SEVEN CARPETS - AL MANHAL AREA ABU DHABI UAE

Period: 2005

Scope of Work: Concept Design

Project Description: The project involves a big area in the center of Abu Dhabi (6,620,940 sq. ft, approximately 61.51 hectares) that is currently used for various purposes. The program involved a feasibility study to examine the best use of the area, considering its central location and its potential transformation. The various facilities are located in uniform functional areas centered around the large volume of the covered plaza, which is the entrance to the urban system. In turn, these areas are arranged around broad open spaces whose outlines are characterized by this fragmented layout. This complex of solids and voids is covered by a reticulated structure with a geometric design that evokes the patterns of Oriental rugs, generating a block characterized by seven carpets. Thus, the block effectively becomes a large room within the urban structure of Abu Dhabi.