OMA's Concrete Opens in Dubai's Alserkal Avenue with Syria Exhibition
Rem Koolhaas inaugurated Concrete, a multidisciplinary space in Dubai's Alserkal Avenue, marking OMA's first building in the UAE. The 1,250 sqm project repurposes an existing industrial structure in Al Quoz, a district undergoing cultural transformation since 2008. OMA preserved the shell, adding rough reflective cement with glass fragments and polycarbonate panels to the facades. Inside, an open floor plan with movable 8-meter-high partitions allows flexible configurations for exhibitions, performances, and conferences. Skylights can be adjusted to control light. The opening exhibition, "Syria: Into the Light," curated by Mouna Atassi with Rasha Salti, runs until April 3, 2017, featuring over 60 works by more than 40 Syrian artists from 1924 to 2016, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and video. OMA collaborated with local partners Iyad Alsaka and Kaveh Dabiri, and local firms handled interior design and engineering.
Key facts
- Concrete is OMA's first building in the UAE.
- The space is located in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai.
- It covers 1,250 square meters.
- The project reused an existing industrial building in Al Quoz.
- Facades feature rough reflective cement with glass and polycarbonate panels.
- Interior partitions are 8 meters high, movable and rotatable.
- Skylights can be adjusted to control light entry.
- Opening exhibition 'Syria: Into the Light' runs until April 3, 2017.
- The exhibition includes over 60 works by more than 40 Syrian artists.
- Curated by Mouna Atassi with Rasha Salti.
Entities
Artists
- Rem Koolhaas
- Mouna Atassi
- Rasha Salti
- Iyad Alsaka
- Kaveh Dabiri
Institutions
- OMA
- Alserkal Avenue
- Concrete
- Artribune
Locations
- Dubai
- United Arab Emirates
- Al Quoz