An architectural marvel, the Museum Of The Future was beautifully designed by Killa designs, a Dubai-based firm, and engineered by Buro Happold, a UK-based firm. Museum Of The Future or MOTF is one of the most popular designs by the firm and is designed by taking inspiration from the Fang Shui concept. To bring the complex shape of the museum into reality, the team of engineers developed in-house parametric to build the structure.
The master brain behind the design, Shaun Killa, is not a new name in the middle-east architectural communities. Killa Design, his brainchild formed in January 2015, has designed some of the city's most iconic buildings which have become an integral part of the Dubai skyline.
About Museum of the FutureA breath-taking addition to Dubai’s skyscrapers, the Museum Of The Future has one of the most complex yet marvelous architecture. Designed by Dubai’s Killa Designs, the museum's framework comprises around 2400 steel members that intersect diagonally.
A local architectural firm, Killa designs designed the museum in a torus shape, with an elliptical void. According to the designers, the void part symbolizes the unknown future while the solid part represents the knowledge we have at present. The facade, which is created of stainless steel, has fiberglass panels. These panels are adorned with beautiful Arabic Calligraphy. The sunlight coming through these calligraphy panels creates a dappled light effect in the interiors during the daytime. These panels create an illuminated effect at night, thanks to the LED lights around!
Inside Museum Of The FutureThe construction of the museum was based on a vision to create a building that symbolizes the client's perception of the future, where each floor, as well as the place as a whole, represents the world 5 to 10 years from now as well as we know it now.
The main challenge faced by the builders was the building’s unique shape as well as translating the symbolic concepts that had to be incorporated in the building of around 30,000 sq m. The stainless steel facade, the client’s requirement to get the LEED status, etc, was also a challenge.
The specialist engineers in the team created in-house parametric tools to create the museum's structure. This solution proved valuable as it helped the team to install fiberglass-reinforced polymer (GFRP) and stainless steel.
The museum is proudly standing on a green-lawn-like hilly structure. The greenery represents the earth. It also hoists the building that smoothly looms over the busy metro system and creates a nature-friendly elevation, which is not so popular in the city.
The main attraction of MOTF is its unique shape. While designers call it Torus, you can relate it to an eye or ellipse. The void in the structure represents the future, and the solid part is the knowledge we have.
The construction challenge was a challenge owing to the shape, and engineers used the latest 4D BIM algorithms to make it happen. The building has LEED Platinum status, a title given to a building that is efficiently built.
The design of the museum, as well as the exhibits in the building, emphasizes sustainability. The structure of the building is created using more than 1000 glass-reinforced panels, which improves external thermal insulation and the lighting inside. Besides, the building has a LEED platinum rating and is equipped with regenerative drive lifts, greywater recycling systems, etc and the power is sourced from the photovoltaic solar arrays kept outside the building. The museum also addresses the effects of global warming through its exhibitions and has floors dedicated to climate change, species extinction, and more.
The Arabic calligraphy that adorns the facade of the building is a visual treat. It also enhances the overall design structure and the interiors as it acts as a window through which the sunlight enters the building. The calligraphy reads three quotes taken from the poems written by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai. The meaning of these quotes are as follows: “We may not live for hundreds of years, but the products of our creativity can leave a legacy long after we are gone.” “The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it, and execute it.” “The future does not wait. The future can be designed and built today.”
The building has a unique shape and a complex exterior. The torus shape of the museum is inspired by Chinese feng shui. The façade of the building is built using stainless steel and glass-reinforced panels. These 1,024 panels were created using robotic assistance, and each of these panels is different due to the shape of the facade. For this, the engineers had to propose in-house parametric to produce these panels individually.
A. The Museum Of The Future, or MOTF, is designed by Killa designs and built by a UK-based firm called Buro Happold.
A. The Museum Of The Future architecture is famous for its challenging construction and the exhibits and floors that give you an idea of how the future will be 50 years from now.
A. Museum Of The Future is 77 m tall and spans across 30,000 sq m in seven floors.
A. The construction work of the Museum Of The Future began in June 2016. However, it was officially opened on 22 February 2022.
A. Yes, the Museum Of The Future is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm.
A. Museum Of The Future was officially opened to the general public after a grand opening on 22 February 2022.
A. Inside the Museum Of The Future, there are exhibitions and objects that are spread over 7 floors inside the museum featuring topics related to the future, nature, space travel, climate change, wellness, and more.
A. The exterior of the Museum Of The Future is made of stainless steel. The verses taken from the poem written by Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai ruler, are engraved beautifully on the glimmering steel.
A. This elliptical shell of the building of the Museum Of The Future sits above the building and has 1,024 panels arrayed in stainless steel. The framework of the museum is built of diagonally intersecting beams.
A. The Arabic calligraphy adorning the stainless steel facade of the Museum Of The Future are quotes from the poems written by Dubai’s ruler. They also act as windows that let the sunlight lighten up the interiors.
A. The calligraphy on the Museum Of The Future says - “We may not live for hundreds of years, but the products of our creativity can leave a legacy long after we are gone.” “The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it, and execute it.” “The future does not wait. The future can be designed and built today.”
A. The panels of the Museum Of The Future building are made of 1024 glass panels that improve the external thermal isolation. Besides, the museum has dedicated floors for addressing climate change and other challenges. The building also has regenerative drive lifts, greywater recycling systems, etc, and also photovoltaic solar arrays to generate the power.
A. The shape of the Museum Of The Future is known as a torus in the architectural world. The shape is symbolic as the solid part represents our knowledge, the void part represents the unknown future and the green hill represents our planet earth.
A. Yes, a visit to the Museum Of The Future will be an unforgettable experience for you.