The Zayed National Museum, designed by the British architectural firm Foster + Partners, has been completed on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, marked by soaring ventilation towers inspired by the wings of a falcon.
This highly anticipated museum serves as the focal point of Saadiyat Island’s cultural district, where it stands alongside notable institutions such as Jean Nouvel’s Louvre Abu Dhabi and the soon-to-be-opened Guggenheim by Frank Gehry.
Dedicated to the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the museum celebrates the Emirates’ rich history, culture, and landscape through its seven galleries.
“Zayed National Museum is situated at the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District, which brings together a collection of new cultural landmarks along the coastline,” said Norman Foster, founder of Foster + Partners, in an interview with Dezeen.
“Our site is set further inland, offering a direct pedestrian connection through Al Masar Garden that links the museum with the coast,” he explained.
“The museum’s civic spaces are designed to enhance the surrounding retail and residential areas, helping to shape a vibrant new cultural neighborhood for Abu Dhabi—a city within the city.”
The museum covers 88,870 square metres and is instantly recognisable by its five monumental steel towers. These towers, described by Foster as “thermal chimneys,” draw cool air into the building, contributing to its sustainable design.
Each tower differs in height and form, with the tallest reaching 123 metres. Their arrangement ensures they do not overshadow each other, allowing natural light to filter through their glazed surfaces.
Together, the towers are meant to evoke the image of a bird’s wings, a tribute to Sheikh Zayed’s passion for falconry.
“The wings are designed to draw hot air from the atrium by taking advantage of negative pressure on the leeward side of their profiles,” Foster explained.
“As the wing tips heat up, they create rising thermal currents, which combine to pull in cooler air from deep beneath the desert floor. This natural process helps to regulate the temperature inside the museum.”
