A majestic structure with even more awe-inspiring things to see inside! Tsunami Costabir walks you through Dubai’s Museum of the Future…
Standing along the 14-lane Sheikh Zayed Road highway, home to most of the city’s skyscrapers, is the torus-shaped building enveloped in Arabic calligraphy across 1,024 stainless steel panels that were partially made using robotic arms. Museum of the Future, as its name suggests, is not about honoring the past, but providing a peek into tomorrow — the year 2071 to be exact, coinciding with the centenary of the UAE’s founding.
The Museum of the Future is known as one of the most challenging construction projects ever attempted. But it is not just the unusual profile that marks the building out from the hundreds of other construction sites across the emirate. As each panel of the facade is fixed in place, more of the Arabic calligraphy that will adorn the exterior of the 78m-high museum comes into view.
The museum directors have not yet revealed what the words say, but it is known to be phrases of poetry written by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The cursive scripts double as the windows of the museum. By day, they cast dappled light throughout the column-free interior; at night, they will be illuminated to dramatic effect by 14 kilometers of LED lighting.
Tobias Bauly, BuroHappold’s project director for the Museum of the Future, has a lot to say about the technology input on this marvelous project, “We knew we needed to have everything in a digital environment because geometrically you couldn’t define everything. It probably would have become something else; the shape would have been dumbed down and it would have been much more difficult to build. Technology has really been the enabler for this project.” The exhaustive 3D modeling also removed the typical problems associated with the mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) installation. “The MEP usually trips up a project in the later stages of the construction phase. We thought it would be one of the biggest risks, but it has not happened. It has all gone in so well,” he says.
“Once you have gone through all of the heartaches in the digital model, so as long as you stick to what you draw, you end up with what you had in the model. It almost becomes not very exciting because of how much work is put into the modeling side of it. I can’t tell you the joy when we fitted the first rung of panels and it all matched up. We haven’t had a panel yet that has not fitted or has been the wrong shape or the word misspelled,” Bauly adds.
The Sustainability Approach
From the outset, it was determined that the Museum of the Future would aim for a LEED Platinum rating. The building will be equipped with advanced building control solutions, greywater recycling systems and regenerative drive lifts, while its power needs will be met through photovoltaic solar arrays located offsite. Visitors will be able to charge their electric vehicles while touring the museum, and the number of car parking spaces is limited to encourage the use of public transport.
The museum itself will restrict single-use plastic, while Carlson says alternative proteins and cultured meats are likely to be on the menu. The museum’s exhibitions will also emphasize sustainability. There will be entire floors dedicated to climate change, as well as outer space and the future of healthcare and wellness. The museum will address the effect of global warming on critical ecosystems, and how these might be repaired. It will look at how solar energy collection in space and asteroid mining could be used for the benefit of humanity, and will even touch upon the subject of spirituality.
The Museum of the Future is hoping to attract more than one million visitors annually, with half coming from outside the UAE. Truly, Dubai’s Museum of the Future has become a showcase for future technology building design.
What’s Inside?!
The Museum of the Future consists of 7 levels. The events hall at the 7th Level, while Level 6 is reserved for royals and dignitaries. When you visit the museum, your journey begins from the top Level 5, all the way back to terra firma…
Level 5 – OSS Hope
At Level 5, which is OSS (Orbital Space Station) Hope, you get to experience a pretty cool space shuttle simulation – complete with a countdown, realistic shuttle sounds, movement and video clips of futuristic Dubai that you can view through the ‘shuttle’s windows’ as you shoot off to space.
There’s plenty to see here including exploring the missions the OSS Hope undertakes, studying inventions and discoveries, monitoring important projects, and more – all with a view of Planet Earth as inspiration.
Level 4 – The Heal Institution
Here, visitors will experience the wonders of nature – a digital Amazon. It showcases plenty of greenery, and sounds of the rainforest. While it is very eye-catching, you will also learn about the importance of climate change and what we as humans can do to preserve it.
The next section of this level features a library of life or The Vault of Life. Here, you will find a DNA library of over 2,000 species where you can see stunning details that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. All this, while you are encouraged to participate in a global effort to repair the damages of climate change in a fun and interactive way.
Level 3 – Al Waha
Al Waha, which translates to ‘The Oasis’, is a place for humans to revive their senses and disconnect from technology.
Remember this is the year 2071 and technology has advanced. So here, at Al Waha, you are encouraged to visit the specially designed areas to re-energize, leaving technology behind.
Level 2 – Tomorrow, Today
This level focuses on technology and explores how designers, researchers and corporations are responding to the technological advancements of our time.
Technology holds the power to transform and change the way we live. Everything from environmental to cultural, social and political issues can be affected, but technology can be used to lead our planet towards a more positive and optimistic future.
On this floor, you will also find the entrance to the viewing deck which will take you outside. The beautiful curve of the building behind you is the perfect moment for that Instagram photo.
Level 1 – Future Heroes
This bright, most colorful level is dedicated to children ages 10 and below because, after all, they are indeed Planet Earth’s future heroes. They are encouraged to play while learning about how to build their future.
The Museum also has a space for you to experience Virtual Skydiving! Exciting, isn’t it?
And finally, making a pit stop at the robot barista is an absolute must! You can pick from hot or cold drinks including caramel latte, hot chocolate, matcha latte, iced mocha and more.
For tech lovers and people who are keen to see what the future potentially holds, a visit to the Museum of the Future is a must-do.
Museum opening times are daily from 10am to 6pm.
Tickets: https://museumofthefuture.ae/en/book
Musuem Link: https://museumofthefuture.ae/en/book
Picture Credits: https://whatson.ae/2022/02/museum-of-the-future-in-dubai/
