Wael Alawar and Kenichi Teramoto of ibda design, who have won the open call for the next UAE representation at the Venice Biennale for architecture. Image National Pavilion UAE - La Biennale di Venezia
Wael Alawar and Kenichi Teramoto of ibda design, who have won the open call for the next UAE representation at the Venice Biennale for architecture. Image National Pavilion UAE - La Biennale di Venezia
Wael Alawar and Kenichi Teramoto of ibda design, who have won the open call for the next UAE representation at the Venice Biennale for architecture. Image National Pavilion UAE - La Biennale di Venezia
Wael Alawar and Kenichi Teramoto of ibda design, who have won the open call for the next UAE representation at the Venice Biennale for architecture. Image National Pavilion UAE - La Biennale di Venezi

Dubai-based Ibda design to represent UAE at next Venice Biennale


Melissa Gronlund
  • English
  • Arabic

Ibda design, a Dubai-based architectural studio that has recently built a number of cultural sites in the Gulf, will represent the UAE at the 2020 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Ibda design comprise Wael Al Awar, a Lebanese architect, and Kenichi Taramoto, from Japan. They are behind the new Jameel Arts Centre, on Dubai Creek, as well as Hai d3, a pavilion at the Dubai Design District that hosts performances and other events.

In a second commission for the Saudi foundation Art Jameel, they are also designing the upcoming Hayy: Creative Hub, in Jeddah, which is due to open in 2020. Ibda's buildings have won several awards, and the pair have developed a distinctive, refined aesthetic born of their unique backgrounds. As they like to say, between Lebanese and Japanese, they have no shared language, except for that of architecture.

This is the fourth year the UAE has participated in the architecture pavilion, and the first time the National Pavilion UAE organisation has put out an open call for submissions. The pavilion is commissioned by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and is regarded a particular entity in the UAE landscape, being the only institution to speak for the country nationally. Every exhibition returns to the UAE and travels to cultural institutions across the emirates.

The view of Jameel Arts Centre from Dubai Creek
The view of Jameel Arts Centre from Dubai Creek

Ibda’s proposal calls for a responsiveness to the local environment, using sea salt as a naturally-occurring building material. Their previous projects have also been sensitive to their surroundings. The Jameel Arts Centre, a collection of small buildings in a light, reflective cladding, hews closer to the grey waters of Dubai Creek beyond it, rather than the sand-coloured building of the Versace Hotel that overlook the site.

“We are continually inspired by natural phenomena and the ways in which architects can adapt organic materials to create sustainable designs,” the pair said in a statement. “Salt is a geologically fascinating substance as well as one of the UAE’s most abundant natural resources, and through our exhibition we’ll explore its potential as an environmentally-friendly building material.”

The Venice Biennale for architecture runs from May to November 2020. The main exhibition, How Will We Live Together?, is curated by the Lebanese architect Hashim Sarkis, who will use the forum to explore the potential for cross-community engagement in a time when social and economic division is plaguing many parts of the world.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20CarbonSifr%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202022%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Onur%20Elgun%2C%20Mustafa%20Bosca%20and%20Muhammed%20Yildirim%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Climate%20tech%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%241%20million%20raised%20in%20seed%20funding%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Disclaimer

Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

TEST SQUADS

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.

Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson and Jackson Bird.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates