Project Type:
Cultural Center, Theater, Library, Gallery, Office
Services Provided: Master Plan, Architectural Design, Interior Design, Structural Design Peer Review, Electrical Engineering Peer, Review
Construction Cost: $15,000,000
Project Size: 50,000 S.F.
Architecture
The Ras Al Khaimah Cultural Center is organized around a garden courtyard facing Al Khor Creek in Dubai. In addition to a 1,000-seat theater, which presents a variety of musical and theatrical performances, the project includes a library, an exhibition gallery, and administrative offices. The individual project components are connected internally through a series of lobbies and passages.
The massing and articulation of the building forms and the masonry materials respond to the region’s climate and culture and refer specifically to examples of local vernacular architecture. Overhangs, pergolas, and porticos provide shelter from the intense sun. The dome above the audience section of the theater conveys a sense of community within this large room. From the exterior it recalls Islamic vernacular architecture.