Being one of the oldest sites in the city, Central Market is conceived as a reinterpretation of the traditional market place and a new civic heart for Abu Dhabi. The architects have created a new kind of ‘Souk’ imagined for the 21st century. Foster + Partners has enhanced the traditional blend of merchandise and meeting places by world-class environmentally responsive architecture. The theme of sustainability is at the heart of the souk. Foster + Partners worked on the project in collaboration with Planar.
The new Souk spread over 26,000 square metre has been designed by seeking inspiration from the regional culture to create a structure that appears more like a modern take on the traditional souk. The space features luxury goods shops, food markets and craftsmen. The interior architecture features are enhanced by dappled sunlight, vibrant colours and running water, with a changing rhythm of squares, courtyards and alley ways. The building is structured around courtyards and alleyways and fuses the local vernacular with global aspirations.
The rest of the 607,000 square meter project is still under development, which includes three towers of up to 60 storeys.
