New Aga Khan Museum of Islamic & Contemporary Art in Dubai

Set in Dubai, this design proposal for the New Aga Khan Museum envisions a contemporary institution dedicated to Islamic art, science, and cultural heritage. Rather than replicating traditional forms, the project draws from the underlying principles of Islamic geometry—particularly the ideas of repetition, layering, and gradient transformation—to generate a spatial experience that feels both rooted and forward-looking.



The design process involved two-dimensional analysis of arabesque compositions as well as machine learning–assisted 2.5D studies, uncovering patterns of transition from regularity to controlled irregularity. These studies informed the formal evolution of the building, which gradually shifts from a transparent, gridded volume into a soft, elliptical mass defined by overlapping shingles and shadowed depth.



The museum sits on a linear waterfront site, with a strong axial organization that aligns with pedestrian flow. Public-facing programs such as the entrance, café, and offices are placed within the more open, glazed portion of the building, while gallery spaces are embedded within a layered wall system—offering moments of concealment, controlled light, and sensory immersion.



The museum’s silhouette is designed to be read from across the water: a transformation in form that echoes the intellectual journey of the visitor, from clarity to complexity. Through the hybridization of structural logic and cultural reference, the project proposes a new architectural language for representing Islamic heritage in the 21st century.