MUSEUM OF THE FUTURE

TOUCH THE TOMORROW

OUR EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY INTO THE MUSEUM OF THE FUTURE RECENTLY OPENED IN DUBAI text Rossella Battista

COVER STORY

Only a big, quite suspended eye for seeing over the human mind. Recently opened in Dubai the Museum of the Future is considered to be the best and most beautiful building in the world. A sort of miracle of modern and digital research. A place for creating a new world, future communities and to enhance people’s lives. This is also the will of the creators “Leading the science and knowledge movement in the region, - the curators say - it will bring together Great Arab Minds and direct their creativity and knowledge to shape a better future for humanity”. The idea is mixing together the human imagination, creativity and innovation in a sort of endless development, with additional exhibitions in a continuos circluating way. “It will be - they add - an incubator for global visionaries”. And really it is easy to belive. The building in fact is a sort of dream, something ascending in to the sky. “The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it, and execute it. It isn’t something you await, but rather create”. This is one of the three inspirational quotes that you can read on the facade, written by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The oval structure forms a human eye representing the knowledge we bare witness today and refers to the future vision. It is totally covered by the Arabic calligraphy which represents the philosophical idea of Sheikh Mohammed for the future. “We may not live for hundreds of years, but the products of our creativity

can leave a legacy long after we are gone”. And he also writes: “Innovation is not an intellectual luxury. It is the secret behind the evolution and rejuvenation of nations and people”. Words that transform the building in an ar Its intended use is for a living laboratory and for leading world wide scientists who are building future innovations. A sort of wedding between the ancient world knowledge and MUSEUM OF the most innovative reserch “The

THE FUTURE IS

CONSIDERED TO will create a global platform for

BE THE BEST AND pioneers, innovators, and critical

MOST BEAUTIFUL thinkers to exchange ideas, con-

BUILDING IN THE cepts and visions to accelerate WORLD. A SORT OF MIRACLE OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE. sustainable socio-economic development and shape a fair future that works for everyone”. An engineering miracle, which IT REFLECTS took nine years to complete, but it A FAR AHEAD is already recognized as the most

TECHNOLOGICAL beautiful building on earth. And it SYSTEM AND DIGITAL is considered a model of sustainRESEARCH aibility. The entire surface is made of developed glass, manufactured with new technologies to improve the quality of the interior and exterior thermal insolation. and the panels, made of stainless steel were produced using automated robotic arms, and no two of them are alike. Not only, its design pays homage to digital tech number of panels represents a kilobyte, a basic unit of the digital information storage system of computers.

Exterior view of the new Museum of Future which was built in stainless steel and glass without supports. Its design pays homage to digital technology through the 1024 panels covering the facade

The museum employs the latest technologies of virtual and augmented reality, big data analysis, artificial intelligence and human machine interaction. Its aim is to provide visitors with exciting experiences that answer many questions related to the future of humans, cities, societies, life in outer space and all the way down to planet Earth

The Health Institute

that are well-adapted to local environmental condiprogrammable Led lighting. The museum employs the tions. Some of them, like the Ghaf Tree are authentic latest technologies of virtual and augmented reality, big and abundant in the UAE’s desert, which can toler interaction. Its aim is to provide visitors with exciting experiences that answer many questions related to the this tree was selected to be a symbol for UAE’s Year future of humans, cities, socie- of tolerance. As well as the Sidr ties, life in outer space and all Tree which can tolerate salinity, the way down to planet Earth. INSIDE THE MUSEUM drought and overgrazing. It is a Inside the museum there is a platform for displaying and testing the innovations of the world’s leading technology THERE IS A PLATFORM FOR DISPLAYING AND TESTING THE tall and evergreen tree. And, if the Palm is a typical tree of the region, the Acacia Tree is a new entry which is ideal for desert companies and a place for part- INNOVATIONS OF THE contitions. In fact it can grow nerships with major universi- WORLD’S LEADING over sand dunes, rocky surfacties and international research TECHNOLOGY es and at the bottom of muddy institutes. So, this iconic mu- COMPANIES valleys. Furthemore it avoids seum represents the idea of the future of the Emirate. Starting al torrential rains. Not only the from the green plateau, upon building but also its surrondwhich the building stands. Moving closer guests discov- ings are created for giving an unique experience to the er that the hill is a large garden comprising of around visitors. MOTF inspires humanity to reimagine the fu diversity that is an integral part of the United Arab through distinctive themes that give an expansive and Emirates’ heritage. Ghaf, Sidr, Palm and Acacia trees