May 2010
Literally meaning ‘a place that provides enlightenment’ in Arabic, Manarat Al Saadiyat is a purpose-built 15,400 sqm visitor centre, designed to bring the vision of the island alive. Inspired by the rich local tradition of storytelling, The Saadiyat Story is made up of nine chapters that articulate the different facets of the island’s past, present and future. Each chapter is fully interactive experience and uses carefully considered scale, light, colour and sound to gently manipulate the visitors’ senses and perceptions and to reflect the diversity of the development.
TDIC’s Saadiyat Island development will house the world’s largest single concentration of premier cultural institutions, including the Zayed National Museum, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum, the Performing Arts Center and Maritime Museum.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), the world leading architecture and engineering firm also won gold at the awards for the Burj Kalifa building, Dubai.
The Saadiyat Story, Manarat Al Saadiyat is open to the public from 10am – 8pm daily.
“We are delighted to have won the Arab Achievement Award and feel proud to have contributed towards the development of the Middle East. We would like to thank TDIC for allowing us to create this exciting venture.”
Mike Wain, Executive Director.
