teamLab’s Phenomena is due for completion in 2024…

Art but make it interactive.

With Louvre Abu Dhabi already enthralling the world’s art fanciers, and construction on the Zayed National Museum; Guggenheim Abu Dhabi; Abrahamic Family House; and the Natural History Museum underway — Saadiyat Island is set to become one of the must culturally significant hotspots on the planet.

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An announcement made earlier this week, has now confirmed that yet another megaproject will be joining the Saadiyat Cultural District’s collection of museums, galleries and places of worship — teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi.

Phenomenal scenes

Phenomena is a collaborative effort between DCT Abu Dhabi, Miral and teamLab — and the result, as you can see from the renders, looks set to be an engineering masterpiece.

The architectural marvel represented by the building is more than skin deep. The futuristic looking space will stretch across a 17,000 sqm gallery area and is billed to become the ‘home of infinite curiosity’. But what does that actually mean?

It’s a pretty cool concept, the collections within will be curated around a theme of ‘environmental phenomena’ and ‘offering new perspectives on the world’. The true genius here though is that the exhibits will be shaped by the changing environment, and like their organic inspiration, grow and evolve mimicing the subject matter.

Each piece will be designed to respond to its specific local environment within the teamLab Phenomena building, and the interactions it encounters. This constantly changing virtual world means that every visit, by every guest will yield a different experience.

When can we expect to visit?

Construction on the stunning mega project is expected to conclude in 2024. But keep reading because there’s a way you can skip that timeline queue.

Who are teamLab?

They’re a Tokyo-based art collective comprised of a team of artists, programmers, engineers, CG animators, mathematicians and architects. And examples of their work are already hosted in the upper echelons of global cultural sites, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.

Still can’t get your head round it?

Seeing is understanding and there are some pretty abstract concepts at play here, so nobody would blame you if you’re still a bit like ‘eh?”. Fortunately, there’s a limited time preview of the teamLab Phenomena experience, that will let you get up close to the sorts of installations we can look forward to seeing in the finished gallery. It’s being held at Mamsha Al Saadiyat from June 24 to July 17, and you’ll find it next to the new Society Cafe.

Speaking at the Mamsha Al Saadiyat preview launch event, HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Sitting at the intersection of art, technology, nature and high-tech fantasy, the Saadiyat Cultural District’s teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi will offer a world of boundless wonder and creativity to all who visit, encouraging the new perspectives that are so essential to a thriving future.”

“Adding yet another outstanding attraction to our already world-leading cultural destination, the teamLab Phenomena experience will be unique to Abu Dhabi, reinforcing the emirate’s position as a global destination of distinction.”

“Providing a journey which will trigger the senses, nurture curiosity, spark imagination, and awaken a thirst for knowledge, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi fully supports our commitment to inspire a new generation of innovators and creators in the emirate and beyond.”

Images: Instagram