We are wishing all the best to MTA Partner Brian Rudy and Associate Mohammed al Riffai who are leading a presentation in Dubai today, as part of a panel discussion on the design of the Etihad Museum.

Hosted at the museum, the talk will be the first in a series (“Museums in the Landscape”) about how to re-imagine cultural facilities in Dubai, as spaces for community, public engagement, and transfer of knowledge. Brian and Mohammed’s talk will be focused on how the Etihad, completed in 2016, is a prime example of this, explaining how the museum was designed to anticipate and accommodate enhanced visitor experience. They will also be leading an architectural tour of the building during this event.

Located next to and underneath the historic Union House on the Dubai waterfront, the Union Museum honours the 1971 signing of the document that created the United Arab Emirates and celebrates the rich culture and history of its people. Much of the museum is underground, including permanent and temporary galleries, theatres, event spaces and archival facilities. The dramatic entrance pavilion rests lightly upon a reflecting pool and plaza, its undulating parabolic curves representing the parchment upon which the unification agreement was written and its tapering golden columns representing the pens with which the document was signed.