Saadiyat Island Cultural District

Two linked motivations are driving cultural development in many of the states in the Arabian Gulf area – the need to preserve or recover elements of their traditional culture in the face of the most rapid economic development on earth and the need to diversify the economy from its oil base by enhancing the cultural tourism offerings that these sun-baked countries with beautiful long beaches can offer. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is committed to both objectives, and so has undertaken the world’s largest museum development project as part of an even grander Cultural District on Saadiyat (Arabic for “Happiness”) Island, which is now connected to the city by a bridge across the harbor. Saadiyat Island is a huge project with a large residential component, multiple hotels, golf courses and an environmental preservation area aimed at sustaining the Gulf coast mangroves. Its northeast corner, closest to the bridge, will feature its Cultural District, comprised of six attractions.

Lord Cultural Resources has worked with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) to develop many of the exciting new cultural institutions on Saadiyat Island including Master Planning and Facility Programming for the Maritime Museum designed by Tadao Ando and the Louvre Abu Dhabi (Classical Art Museum) designed by Jean Nouvel.  We were also asked to help develop a Governance Structure for the Saadiyat cultural institutions.

At the unveiling of the design models on January 31, 2007, TDIC acknowledged Lord Cultural Resources at the opening:

“One of the world’s most experienced museum consultants, Lord Cultural Resources, has been appointed to plan content and operational matters for the Sheikh Zayed National Museum and Maritime Museum.”