Concrete At Alserkal Avenue

Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue

CONCRETE AT ALSERKAL AVENUE

OMA

ARCHITECTS
OMA

LOCATION
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

AREA
1250.0 m2

CATEGORY
Cultural Center

PARTNER IN CHARGE
Iyad Alsaka

PROJECT ARCHITECT
Kaveh Dabiri

CONTRACTOR
Blue Camel Design

ACOUSTICS
Acoustic Logic

LIGHTING DESIGN
Licht Kompetenz

LOCAL ARCHITECTS
CVTEC

SMEP
Blue Camel Design

PARTNER IN CHARGE
Iyad Alsaka

PROJECT ARCHITECT
Kaveh Dabiri

STRUCTURAL
Blue Camel Design

MEP
Blue Camel Design

PHOTOGRAPHS
Mohamed Somji, Courtesy Alserkal Avenue

PROJECT YEAR
2017

TEAM
Yoonhee Bae, Aras Burak, Shabnam Hosseini, Mohammed Jabri, Alejandro Noe, Guerrero Ortega, Christin Simonian, Mayar Soliman

Text description provided by architect.

Located in Dubai’s Al Qouz industrial area, Alserkal Avenue was founded in 2007 with the aim of promoting cultural initiatives in the region. Since then, it has become Dubai’s most important art hub with twenty-five galleries and art spaces.

Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue
Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue

Concrete, a new venue, addresses the districts growing need for a centrally located public space which can host a diverse program.

The 1,250 m2 former warehouse provides a multi-purpose venue to accommodate a series of public events, including exhibitions, performances, lectures, and fashion shows.

Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue
Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue

The planning strategy focused on maximizing the event area. All the services were consolidated on one end of the building, allowing the entrance and event spaces to be situated closer to The Yard, the district’s main outdoor public square.

INTERIOR DESIGN

The design for the interior introduces a flexible floor plan to accommodate the required program diversity. Four 8.10 m pivoting and sliding walls can create multiple space configurations depending on the type of event. To maintain a fluid space, all the major interior equipment has been integrated into the ceiling, leaving the walls and floors free of any components.

Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue
Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue

Two linear skylights have been positioned above the movable walls to allow either thin blades of light or full daylight depending on the configuration.

EXTERIOR DESIGN

The original front façade of the ware-house has been replaced with poly-carbonate cladding and full height operable doors.

Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue
Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue

When the doors are open, the exterior and interior space can merge, activating the courtyard. The connection to the exterior is reinforced by the translucent poly-carbonate, which brings the view, daylight and outdoor activities into the interior space.

The rest of the original façade has been maintained and sprayed in a customized mix of concrete with glass and mirror aggregates. The rough texture of the spayed concrete and reflections from the glass and mirror aggregates will make the venue stand out in the context of Alserkal Avenue.

Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue
Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue
Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue
Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
© Mohamed Somji, courtesy Alserkal Avenue


Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
Model. Image © OMA
Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
Space Configurations. Image © OMA
Concrete At Alserkal Avenue
Exploded Axonometric. Image © OMA