Generosity and knowledge. New monument from OMA in Dubai

/ Design /

A monument designed by Rem Koolhaas OMA in collaboration with the Dutch studio Inside Outside, specializing in landscape design, will appear on Jumeirah Beach in Dubai.

The Ethar - Honor Generosity monument is dedicated to Arab scientists, thinkers and philanthropists who helped bring their dreams and plans to life. On each of the 1680 aluminum columns, triangular in cross-section, the name of an outstanding figure with a list of his merits will be carved.

Image source: © OMA & Inside Outside

Image source: © OMA & Inside Outside

The scheme of the installation of the columns resembles a drawing of the lines of force of a magnetic field. In the center of the installation is a rectangular square, from which narrow "streets" diverge. The height of the columns increases from the borders to the center. "Labyrinth" offers people walking along the promenades of Jumeirah a game scenario, and at the same time is a source of important information. The project emphasizes the importance of talent and education and will be implemented under the patronage of major charitable organizations of the UAE, in particular, the Ethar Foundation.

Image source: © OMA & Inside Outside

Image source: © OMA & Inside Outside

Image source: © OMA & Inside Outside

The Ethar - Honor Generosity monument will become a permanent part of the urban landscape of Dubai. The OMA expects that densely standing columns will shade the space, creating a comfortable microclimate. Based on the fact that aluminum will heat up under the hot sun, this assumption sounds somewhat strange.

The very idea of ​​a "forest of columns" is far from new and was widely implemented both in classical Mediterranean architecture and in the Arab East. In 2012, before starting the reconstruction of the New National Gallery in Berlin, the architect David Chipperfield installed the Sticks and Stones installation made of 144 wooden columns in the hall. Read more here.