroundings.

By day, light moves across facades in slow gradations of tone. By evening, glass surfaces absorb the muted reflection of sea and sky. The quarter’s rhythm of solids and voids gives it an understated coherence, lending the district a sense of continuity rather than contrast.

facades of pale cladding and fine metal fins filter light and frame museum views

Sustainability and Well-being

The Row Saadiyat development targets a 3-Pearl Estidama rating and 2-star Fitwel certification, integrating passive strategies such as orientation, shading, and daylight optimization. Smart systems manage energy use and climate comfort. Communal spaces — a wellbeing club, co-working lounge, children’s facilities, and a pet spa — extend the architecture’s focus on balance and shared living.

interiors by Kettle Collective use natural materials and soft tones to extend the building’s quiet character

project info:

name: The Row Saadiyat

architect: Bjarke Ingels Group | @big_builds

location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

developer: Aldar Properties | @aldar

interior designer: Kettle Collective | @kettlecollective

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Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire at Louvre Abu Dhabi is the first exhibition in the Gulf devoted to the Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517). Spanning over two and a half centuries of history, the show, on view until January 25th, 2026, traces how a dynasty of former slave soldiers came to rule vast territories, leaving behind a cultural and artistic legacy of extraordinary reach. Curated by Dr. Souraya Noujaim and Dr. Carine Juvin, the exhibition builds on its earlier presentation at Musée du Louvre in Paris while expanding with works from regional collections shown exclusively in Abu Dhabi. 

Gathering over 270 works from 34 institutions worldwide, from metalwork and manuscripts to carpets, glass, and ceramics, the show reframes the dynasty as cultural innovators whose visual language resonates with contemporary design. During the preview of Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire at Louvre Abu Dhabi, designboom discusses the contemporary relevance of Mamluk art with Scientific Curator Dr. Carine Juvin. The curator describes the Mamluks as ‘great designers, great graphic designers. Their art is made of rich color, geometry, and complex motifs, which are still very appealing to the modern eye.’ 

Venetian School, A Venetian Diplomatic Mission Received by the Governor of Damascus Italy, Venice, 1511 Oil on canvas Paris, Musée du Louvre, Department of Paintings, INV-100 | all images by Daryll Borja-Seeing Things © Department of Culture and Tourism–Abu Dhabi

From Military Slaves to Cultural Architects

The exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi opens with a shadow play theater, evoking popular entertainments of the period, and situates visitors within the Mamluks’ origin story. They were young slaves brought from Central Asia or the Caucasus who rose to power in Cairo and Damascus. Juvin guided us through short ‘first-person’ biographies of key rulers, including Baybars, the founder of the sultanate, and Al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun, whose reign marked the dynasty’s apex. Objects commissioned under these rulers include inlaid incense burners, helmets, and mosque lamps that reveal how script itself became design, with radiating inscriptions symbolizing solar power. 

Blazons, meanwhile, functioned like proto-logos: emblems that identified emirs and were stamped on architecture, arms, and everyday objects. ‘The Mamluks had a remarkable ability to transform language and symbols into design devices of authority,’ Juvin explains during the tour.

Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire at Louvre Abu Dhabi is the first exhibition in the Gulf devoted to the Mamluk Sultanate

Society Beyond the Elite

Moving beyond rulers, the curator highlights a more complex society. Manuscripts commissioned by women, including a Qur’an ordered by a powerful court supervisor in 14th-century Cairo, and objects made for Qaytbay’s wife with distinctive garden motifs expand the narrative. Religious minorities also contributed to a shared aesthetic, from Coptic Bibles to Jewish pilgrimage scrolls. ‘I wanted to emphasize the whole Mamluk society, not just the governing elite,’ Juvin tells designboom. ‘Their art reflects exchanges with many cultures while still developing a strong identity.’

Trade routes, pilgrimages, and diplomacy positioned the Mamluk Sultanate as a hub between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Objects in Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire carry these stories through Chinese-inspired lotus blossoms on glassware, a Hajj certificate commissioned by a woman pilgrim, Mamluk metalwork unearthed in West Africa, and a Venetian painting depicting an embassy in Damascus with photographic precision. ‘The sultanate was really a node point in global exchange,’ Juvin notes, ‘and this cosmopolitanism is inscribed in their design.’

the show traces how the dynasty came to rule vast territories | image © designboom

Scenography as Storytelling

The Abu Dhabi edition, adapted from its first presentation in Paris, adds interactive screens, a gaming table for blazons, and architectural details that punctuate the display. These elements, Juvin says, were developed to ‘engage the public with individual stories inside the larger history.’

The exhibition culminates with the Baptistery of Saint Louis, a monumental 14th-century basin densely engraved with figures and animals, later repurposed in France for royal baptisms. Its hybrid biography, an Islamic masterpiece entwined with European history, mirrors the show’s central theme that revolves around the mobility of objects and the power of design to cross cultures.

The four gospels in coptic Egypt, Wadi el-Natrun 982 (Year of the Martyrs) /1266 CE Ink and pigments on paper Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi

the museum’s mission to connect civilizations

For Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, the exhibition aligns with the museum’s mission to connect civilizations. ‘Our permanent galleries are a time machine, telling 10,000 years of humanity. These temporary exhibitions are our deep dives, into a moment, a rupture, a civilization. With the Mamluks, we wanted to show how connected they were and what universal relevance their story holds today,’ he tells designboom. He emphasizes the resonance of showing the Mamluks in the Gulf. ‘When we present them here, we are touching the heart of the Emirati, the Arab, the Muslim — but also revealing to international visitors the complexity and diversity of this society. It makes sense here,’ he reflects.

gathering over 270 works from 34 institutions worldwide

Lamp bearing the name of Sultan Barquq (r. 1382–1399) Egypt, Cairo C. 1386 (from the Mosque of Sultan Barquq) Blown glass, enamelled and gilded Paris, Musée du Louvre, Department of Islamic Art, OA 7568

blazons functioned like proto-logos

Double closing page of a monumental Quran Egypt, Cairo C. 1360–1380 Ink, pigments and gold on paper Dublin, Chester Beatty Library, CBL IS 1628

Shadow theatre puppet (ship and crew of warriors) Egypt 15th century, Parchment cut-out Stuttgart, Linden-Museum, 84682

the show reframes the dynasty as cultural innovators

Carpet decorated with three medallions Egypt, Cairo Second half of 15th century Knotted wool Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi

Chasuble Syria, Egypt or Iran (?) 14th century Lampas, silk and gold thread European addition: silk velvet, pearls, gold, glass, coral Copenhagen, The National Museum of Denmark, CXXXVII

the exhibition aligns with the museum’s mission to connect civilizations | image © designboom

Albarello with coat of arms decoration Syria, Damascus 15th century Fritware, underglaze painted decoration H. max. 15 cm, D. 31.7 cm Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi

Basin known as the “Baptistère de Saint Louis.” Signed: Muhammad ibn al-Zayn Syria or Egypt C. 1330–1340 Chased copper alloy, inlaid with silver, gold and black paste Paris, Musée du Louvre, Department of Islamic Art

project info:

name: Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire

location: Louvre Abu Dhabi | @louvreabudhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

dates: September 17th 2025 – January 25th 2026

organisers: Louvre Abu Dhabi in partnership with Musée du Louvre | @museelouvre and France Muséums

curators: Dr. Souraya Noujaim (general curator), Dr. Carine Juvin (scientific curator)

support: Fakhera Alkindi, senior curatorial assistant, Louvre Abu Dhabi

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Inca Hernandez Atelier unveils Liwa Farm Village, a 7,000-square-meter masterplan in the historic Liwa Oasis of Abu Dhabi’s Western Region that combines agricultural production, cultural spaces, and community life. The project draws on ancestral building traditions, including rammed-earth walls, windcatchers, aflaj irrigation, and palm-trunk roofing, while adapting them through contemporary strategies that prioritize sustainability and thermal comfort in the harsh desert climate. Conceived as a farm and a gathering ground, the complex includes cultural exhibition halls, a veterinary and teaching facility, a Majlis, the traditional communal space for gathering and hospitality, a farm-to-table restaurant, a spa, and guest bungalows surrounded by palm groves.

renderings by Studio Navarro & Alfonso Castelló

rammed earth and clay latticework compose Liwa Farm Village

The Liwa Oasis, bordering the Rub’ al Khali desert near Saudi Arabia, has long been a lifeline for settlements in the region, sustaining communities with water, shade, and fertile ground. Early fortresses and dwellings built here from local stone and palm wood endure as a record of how human settlement adapted to the desert’s extremes. Mexico City-based Inca Hernandez Atelier design pays homage to this lineage, grounding the project in materials and systems that capture the identity of the land. Rammed earth walls mix desert sand with concrete to achieve thermal mass and resilience against erosion. Clay latticework lightens walls while filtering sun and air, while pigmented washed concrete platforms elevate the buildings, shielding them from drifting sand.

Inca Hernandez Atelier unveils Liwa Farm Village

celebrating Al Gharbia heritage

The exhibition spaces of Liwa Farm Village open with arched porticoes and clay lattice roofs recalling windcatchers, framing views of the desert sky while passively cooling interiors. A veterinary center connects directly to horse paddocks, supporting both animal welfare and community learning. The Majlis anchors the site at its central atrium, built with double-curved forms and palm-structured roofs that echo traditional oases, surrounded by reflecting pools inspired by qanat water channels. Nearby, a restaurant serves produce from the farm itself, while a spa recalls the sahn courtyard typology, bordered by lavender and lemongrass crops nourished by reclaimed water. Four small bungalows complete Inca Hernandez Atelier’s ensemble, designed for family and guest use as quiet retreats of earth and palm construction.

Liwa Farm Village is a place where food production, cultural memory, and social exchange overlap. Its design foregrounds the Western Region’s identity, Al Gharbia, while responding to contemporary challenges of climate and sustainability. 

a 7,000-square-meter masterplan in the historic Liwa Oasis of Abu Dhabi’s Western Region

the project combines agricultural production, cultural spaces, and community life

conceived as a farm and a gathering ground

grounding the project in materials and systems that capture the identity of the land

clay latticework lightens walls while filtering sun and air

rammed earth walls mix desert sand with concrete to achieve thermal mass and resilience against erosion

the project draws on ancestral building traditions

four small bungalows complete Inca Hernandez Atelier’s ensemble

project info:

name: Liwa Farm Village

architect: Inca Hernandez Atelier | @incarquitectura

location: Bateen Liwa, Abu Dhabi, UAE

construction area: 7,000 square meters

land area: 30,000 square meters

lead architect: Inca Hernandez

team: Evelin García, Luis Enrique Vargas, Jesús Navarro, Alfonso Castelló

renderings: Studio Navarro & Alfonso Castelló

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The anticipated Zayed National Museum is set to open in December 2025 in the Saadiyat Cultural District, joining a growing network of landmark institutions such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena, and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Designed by Foster + Partners, the museum anchors the island with a bold sculpted form that draws deeply from Emirati heritage while incorporating advanced sustainable technologies.

The architecture is defined by five steel arching towers that rise above the galleries like falcon wings, a nod to the cultural importance of falconry in the UAE. Beyond this symbolism, each tower functions as a solar thermal chimney, drawing hot air out of the building through natural convection. Below, a landscaped garden traces a timeline of Sheikh Zayed’s life, while the main exhibition spaces are embedded within a gently contoured mound, abstracted from the topography of the Emirates. These six permanent pod-shaped galleries and a temporary exhibition space will present a comprehensive narrative of the UAE’s cultural, environmental, and social history.

all images © Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

foster + partners’ sculpted design at saadiyat Cultural District

Commissioned as a tribute to the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s new national museum will be split across two levels, supported by a dynamic programme of exhibitions, public events, and research initiatives. Highlights of the collection will include artefacts from the UAE’s earliest human settlements, a rare ancient Magan Boat reconstruction, the Blue Quran manuscript, and the Abu Dhabi Pearl — believed to be one of the world’s oldest natural pearls.

The museum builds on Sheikh Zayed’s vision and values to form part of a broader cultural strategy shared by its neighboring institutions on Saadiyat Island, home to one of the world’s densest clusters of cultural venues. Zayed National Museum’s permanent galleries will span archaeology, biodiversity, urban development, and Emirati traditions, drawing connections between local heritage and global narratives to celebrate the region’s identity. The collection also includes major archaeological finds dating back to the Palaeolithic era, including early irrigation systems and traces of Bronze Age copper mining, and these histories are presented alongside contemporary research and public programming, reflecting a commitment to making culture accessible across generations. With dedicated spaces for youth, senior citizens, and People of Determination, the museum seeks to foster inclusive engagement and shared learning.

Zayed National Museum is set to open in December 2025

Foster + Partners anchors Saadiyat Cultural District with a bold sculpted form

the design draws deeply from Emirati heritage while incorporating advanced sustainable technologies

five steel arching towers rise like falcon wings, a nod to the cultural importance of falconry in the UAE

each tower functions as a solar thermal chimney

the museum builds on the late Sheikh Zayed’s vision and values

six permanent pod-shaped galleries will present a comprehensive narrative of the UAE’s history

the galleries will span archaeology, biodiversity, urban development, and Emirati traditions

Highlights of the collection will include artefacts from the UAE’s earliest human settlements

the Abu Dhabi Pearl is believed to be one of the world’s oldest natural pearls

project info:

name: Zayed National Museum

architecture: Foster + Partners | @fosterandpartners

location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

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Archer Aviation has completed the first test flight of its eVTOL Midnight in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Occurring at Al Bateen Executive Airport, which is a private airport in Abu Dhabi, in early July 2025, the eVTOL’s test flight helps the company monitor how the aircraft performs, what changes they might need to make in its systems, and how it fits into the local airspace, given that the city wants flying taxis to be a norm transport in the area. 

With the pilot flight completed, Archer continues testing Midnight around the UAE to gear up for commercial services, such as air taxis in the city. The company wants to begin offering rides in Abu Dhabi and other cities once it receives certification from aviation authorities. Archer’s work in the UAE is part of its Launch Edition program, which focuses on starting commercial operations in places that are early adopters of air taxi technology such as Abu Dhabi. 

all images courtesy of Archer Aviation

Testing aircraft in local conditions like high heat

Archer’s eVTOL test flight in Abu Dhabi is part of the city’s larger plan to create a hub for smart and autonomous vehicles. The city is in the phase of building new infrastructure, like a hybrid heliport at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, where flying taxis could land. The government supports these new technologies through a group called the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC) and through the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO).

During the flight of the Archer eVTOL, Abu Dhabi’s government officials alongside aviation leaders and the company partners came to watch and see how the Midnight works in real UAE conditions, such as high heat, dust, and humidity. Testing in these conditions helps Archer know if the aircraft can perform well and safely in local weather.

Archer Aviation has completed the first test flight of its eVTOL Midnight in Abu Dhabi

Aircraft with handcrafted exterior made of carbon fiber

For a design overview, the Archer eVTOL tested in Abu Dhabi uses fully electric motors and small rotors, which allow for a quieter ride compared to a helicopter. Midnight comes with six separate, fast-charging battery packs, each one connected to two of Archer’s electric motors. If one battery or motor faces a problem, the others keep working.

Between flights, the aircraft can charge in just a few minutes, so it can carry passengers often and without long delays. Its body is slim and clean, but the wings, bent upwards in a dihedral shape to stabilize its flight, are wide. Midnight can fly up to 240 km/h and carry one pilot and up to four passengers. For the exterior, the team shapes the prototype by hand using a traditional clay sculpting method from the automotive industry. In the end, they’ve used carbon fiber as well as composite materials commonly used in the aircraft industry.

the Archer eVTOL tested in Abu Dhabi uses fully electric motors and small rotors

Midnight comes with six separate battery packs, each one connected to two of the aircraft’s electric motors

front view of the aircraft

project info:

name: Midnight in Abu Dhabi

company: Archer | @flyarcher

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