BESIX Middle East's contribution to the Zayed National Museum was recently featured in the #82 edition of InfoSteel magazine. Read the entire article below:
Steel Wings Over Abu Dhabi: Engineering the Zayed National Museum
On Saadiyat Island, the cultural heart of Abu Dhabi, an architectural marvel is taking shape: the Zayed National Museum. Designed by Lord Norman Foster and constructed by the joint venture of Six Construct (BESIX subsidiary) and Trojan General Contracting, this landmark celebrates the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the rich history of the United Arab Emirates. But beyond its cultural significance, the museum also serves as a powerful showcase for the strength, versatility, and sustainability of steel in modern construction.
A vision forged in steel
The museum’s most striking feature is its five majestic “wings” - steel structures designed to evoke the feathers of a falcon, Sheikh Zayed’s favourite bird and a national symbol of the UAE. These wings do more than impress visually; they are marvels of engineering. Constructed as lightweight steel towers, they rise up to 124 meters and function as solar thermal chimneys, promoting natural ventilation throughout the museum. Cool air enters at the base, while hot air is drawn up and expelled through the towers - a modern echo of traditional Emirati wind towers.
Engineering ingenuity and challenge
Steel was chosen for this project not only for its sculptural potential but also for its light weight and cost-efficiency. It enabled the ambitious design of the wings to be brought to life in a way no other material could. However, the path to completion was anything but straightforward.
When Six Construct joined the project in 2021 - taking over from a previous contractor - the steel had already been fabricated by Malaysian firm Eversendai Engineering. This presented an immediate challenge: the team had to work with existing steel components, adapting methods and designs around what was already produced.
Further complicating matters were the on-site welding operations. Carried out on complex scaffolding in difficult conditions, these welds had to meet the highest standards of precision and strength. Then came the task of integrating glass with the curved steel structures — a delicate balance, as any defect in the steel directly impacted the glass fitting.
Precision through collaboration and technology
During the whole construction phase, coordination was key. Six Construct played a leading role in harmonizing the efforts of architects, steel fabricators, and subcontractors. Each wing was erected under their supervision, requiring intense collaboration between teams responsible for welding, glass installation, and structural alignment.
The use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) was crucial to this process. BIM allowed the project team to centralize and visualize data from all stakeholders, ensuring seamless integration of the wings’ complex curves and supporting structures. It also helped anticipate and resolve potential conflicts before they reached the construction site - saving time, resources, and ensuring structural precision.
Key moments of the project
One defining moment of the project's steel journey occurred during the installation of the 500-ton pods - the four that house the museum's galleries. These massive structures had to be delicately craned (with the second largest crane in the world having a 5.000 Ton capacity) into the concrete ring beams and under the future steel "cages” formed by the wing towers. "It was a very perilous and delicate operation," recalls one team member. This reflects the ambition and ingenuity behind the entire project: a bold architectural dream, made real through steel and human precision.
Building for the future
Set within a landscaped Timeline Garden and flanked by over 2 kilometres of walkways, the Zayed National Museum is a symbol of national pride and architectural ambition. It demonstrates how steel can bring visionary design to life while meeting modern demands for sustainability, efficiency, and resilience.
As the museum nears completion and prepares to open its doors, it stands as a superb example of what is possible when art, culture, and cutting-edge engineering meet. The steel wings of the Zayed National Museum rise not only as a tribute to the past - but as a symbol of what the future of construction can look like.
Technical features
- 13,000 tonnes of steel were fabricated for the wings
- AES requirements (Architectural Exposed Steel): AES S1 (S3)
- Vertical wings: 130 meters high, 400 millimetres wide, 1 meter deep
- Pods of 500 tonne each had to be handled with megacranes
- Size of A1 cladding panels: 8 metres by 2 metres