Architect David Adjaye speaking at the World Economic Forum. He said the Abrahamic Family House project is 'very exciting'. Courtesy World Economic Forum
Architect David Adjaye speaking at the World Economic Forum. He said the Abrahamic Family House project is 'very exciting'. Courtesy World Economic Forum
Architect David Adjaye speaking at the World Economic Forum. He said the Abrahamic Family House project is 'very exciting'. Courtesy World Economic Forum
Architect David Adjaye speaking at the World Economic Forum. He said the Abrahamic Family House project is 'very exciting'. Courtesy World Economic Forum

Architect David Adjaye: designing Abu Dhabi's Abrahamic Family House is a 'profound moment'


Alice Haine
  • English
  • Arabic

Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye said Abu Dhabi's decision to commission him to design the Abrahamic Family House multi-faith centre was "a profound moment".

Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Mr Adjaye said the project, which will feature a mosque, church and synagogue, is “very exciting” because it is uses architecture and narrative storytelling to “talk about the commonality of three faiths rather than difference”.

“This is a really special project that hits on the trinity of this Abrahamic faith that is influencing over half the world's population,” he told delegates at an online session of the Forum on Wednesday.

"This new initiative by the head imam, the Pope and the head rabbi of the region ... for the [leadership] of Abu Dhabi to commission this incredible project to make a statement about commonality is a very profound moment.”

  • An artist's illustration of the Abrahamic Family House set to be built on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    An artist's illustration of the Abrahamic Family House set to be built on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
  • The interior of the mosque. Abrahamic Family House will bring together Islam, Christianity and Judaism through three main buildings – a mosque, a church and a synagogue. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    The interior of the mosque. Abrahamic Family House will bring together Islam, Christianity and Judaism through three main buildings – a mosque, a church and a synagogue. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
  • The synagogue. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    The synagogue. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
  • The interior of the synagogue. While the three places of worship are of the same height, the designs and interiors will differ significantly. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    The interior of the synagogue. While the three places of worship are of the same height, the designs and interiors will differ significantly. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
  • The interior of the church. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    The interior of the church. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
  • The exterior of the church. “When I looked at the history of the architecture that has represented these three different faiths, I realised architecture has also been complicit in a description of the differences of these faiths,” Mr Adjaye said. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    The exterior of the church. “When I looked at the history of the architecture that has represented these three different faiths, I realised architecture has also been complicit in a description of the differences of these faiths,” Mr Adjaye said. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
  • The courtyard of the church. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    The courtyard of the church. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
  • Each separate building will connect through a central garden that will house a museum and centre for education. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    Each separate building will connect through a central garden that will house a museum and centre for education. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
  • The visitor Centre of Abrahamic Family House. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    The visitor Centre of Abrahamic Family House. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
  • A view of the podium. Courtesy Adjaye Associates
    A view of the podium. Courtesy Adjaye Associates

The Abrahamic Family House, set for completion on Saadiyat Island in 2022, is named after the revered prophet Abraham and will bring together Islam, Christianity and Judaism through three main buildings – a mosque, a church and a synagogue.

Each separate building will connect through a central garden that will house a museum and centre for education. While the three places of worship are of the same height, the designs and interiors will differ significantly.

“When I looked at the history of the architecture that has represented these three different faiths, I realised architecture has also been complicit in a description of the differences of these faiths,” Mr Adjaye said.

Earlier this month, Mr Adjaye was awarded the 27th Annual Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum for being an important storyteller "of our time".

The award, his first humanitarian accolade, honours exceptional artists for their contributions to society.

“I won the competition, because I really sought not to dissolve the qualities of each of the religions, but to find an architectural device that would start to unify them,” Mr Adjaye said, referring to the Abrahamic Family House.

“I also used architecture and narrative storytelling as a way to unify the different ways in which the faiths can look at their relationship to divinity and to the world. It’s very exciting.”

Mr Adjaye, who set up his architectural practice in 2000 and now has offices in the UK, Ghana and the US, told the Forum that architecture can also bring cities together.

"Cities when they're not careful start to create inequality," he said. "You can't make cities with extreme hierarchies. We need to democratise the value that we bring in design to every part of the city. Because essentially, if we give that equality to the city, all citizens perform and the city shines."

As a result, he said he does not only take on projects based in wealthy urban areas.

"I choose work very specifically to make sure that we're not over-flagging agendas which talk about exclusivity but ones that also that talk about inclusivity," he said. "It doesn't mean we don't do work that's not about luxury but we've always measured that within the context of the city and how it's evolved."

Tanzanian-born Mr Adjaye, the son of a diplomat, moved to Britain at a young age. Growing up, his interest in design stemmed from seeing his brother Emmanuel, who is partially paralysed, navigate the urban environment. As such, all his designs ensure accessibility for all.

While his work often takes him to Africa, one of his major global projects is the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, which was influenced by design elements from West Africa.

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Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

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The biog

Name: Marie Byrne

Nationality: Irish

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption

Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston

Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

The Rub of Time: Bellow, Nabokov, Hitchens, Travolta, Trump and Other Pieces 1986-2016
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Asia%20Cup%202022
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhat%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAsia%20Cup%20final%3A%20Sri%20Lanka%20v%20Pakistan%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhen%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESunday%2C%20September%2011%2C%20from%206pm%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhere%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EDubai%20International%20Stadium%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHow%20to%20watch%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ECatch%20the%20live%20action%20on%20Starzplay%20across%20Mena%20region.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
INFO
Mission%3A%20Impossible%20-%20Dead%20Reckoning%20Part%20One
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Christopher%20McQuarrie%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tom%20Cruise%2C%20Hayley%20Atwell%2C%20Pom%20Klementieff%2C%20Simon%20Pegg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

Essentials

The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours 
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.

While you're here
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sav%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Purvi%20Munot%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%20as%20of%20March%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

Stage 5 results

1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 3:48:53

2 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team -

Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott - 

4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ  0:00:04

5 Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) CCC Team 0:00:07

General Classification:

1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 20:35:04

2 Tadej Pogacar (SlO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:01

3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:33

4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:48

5 Rafał Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:11

No Shame

Lily Allen

(Parlophone)