an investigation of the worldwide development of cities, architecture, society, and everything else in between…

Of all the designs I have seen for Saadiyat Island Architecture, I find Tadao Ando’s Maritime Museum the most compelling.  As is the case with much of his architecture, this design is based around a relatively simple concept manipulated to create a stunning and meditative space.  The monolithic form (essentially a rectangle) of the museum is carved away by a gentle curve, apparently a concept derived from the winds of Abu Dhabi, creating a space that involves the visitors from within.  Additionally, Ando’s use of water creates the serene environment he seems to use as a theme within the majority of his work.  The landscape is not only sculpted by water, but also by the series of pedestrian ramps, sidewalks, and stairs that both cut across the site as well as being excavated into the ground plane.  This project seems to create quite an amazing work both from a distant view as well as from the perspective of a visitor experiencing a walk through the building (and surrounding site).