It would not be surprising for Dubai’s new landmark, the Museum of the Future located at the arterial Sheikh Zayed Road adjacent to the Emirates Towers, to be described as one of the most advanced buildings in the world, starting with its eye grabbing unique shape, embodied in the splendour of Arabic fonts engraved on it, and the use of 3D printing technology in the construction process.
The eye-shaped Museum of the Future is an engineering miracle, designed by Dubai-based architectural firm Killa Design and engineered by UK-based Buro Happold engineering consultancy. The seven floors, with an overall area capacity of 30,546 m2 and a height of 77 meters, is characterized by the absence of columns, relying instead on a network of diagonal beams.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, stated that the building is an architectural and engineering marvel, confidently straddling the past and the future by applying advanced technology to traditional art forms.
“Our goal is not to build engineering miracles; our goal is to build human miracles that can use the museum to build a better future. Dubai continues to build, the Emirates continues to achieve, and the world continues to move and progress for those who know what they want,” he adds with a dash of confidence.
A prominent landmark added to the already distinguished cityscape of Dubai, the torus-shaped museum welcomes people of all ages to see, touch, and shape a shared future, to go on a journey through possible future and bring hope and knowledge back to the present. The building also opens a new path away from the high-rise towers that dominates skylines everywhere.
Covering a total surface area of 17, 600 square meters and lit up by 14,000 meters of light lines, the museum’s stainless steel facade is a canvas for inspirational quotes of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Arabic, rendered in the calligraphy of Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej, and intricately 3D mapped onto the curved skin.
The circular building represents humanity with the green mound it sits atop representing earth and the elliptical void within the upper structure representing innovation and an unwritten future into which humanity and the world can look into. The museum is considered an unparalleled urban icon, winning the Tecla Award.
The museum, welcoming visitors to 2071, provides a two-hour tour with a range of immersive experiences that enable them to learn about the future technology that will change people’s lives. The seven floors have different themes including climate change, the future of education, health, nature, space life, spirituality, technology, and travel.
Divided into five stops, it starts with the Lift off to Orbiting Space Station (OSS Hope) watching Dubai in 2071 as a breath-taking scene through the space shuttle’s windows, and upon docking getting a full view of the moon and the broader galaxy; landing back at earth at the Heal institute; experiencing the Amazon rainforest digitally; heading towards the ‘Vault of Life’ library that displays 2,400 DNA specimens; relaxing and unwinding at Al Waha’s various meditation techniques to reconnect with the body, mind, and soul; exploring the current technologies that shapes our future at ‘Tomorrow Today,’ featuring more than 50 prototypes and currently available tech products; and ‘Future Heroes,’ a dedicated space for children with a playground and immersive games.
The museum is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
