Wahat Al Karama Memorial

UAP in collaboration with Idris Khan

2016

Edited by: Sundos Abu Reyal

Commissioned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the memorial honors the members of the UAE Armed Forces and the sacrifices made in support of their country’s sovereignty, dignity and freedom.

The centerpiece of ‘Wahat Al Karama’ 01
The centerpiece of ‘Wahat Al Karama’ 02
The centerpiece of ‘Wahat Al Karama’ 03
The centerpiece of ‘Wahat Al Karama’ 04

The centerpiece of ‘Wahat Al Karama’, meaning “the oasis of dignity”, is a 90-meter long monument comprised of 31 leaning tablets which symbolize the support between soldiers, families and citizens in the face of adversity.

Clad with over 850 cast aluminum panels, sections of the tablets are sandblasted and stamped with poems by emirs of the UAE.

The ‘Pavilion of Honor’ 01
The ‘Pavilion of Honor’ 02 _ The Internal Walls
The ‘Pavilion of Honor’ 03

The ‘Pavilion of Honor’ positioned at the end of the memorial journey was designed by Khan in collaboration with bureau^proberts. The internal walls of the pavilion are clad with over 2,700 plates cast from 11 tons of recycled aluminum sourced from decommissioned armoured vehicles. The plates are embedded with names of UAE heroes whose lives have been lost in service.

UAP collaborated with British artist, Idris Khan, to realize a monument as the centerpiece of the new United Arab Emirates (UAE) Memorial Park, ‘Wahat Al Karama’, in Abu Dhabi.

Idris Khan was selected for the project from a curation of international artists, where a strong cultural connection and understanding made his memorial the winning concept. UAP worked closely with Khan, from concept design to fabrication and installation, to translate his vision into this monumental work. The memorial was officially opened by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi in November 2016, coinciding with the UAE’s inaugural Commemoration Day ceremony.

Follow @UAP on Instagram for more projects by the architects.

Follow @herskhazeen on Instagram for more on design and architecture from the Arab World.