The Etihad (or Union) Museum on the Dubai Waterfront honors the 1971 formation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a country. The museum houses artifacts and displays educational content celebrating the rich culture and history of the people of the UAE.

​

With much of the Museum located underground, the above ground entry is through the sculptural Scroll Pavilion. The exterior form of the Pavilion, a single continuous folding over itself, is inspired by the constitution document. Dramatic cantilevers make the building appear to be almost floating within the surrounding gardens. The 21,528 sf building includes areas for food and gift amenities, display, and an ampitheatre for lectures and presentations. A structural solution of a steel framing system anchored to a reinforced concrete core and substructure allows for cantilevers projecting outwards up to 26m. The exterior shell is clad in a system of doubly-curved glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) panels. Detailing of tapering edges around the perimeter of the shell emphasizes the paper-like inspiration of the building. Inclined structural glass walls provide open views out of the pavilion and accentuate the dynamic feeling of the building’s geometry.

​

The ambitious geometry of the Pavilion required a BIM approach utilizing CATIA and Rhino 3D to design and coordinate the structural solution. Models developed and refined during the design phase where issued to the structural steel and cladding contractors to specify the control geometry for construction. The contractors further developed the models by adding connection materials and construction staging requirements. The developed models were used for additional detailed coordination with mechanical, electrical, and architectural finish trades.

​

​*Project delivered by Principal prior to joining PICCO.