MMM (Magnificent Metal Monday) has its “eye” on the future. Designed by Killa Design and scheduled to open before the end of the year, the Museum of the Future is a complete deviation from the Dubai skyline filled with skyscrapers. The Museum has a torus shape (a donut shape) – a gleaming silver oval with an open center. As stated in an article published by Redshift by Autodesk, “The building looks almost like an eye keeping watch over this growing city, the largest in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).”
The Museum has 7 stories of exhibition space, 3 podium levels including a 420 seat auditorium, restaurant, cafe and lobby. According to the Killa, “the glimmering, futuristic upper building represents mankind, with all of its strength, artistry and ability to create in harmony with its surroundings. This is formed by the bold shape which emerges from the hill, covered with the Arabic calligraphy about the future, and displaying mankind’s passion for the arts and creating.”
Architecturally and constructionally, the Museum sets new innovative benchmarks. Killa goes on to state, “As a 17,000m2 torus-shaped building clad in stainless steel, achieving LEED Platinum status, and designed holistically through BIM at every design stage, the building represents the future through innovative design principles, implementation and construction. The design is a low carbon civic building achieved through the use of many design innovations which include parametric design, passive solar architecture, low-energy and low-water engineering solutions, recovery strategies for both energy and water, and building integrated renewables.”
The design firm used sophisticated modeling tools to plan the unique, curved structure, composed of thousands of interlocking steel triangles. They used computer-controlled machining tools to cut more than 1,000 molds that support the fiberglass and stainless steel system on the facade.
According to the Redshift article, “To ensure constructability and attain LEED Platinum status, Killa worked closely with BuroHappold for engineering services and BAM International for construction, employing 4D sequencing in BIM and reality capture for visualization.” “Once the team went into concept design, the entire process—all the way through to construction drawings and beyond—was designed and documented in Autodesk Revit. By designing with 3D models, the team could work through many potential conflicts in the structure, facade, and MEP (mechanical, engineering, and plumbing) systems.” In fact, the use of BIM helped the Museum win an AEC Excellence Award in 2017.
Killa says, “Through BIM and other software we have today, we can actually create a new sense of architecture.”
BIM (Building Information Modeling) will be just one of several technology trends showcased at METALCON 2019 next month in the new area of the show floor called CONTECH. REGISTER TODAY for the largest event in North America dedicated to metal in design and construction, taking place in Pittsburgh October 16 -18.
