Foster To Design Abu Dhabi Museum

Norman Foster — or, at least, his eponymous firm, Foster + Partners Ltd. — is joining the list of prominent architects attached to the planned Saadiyat Island Cultural District in Abu Dhabi. Foster + Partners, based in London, has won a competition to design the Sheikh Zayed National Museum, which will be devoted to the history, environment, culture, and leadership of the United Arab Emirates.

The cultural district will also include a Guggenheim Abu Dhabi designed by Frank Gehry, a Louvre Abu Dhabi designed by Jean Nouvel, a maritime museum designed by Tadao Ando, and a performing arts center designed by Zaha Hadid. The total cost of developing the district is currently estimated at $27 billion.

In presenting Foster + Partners's concept, Mr. Foster said, "The project calls for more than a museum, rather for a national monument to values which will evoke an element of contemplation and knowledge absorption."