A Memorial Honoring The Members of The UAE Armed Forces
Abu Dhabi, UAE
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’, 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’ 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.
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Project Information
Artist: Idris Khan
Memorial Park Lead Consultant: AECOM
Monument Lead Consultant: UAP
Client: Miral
Consultant Architect: Bureau^proberts
Consultant Engineers: Robert Bird Group
Design/ Build: UAP
Year: 2016