BESIX delivers Zayed National Museum: A new iconic landmark for Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Cultural icon

As the centrepiece of Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, the Zayed National Museum joins the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, also under construction by BESIX.

“This achievement reflects BESIX’s ability to turn challenges into opportunities, and deliver world-class engineering solutions,” said Pierre Sironval, CEO of BESIX Group. “It’s an honour to contribute to the UAE’s vision for cultural excellence.”

A challenging takeover

In 2021, BESIX and its local partner Trojan General Contracting were awarded the contract by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi to resume and complete the project that started in 2018 and was at a standstill due to the bankruptcy of the previous contractor.

This takeover involved restarting construction, introducing new engineering approaches, and addressing structural challenges left by the previous contractor. BESIX’s in-house design and engineering teams then developed innovative construction methods to meet the project’s unique demands. Coordination was key throughout the construction phase, with BESIX teams harmonizing the efforts of architects, steel fabricators, and subcontractors.

Falcon-wing towers

The museum’s striking design is defined by five soaring steel wings, inspired by the falcon - the UAE’s national symbol. These wings house galleries dedicated to Sheikh Zayed’s legacy in education, sustainability, conservation, and culture.

The Zayed National Museum integrates three key components: the Museum, with its five iconic wings and four pods housing immersive exhibitions; the Mound, featuring an outdoor amphitheatre and over two kilometres of walkways; and the Timeline Garden, a landscaped area covering 40,250 m² that narrates the country’s history.

Engineering precision and innovation

The wings - considered marvels of engineering - were constructed as lightweight steel towers rising up to 123 metres. They function as solar thermal chimneys, promoting natural ventilation throughout the museum: cool air enters at the base, while hot air is drawn up and expelled through the tower - a modern echo of traditional Emirati barjeel wind towers. Steel was chosen for its sculptural potential, light weight, and cost-efficiency, enabling the ambitious design of the wings to be realized in a way no other material could. On-site welding operations met the highest standards of precision and strength, followed by the delicate integration of glass with curved steel structures, where any defect in steel directly impacted glass fitting.

For the construction of the mound at the base of the museum, BESIX’s engineering teams adopted an innovative approach. Instead of using traditional glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC), they created a hybrid solution with the manufacturer: a GFRC structure topped with a layer of moulded white concrete to achieve a more “cast-in-situ” finish and achieve the architect’s vision.

A defining moment came during the installation of the four 600-ton pods housing the museum’s galleries. These massive structures were delicately craned, using the world’s second-largest crane with a 5,000-ton capacity, into concrete ring beams beneath the future steel “cages” formed by the wing towers. A very perilous and delicate operation.

“Structurally, the Zayed National Museum is one of the most complex projects BESIX has ever undertaken. We are essentially building ‘houses’ (the interiors of the pods) within ‘houses’ (the pods themselves), within ‘houses’ (the wings). Even with our experience on challenging projects, this methodology presented unique hurdles,” said BESIX Project Director David De Visscher.

The use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) was crucial, allowing the teams to centralize and visualize data from all stakeholders and ensure seamless integration of the wings’ complex curves and supporting structures.

A legacy of landmark projects

With a presence in the UAE since 1966, BESIX has contributed to some of the region’s most iconic structures, including the Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and now the Zayed National Museum. The company’s reputation for excellence in complex construction projects continues to grow globally.

“The Zayed Museum exemplifies BESIX’s expertise in delivering projects that are both technically complex and architecturally ambitious. Its design embraces sustainability by blending ancient techniques with cutting-edge modern technologies,” said David De Visscher.