Etihad Museum opens its doors to the public.

Last January Etihad Museum opened its doors to the public. The project, which covers 2.5 hectares and includes new and restored buildings, tells the story of the United Arab Emirates. The site is adjacent to the Union House, the exact location of the signing of the 1971 agreement between the Trucial States and hence the formation of the country.

UMAYA Lighting Design was appointed by Halcrow and Moriyama and Teshima Architects to develop the lighting design for the landscape, façade and internal (pavilion) areas.

The internal lighting for the pavilion is based on a few, yet bold lighting strategies. Concealed projectors in the columns illuminate the ceiling, exposing the architecture and revealing the magnificence of the space, which can be admired from both inside and outside the building. The back walls are grazed to render their texture, balance the brightness throughout the space and relate the mass to the exterior. Lastly, a series of bird inspired fixtures float above the mezzanine floor, filling the space with an inspiring visual element.

The overall façade and landscape lighting scheme focused on enhancing the visual connections between the different buildings, old and new, using a unified lighting language and creating a consistent ambiance throughout the project. The shoreline water fixture is an attraction by itself, creating a background for the main axis and a final frame to the circulation sequence.