A cultural box that literally reconfigures itself—Dubai’s best argument that flexibility can be architectural, not just logistical.
Building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Featured in Rem Koolhaas's definitive monograph, S,M,L,XL.
Visitor Guide
Ask staff what configuration the space is in today; the building’s party trick is mechanical, so don’t leave before you’ve clocked the pivoting/sliding wall system and how it rewires the room.
In Alserkal Avenue’s central courtyard facing Concrete’s translucent façade, shoot at dusk when the envelope glows and the courtyard is lively but not overcrowded.
Entry depends on what’s on (exhibitions, performances, fashion events). If it’s closed, you can still read the building from the courtyard and catch the big doors and translucent skin from outside—free and arguably more honest to its ‘venue’ identity.
The ‘architecture’ is not the shell; it’s the move-set: four industrial-scale pivoting/sliding walls that let the same footprint behave like multiple buildings.
30–90 minutes (depends on the event)
Design & Structure
OMA treats the venue as a reprogrammable machine: a robust structural frame, ceiling-integrated services to keep floors/walls clean, and large-format kinetic partitions to generate multiple event typologies from one volume.
Concrete and a translucent façade read as deliberately blunt: the building is a neutral instrument for art and events, with material toughness calibrated for constant changeovers.
Engineering attention goes into the moving elements—large pivoting/sliding walls at architectural scale demand precision hardware, tolerances, and bracing so the room can transform without feeling temporary.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Concrete (Alserkal Avenue)?+
Concrete (Alserkal Avenue) was designed by Rem Koolhaas. It is located in Al Quoz, United Arab Emirates.
Where is Concrete (Alserkal Avenue) located?+
Concrete (Alserkal Avenue) is located in Al Quoz, United Arab Emirates. Its coordinates are 25.1420°, 55.2253°.
Can I visit Concrete (Alserkal Avenue)?+
Concrete (Alserkal Avenue) is a real building in Al Quoz that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.