Dubai is known for its sleek skyscrapers, some of which hold world records such as the Burj Khalifa with its unprecedented height. While those tall buildings are awe-inspiring, their shape can become repetitious. Dubai’s new Museum of the Future is breaking new ground with a unique approach to architecture and the showcasing of innovation.
The Museum of the Future – An Exceptional Feat of Architecture
The new museum will not look like any other. It is shaped liked a torus – a large silver oval with an off-center opening. It almost appears as if an eye were keeping watch on the largest city in the UAE. Not only did the design need to be futuristic, but there is also a sense of feng shui with the building’s round shape, which represents the Earth’s fertile fields and the sky’s limitless imagination.
The building enjoys LEED Platinum status, and designers for the Museum of the Future used 4D sequencing to verify constraints and weights. The models for engineering and building have been updated and confirmed daily throughout the life of the project. The building itself was designed and documented using Autodesk Revit.
Architects, engineers, and builders have worked hand in hand to create this futuristic structure. Borrowing from the aviation industry, the building has 890 joint-free fiberglass and stainless steel panels to create its smooth exterior. It also makes use of sustainable design concepts such as internal air recovery systems and photovoltaics for energy.
Not a Place to View Collected Relics
The idea for this museum came from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, prime minister and vice president of the UAE and Dubai’s ruler. Instead of being a typical museum that collects and display artifacts, this will instead be an active center filled with design studios and innovation. Because it focuses on the future, this concept was a major influence on the building’s design.
The museum focuses on what is going to happen tomorrow instead of what occurred in the past and will have three major underlying themes. First, it will address how artificial intelligence and robotics improve human physical and mental capabilities. Second, it will focus on the relationship between humans and robots. And, third, it will showcase how the emergence of AI technologies will impact the decision-making and management processes.
Plans for High-Tech Visitor Experiences
Instead of just walking around and listening to audio or watching videos, the museum will provide visitors with an interactive and immersive experience using technology. The project’s developers have launched a program that is designed to attract technology companies as partners to offer futuristic experiences for its visitors.
Companies that want to participate were invited to fly to Dubai to give presentations of their technology and present proposals. Some of the challenges that the Museum is asking companies to meet include providing visitors with Advanced Wearable Devices, AI Guides and Social Companions, and VR and AR Experiences. Once the museum opens, the plan is for visitors to be able to immerse themselves in the experience by using wearable devices, participating with personalized conversational chatbots, and delving into a dynamic virtual environment at any time.
The Museum of the Future is scheduled to open by the end of 2019.