Art Week @ Alserkal Avenue & CONCRETE by OMA Opening 10-18 March

Art Week at Alserkal Avenue opening tomorrow, 10th March, 10 AM, with a great news in the artistic and architectural landscape in Dubai. Conceptualised by Alserkal Avenue, Concrete is the first building in the UAE designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), founded by Rem Koolhaas. Concrete is a multi-disciplinary space, with the ability to bring creative visions to life, making it suitable for international, museum-grade exhibitions, bespoke experiences.

1,250 m2 (exhibition : 750M²; services: 360M²; office: 140M²) former warehouse provides a multi-purpose venue to accommodate a series of public events, exhibitions, performances, lectures, and fashion shows. The planning strategy focused on maximizing the event area. All the services were consolidated on one end of the building, allowing the entrance and event spaces to be situated closer to The Yard, the district’s main outdoor public square.

Interior design: The design for the interior introduces a flexible floor plan to accommodate the required program diversity. Four 8.10 m pivoting and sliding walls can create multiple space configurations depending on the type of event. To maintain a fluid space, all the major interior equipment has been integrated into the ceiling, leaving the walls and floors free of any components. Two linear skylights have been positioned above the movable walls to allow either thin blades of light or full daylight depending on the configuration. Exterior design: The original front façade of the ware-house has been replaced with poly-carbonate cladding and full height operable doors. When the doors are open, the exterior and interior space can merge, activating the courtyard. The connection to the exterior is reinforced by the translucent poly-carbonate, which brings the view, daylight and outdoor activities into the interior space. The rest of the original façade has been maintained and sprayed in a customized mix of concrete with glass and mirror aggregates. The rough texture of the spayed concrete and reflections from the glass and mirror aggregates will make the venue stand out in the context of Alserkal Avenue.

The inaugural exhibition at Concrete is Syria: Into the light (10 March -3 April; 10AM-7PM), curated by Mouna Atassi, in collaboration with Rasha Salti, based on the theme of ‘Portraits and Figures’ and will include more than 60 works by over 40 artists illustrating the landscape of Syrian art from 1924 to 2016. Through this theme, the exhibition highlights the trajectories and shifts of art movements in Syria and its socio-cultural histories, from the early 20th century until the present day, representing different movements, techniques and mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and video art.

 

Do not miss all the over events of the Art Week at Alserkal Avenue. View the full program here.