Saadiyat Island is seeking to further elevate its position in Middle East tourism, with news of the latest mega project on the Abu Dhabi island unveiled.

With Louvre Abu Dhabi already enthralling art fanciers, and construction on the Zayed National Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Abrahamic Family House and the Natural History Museum all underway — Saadiyat Island is set to become one of the most culturally significant hotspots on the planet.

Now a new project will be added to the Saadiyat Cultural District - teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi.

Phenomena is a collaborative effort between Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Miral and teamLab — and the result, as you can see from the renders, looks set to be an engineering masterpiece.

The architectural marvel represented by the building is more than skin deep.

The futuristic looking space will stretch across a 17,000 sqm gallery area and is billed to become the ‘home of infinite curiosity’.

The collections within will be curated around a theme of ‘environmental phenomena’ and ‘offering new perspectives on the world’.

The true genius here though is that the exhibits will be shaped by the changing environment, and like their organic inspiration, grow and evolve mimicking the subject matter.

Each piece will be designed to respond to its specific local environment within the teamLab Phenomena building, and the interactions it encounters.

This constantly changing virtual world means that every visit, by every guest will yield a different experience.

Construction on the project is expected to conclude in 2024.

teamLab is a Tokyo-based art collective comprised of a team of artists, programmers, engineers, CG animators, mathematicians and architects.

Examples of their work are already hosted in the upper echelons of global cultural sites, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Sitting at the intersection of art, technology, nature and high-tech fantasy, the Saadiyat Cultural District’s teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi will offer a world of boundless wonder and creativity to all who visit, encouraging the new perspectives that are so essential to a thriving future.

“Adding yet another outstanding attraction to our already world-leading cultural destination, the teamLab Phenomena experience will be unique to Abu Dhabi, reinforcing the emirate’s position as a global destination of distinction.

“Providing a journey which will trigger the senses, nurture curiosity, spark imagination, and awaken a thirst for knowledge, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi fully supports our commitment to inspire a new generation of innovators and creators in the emirate and beyond.”

For those looking to stay a little longer, Aldar Properties has announced the launch of apartments at Grove District, a new project that seeks to bring inspirational living to the heart of Abu Dhabi’s cultural epicentre on Saadiyat Island.

Grove District sits within Aldar’s flagship Saadiyat Grove development, and its apartments boast partial views of the sea, as well as the island’s three iconic landmarks: Zayed National Museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

The development, when completed, will comprise 612 units in five residential buildings across luxury, lifestyle, and urban themed districts.

Each building will be interconnected with a unique retail-focused experience associated with the district in which it is located, intertwining art, dining, and lifestyle to create a culture-focused retail oasis in the UAE like no other.

In a first for Aldar, Grove District will also feature amenity-themed lobbies in each building, which will aim to inspire and facilitate creativity among residents in engaging and open spaces.

Available for buyers of all nationalities, Grove District will be launched in phases, with 102 studios, one- and two-bedroom units available in the first building (Grove Museum Views), which is located in the lifestyle-themed district.

Saadiyat Grove, Aldar’s iconic ten-billion-dirham landmark destination, will feature 60,000 square meters of experiential retail, entertainment and leisure spaces designed to create a lively and inclusive community.

Including Grove District, the mixed-use destination will feature approximately 3,000 residential units, two hotels and co-working spaces for new enterprises and start-ups.

Rashed Al-Omaira, chief commercial officer at Aldar Development, said: “Since its launch, Saadiyat Grove has become Abu Dhabi’s most anticipated lifestyle destination, due to the array of cultural, leisure, and entertainment experiences it will bring to residents and visitors of Abu Dhabi.

“Grove District is Aldar’s latest residential offering within Saadiyat Grove, closely following the successful launch of Louvre Residences Abu Dhabi, and is set to bring a new dimension of vibrancy and modern living to the Island.

“The new destination will attract residents seeking a lively community that celebrates art, culture, retail, and entertainment in all types and forms.”

Each of the three districts at the development have been carefully designed to create and deliver memorable experiences, in line with Aldar’s commitment to customer centricity.

Residents will benefit from a wide range of high-quality amenities, including a residents’ lounge, art workshop spaces, swimming pools, gyms, luxury games room and more, as well as direct access to a jogging track and meditation lawns.

The development will also offer access to a landscape deck with greenery to enhance physical and mental well-being within the community.

The latest additions will further cement the position of Saadiyat Island as a tourism hotspot in the Middle East.

The focus of the island is the iconic Louvre Abu Dhabi fosters a spirit of openness between cultures.

Located in the Saadiyat Cultural District, this art-lovers’ dream displays works of historical, cultural and sociological significance.

The structural masterpiece was designed by Pritzker-prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel and encompasses 9,200 square metres of galleries.

At the same time, Manarat Al Saadiyat brings Saadiyat’s vision to life, encouraging visitors to connect.

Meaning ‘place of enlightenment’ in Arabic, it hosts the Abu Dhabi Art fair and printmaking, self-portrait, theatre, figure drawing and robotics workshops.

It also boasts comedy nights, sky-gazing, yoga, conferences, talks and film screenings.

For sports fans, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is the region’s first ocean course, offering the chance to spot dolphins at play in the Arabian Gulf.

The Gary-Player-designed course respectfully harnesses the beachfront beauty, with total yardage starting at 5,290 and extending to 7,784 yards for pros.

Beach enthusiasts will love the exclusive Saadiyat Beach Club.

It’s more than just a beach, with an outdoor swimming pool, workout room with fitness and wellness programmes, spa, sauna and steam rooms, kids’ pool and play areas, and private cabanas and loungers set on white sand.

Located on the island’s serene natural shores, the 400-metre Saadiyat Public Beach is a great spot for a day out.

There are lounge chairs, showers, bathrooms, lockers, changing rooms, towels, umbrellas, ample parking and lifeguards on duty, with the beach open all day.

Saadiyat Island is also home to a number of award-winning hotels, including the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, which was honoured with the title of Middle East’s Leading Hotel Suite by voters at the World Travel Awards, Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island (Middle East’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort) and Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi (World’s Leading Luxury Resort & Villas).

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Just seven minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 20 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport, the gorgeous, natural 27-square-kilometre Saadiyat Island has been undergoing a remarkable transformation into a world-class leisure, residential, business and cultural hub.

The location is considered the Middle East’s Leading Beach Destination by voters at the World Travel Awards.