Al Reem Island Towers : Images + Information

21 Jan 2009 New A-cero towers in Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi A-cero presents a new project for Abu Dhabi, consisting of three interconnected towers to be located in the Al Reem Island, a new residential, commercial and business district on the coast. This proposal represents an attempt to apply a global vision to the entirety of the project, begining in the early drawing stages, that pursues a clear design strategy capable of integrating each of the individual buildings with the surrounding public spaces and all the parts into a whole. The creation of this unifying image is born from the drawing of a series of winding lines on the site, as a reference to the curved geometry of the sand dunes and the ocean waves, the two main natural elements present in the surroundings, but also recalling the forms of the large scale urban sculptures by artists like Richard Serra. This double identification with context and art (natural and artificial) is the main design theme of the project, and is the key of our work process. When going through the open spaces, these lines mark the limits of green areas, pavements and water surfaces, creating an artificial geography for the site. On a higher level, these "ribs" become supports for elevated structures like porches and pergolas, bringing solar protection to the public spaces and marking the access to the complex. In the plot's limits, the buildings emerge as a vertical continuation of the open spaces, where the "ribs" and floor divisions become walls and structural elements, drawing a landscape of curved lines that, in their encounter, weave the forms of the towers.