One of the final designs of the late Frank Gehry, a celebrated Canadian and American architect who died in December last year, called the Dar al Funoon Abu Dhabi, is finally breaking ground. It’s a major performing arts institution located on Saadiyat Island, and will join his other last design nearby, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which is also under construction.
The Dar al Funoon Abu Dhabi, which translates to "House of the Arts," was commissioned by the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). It’s a large complex with a combined capacity for about 6,000 people across all its venues, and will join the ranks of the other large technologically advanced buildings in the region by the time it’s finished in 2030.
The building’s layout is divided into four different performance areas. There’s a main hall, where technically demanding productions will be held, accommodating over 2,000 people. Next to it is the open-air amphitheater, which seats 3,500 people, and that is joined by a 400-seat studio theater for small productions. Lastly, there’s a jazz venue with 250 seats.
When you look at the distinct spaces as a whole, it's clear that the Dar al Funoon will be one of the most versatile performing arts facilities anywhere in the Gulf. Visitors can expect it to have programming all year round. The scale of this amazing structure alone brings BIG's Opera and Ballet Theatre of Kosovo to mind, which is also under currently construction, and also distributes audiences across several venues – a 1,200-seat concert hall, a 1,000-seat theatre hall, and a 300-seat recital room.
The exterior of the Dar al Funoon Abu Dhabi has the hallmarks of Gehry’s style. Looking at the renderings of what the completed project will look like, the building looks as though it's being enveloped in cascading fabric. Since this is not meant to be a closed-off cultural institution, the facade is transparent, which is said to symbolize Abu Dhabi’s openness to creativity and cultural exchange.
It’s a different approach to something like Brisbane's recently opened Glasshouse Theatre, which you can literally see right into due to the 217 self-supporting curved glass panels totaling over 25,800 sq ft (2,400 sq m). For the Dar al Funoon, its inviting nature is communicated through form instead of literal transparency.
People from across the regions and internationally will come to the venue to enjoy opera, ballet, theater, and other live productions, alongside artist residencies, co-productions, and touring partnerships with major international performing arts companies. Educational workshops and community programs are also part of the operational plan. Saadiyat Island, where Funoon Abu Dhabi will rise, is already a dense cultural cluster that includes Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum.
Abu Dhabi is expanding its cultural footprint in the region because it sees it as a pillar of economic development. The building is expected to drive up cultural tourism further while also supporting the local creative sector.
"Dar al Funoon Abu Dhabi represents our long-term investment in artistic expression and reflects our comprehensive approach to cultural development," said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi. "It is an approach rooted in our values, shaped by our people, and open to the world. This is a deliberate investment in the future of our cultural ecosystem, and the scale of our ambition is clear."
Source: Abu Dhabi Media Office
