teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi is an innovative multisensory art space that is a significant new addition to the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The immersive environment, where art and technology converge, is designed to spark curiosity, imagination and creativity, offering visitors an unparalleled multisensory experience.
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The project was developed by Japan-based international art collective teamLab in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s premier creator of immersive destinations and experiences.
teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi was opened to the public in April 2025.
Location
teamLab Phenomena is located in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District at Saadiyat Island, a coastal area in Abu Dhabi.
The Saadiyat Cultural District is a major development undertaken by the government to establish a cultural destination in the country. It comprises several attractions including museums, cultural centres and educational institutions.
The neighbourhood is home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Berklee Abu Dhabi and Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Other significant cultural projects include the Zayed National Museum, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and the Abrahamic Family House.
The latest addition further enriches the district’s cultural landscape, providing an innovative art experience.
teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi details
teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi has a gross floor area of 17,000m² (182,986ft2). It houses large-scale immersive and unique installations, developed through extensive research and development, that are exclusive to Abu Dhabi.
The artworks are not individual pieces but are based on the environment, which produces the various phenomena.
The environment stabilises the structure of these phenomena, which in turn become the artworks themselves.
In contrast to stones or manmade objects that maintain a stable structure autonomously, the artworks at teamLab Phenomena rely on their environment for existence.
The project transforms naturally occurring phenomena such as air, water and light into distinctive works of art.
teamLab Phenomena architecture details
The architecture of teamLab Phenomena is conceptualised to mirror the characteristics of a living organism and is based on teamLab’s new concept, Environmental Phenomena.
The design philosophy manifests in an organic form that seamlessly integrates the interior and exterior, which is covered and connected by an organic architectural skin, akin to a life form with internal organs protected by an external skin.
The building’s exterior resembles a cloud and is intended to dissolve the visitor’s awareness of its scale and focus attention on individual experiences.
The mouth-like entrance of the building invites visitors to explore, like navigating through a forest.
Divided into separate Wet and Dry zones, the space surrounds guests with captivating visuals, dynamic environments and interactive installations.
The experience blurs the line between being within the whole forest or merely a fragment of it, with the initial scale of the space remaining elusive.
Visitors are immersed in a world that changes and evolves organically through their participation and actions, thereby expanding their sense of value through physical experience.
The symbiotic relationship allows the artworks to evolve with the space, promising a distinct experience with each visit.
Financing
INPEX, an oil company based in Japan, awarded sponsorship of Y1bn ($7.42m) to the project through its subsidiary Japan Oil Development, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the DCT Abu Dhabi in February 2023.
Contractors involved
ALEC, a construction group based in the UAE, was appointed as the main contractor for the project.
MZ Architects, an architectural company based in Abu Dhabi, is the project architect.
Dutch Foundations, a ground engineering company, was responsible for enabling, piling, shoring and marine works for the project.
AECOM Middle East, an infrastructure consulting business, served as the consultant.
Sahara Engineering, a steel contracting and construction company, was contracted to undertake structural steel installation works.
International Decor, an interior design and construction solutions provider, was responsible for delivering fit-out works throughout the exhibition spaces.
H+K United, a food and beverage consultancy, provided design and technical coordination of back of house spaces across teamLab Phenomena.
ALEMCO, an electromechanical and building service solutions provider, was also involved in the project.
