An iconic space that celebrates human achievement

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

Designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Frank Gehry, the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is starting to take shape. Perched at the tip of the peninsula in the Saadiyat Cultural District, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will feature a series of asymmetric cones, serrated towers and spirals of silver steel rising from the desert. Surrounded by water and flooded with aqueous light.

Inspired by the vernacular architecture of the Gulf region, dramatic conical forms animate the building while providing shade and supporting air movement during the warmer summer months. The conical elements provide a series of transitional spaces between interior and exterior, functioning variously as a dramatic entrance canopy, a soaring atrium, and a series of tempered spaces that link the museum’s gallery clusters.

Combining complex designs with careful cost management requires specialist skills, and RLB’s talented team has been balancing budgets for nearly 200 years. But to bring imagination to life we also turn to the latest technology – and building information modelling, or BIM, is one secret weapon that can help us exceed expectations.

RLB has 300-plus project case studies where BIM helped us to estimate costs, prepare tenders, maintain a close watch on cashflow or monitor variations. World-class experience with BIM gave RLB’s team the perfect background for this innovative and intricate project.

“Our deep experience delivering BIM, together with the relationship with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, forged during the delivery of other key projects, gave RLB an edge. We are delighted to be working on this iconic upcoming museum.”

Sam Graham, Director, RLB

Frank Gehry is one of the most influential and imaginative architects in the world. His newest vision promises a fresh perspective on the built form. With a commitment to fresh perspectives, RLB is proud to play its part turning a space into a place that celebrates human achievement and connects people through global modern and contemporary art.