Alserkal Avenue Expansion worth 50 Million AED ($13.8 Million)

Image above: From left to right: Ramin Salsali, Abdelmonem Alserkal, Phil Logan / Image courtesy of Alserkal Avenue

An organic growth of Alserkal Avenue and its establishment as a cultural district in Dubai led to a higher demand by various creatives locally and Internationally. What will be known as one of the largest private initiatives dedicated to arts and culture today, in less than two years will become a home to more art galleries, artists’ studios, creatives and young professionals alike. It will further transform the cultural landscape of Dubai, as well as expand its presence as a regional and International center for arts and culture. Mr. Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal the visionary behind Alserkal Avenue cluster summed up the expansion by saying: ‘The growth within the arts scene in the region, naturally led towards the expansion. The vision for the development is very simple: to extend the platform for anyone involved within the arts. To welcome, to provide and engage.’

Alserkal Avenue provides a platform for a dialogue among different cultures to take place, it brings the community together and fosters creativity through a platform of collaboration. Mr. Ramin Salsali, the founder of the Salsali Private Museum and the Patron of the Arts during the announcement highlights ‘Art and culture is the global language for piece and understanding, it brings people together.’

With the expansion plans underway, the new space will enable to not only to welcome creatives and new organizations but will also encourage emerging artists and young talent to grow. As Antonia Carver, fair director of Art Dubai adds 'Alserkal Avenue has rapidly become a must-visit destination within the region’s cultural landscape, housing some of the Middle East’s most dynamic art spaces and contributing to Dubai’s reputation as a contemporary art hub. The expansion of Alserkal mirrors the growth that we are seeing in attendance and collecting at events such as Art Dubai.'

Architectural model of the expansion / Image courtesy of Alserkal Avenue

Currently, Alserkal Avenue contains of 39 warehouse spaces, half of which are art galleries and creative studios. The further development will be planted in what used to be a marble factory built by the family years ago that to this day houses the unique machinery. The concept design incorporates the fusion of its history and the vision for its future.

The expansion of this cultural district was designed by the architect Philip Logan from Shakland Cox organization. The architectural design prolongs the current warehouse concept with a creative twist of the butterfly roofing and environmentally friendly design; as Mr. Logan explained ‘We avoided using standard roof lights that would contribute to solar gain resulting in higher cooling loads. The solution is what we call butterfly roofs, which allows us to maximize capture of North light and avoid the undesirable heavy solar gain.’ The extension will be further designed and built in an environmentally friendly manner through implementing solar panels, recycling and other methods.

The new spaces will accommodate a wider spectrum of the current demand by offering units in various sizes, starting from 1000 to over 7000 sq feet that can accommodate a wide spectrum of creatives within the arts. The concept model includes additional parking spaces, two restaurants, a coffeeshop and an events center that can accommodate up to 1000 people.

The expansion of Alserkal Avenue will be yet another step in re-enforcing Dubai’s stance as an International hub for arts and culture.

Architectural Model Revel by Jamal Abdulssalam and Abdelmonem Alserkal / Image courtesy of Alserkal Avenue

ALSERKAL AVENUE

Alserkal Avenue has changed the overall cultural landscape of the UAE by providing a platform for different cultures and communities to foster International dialogue and understanding through arts and creativity. It makes a commitment to the artists, community, creatives and collectors alike to further cultivate and develop the arts scene of Dubai. What at a first glance looks like a block of warehouse spaces, within the avenue it houses over ten contemporary art galleries, each representing different artists and its own identity. Among them are Ayyam Gallery, Carbon12, Etemad Gallery, Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Green Art Gallery, Satellite, Lawrie Shabibi, Mojo, Gulf Photo Plus; all located on one avenue enabling the public to hop from one to the other and explore the artworks of different artists from across the globe within one block radius.