Dubai College of Tourism
EDUCATION
NAGA Architects, Planners, Designers
> 176,000 sq.ft
> 2014 - 2016
> Design Manager
> City Scape 2016 Final list
PROGRAM
DTCM, the primary institution responsible for showcasing Dubai to the world, has embarked on establishing Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) as a world-class educational institution to develop future hospitality professionals including clients, tourists, and students who can become responsible contributors and stewards of Dubai’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry. The project features a G+M+3 iconic pearl-in-shell-inspired built form located along Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai’s world-famous thoroughfare. The 19,700m2 GFA building provides state-of-the-art educational facilities – classrooms, interactive kitchens and restaurant, E-learning labs, library, clinical labs, cafeteria, student-break out areas, administrative offices, and mock-up rooms – that aim to re-define academic and vocational learning experience for the tourism industry
The client and we came up with the pearl-and-shell concept which can be a fundamental virtue but also a great potential of design, history and the reflection of real Dubai. The featured geometry, the relationship of the pearl and the shell can be converted into Architecture in various ways. One strong continuous form comes from the mathematical analysis of the existing geometry of the shell (golden mean rectangle) and creates a continuous loop – a Mobius Strip which is akin to the mathematical symbol of infinity. This meaning can be interpreted as the endless learning pursuit and the infinite continuous relationship of students and DCT to the future so-called: FOREVER DUBAI. The central core is symbolic of the building's inner sanctum and metaphorical allusion to the shell. It houses a sky-lit lobby to showcase educational DCT’s programs and information as a starting point and doubles as an event space. An ascending ramp extends the learning journey to a pleasant end at the experiential pavilion with views of Dubai’s skyline. Utilizing a flexible media mesh wall, the translation of an abstract vision into an iconic physical built form became a reality.
Images done by others
Images done by others
UNITIZED PANEL SYSTEM
FACADE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
