Mecanoo's Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi Underway

The latest project unveiled for the Saadiyat Cultural District will join an impressive assemblage of completed and in-progress icons designed by famous architects, including Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi (open since 2017, visible in rendering at top), Frank Gehry's off-again, on-again Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Zaha Hadid's Performing Arts Center, Norman Foster's Zayed National Museum (under construction, visible in the second rendering), and Tadao Ando's Maritime Museum — all on a patch of land just one square mile (2.6 km2) in area.

Mecanoo's Natural History Museum "will be a scientific research and teaching institution," according to the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, "as well as an educational resource for learning about the evolving story of our planet." Among the many natural history specimens to be put on display most famous are the "Stan" T-Rex and Murchison Meteorite. The museum, now under construction, is aiming for a 2025 completion. 

Renderings of the museum give the impression of mountainous forms covered in vegetation. To wit, "Mecanoo designed the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi to resonate with natural rock formations," as described in their office profile, "reflecting the museum’s goal of improving understanding of and engagement with the natural world." 

Visit Mecanoo's profile to learn more about their conceptual design of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.