The Japanese art collective TeamLab has partnered with MZ Architects to establish a permanent space for its immersive installations on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.
Located next to the recently opened Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi by Mecanoo, TeamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi stands alongside Foster+Partners’ Zayed National Museum and Jean Nouvel’s Louvre Abu Dhabi as a key cultural destination within the Saadiyat Island development, situated to the east of the city.
The building, which features a nearly windowless design, is clad in a seamless white facade made from glass fibre-reinforced concrete, developed in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi-based MZ Architects.
Inside, the structure houses 17,000 square meters of reinforced-concrete space, with a series of drum-shaped galleries that showcase TeamLab’s digital artworks. The distinctive exterior form of the building is determined by the arrangement and shape of these gallery spaces.
The smooth facade is interrupted by a prominent arched opening, which marks the main entrance to the museum.
On the exterior, a ceremonial staircase leads visitors up to an elevated plaza and a rooftop viewing platform. On the waterfront side, a smaller plaza features a waterfall-like element that has been seamlessly integrated into the building’s facade.
Inside the museum, which is operated by Miral, visitors encounter a variety of immersive installations by TeamLab—a group renowned for its interactive digital art spaces, such as its well-known gallery in Tokyo.
Each artwork is specifically designed for the dedicated galleries at TeamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, and the installations will be periodically refreshed to offer new experiences.
