Fernando Donis, designer of the Dubai Frame, shares more details behind the project

The Dubai Frame, the 150-meter tall rectangular structure for Dubai's Zabeel Park is on its way to completion soon, as previously reported. Designed by architect Fernando Donis, the Dubai Frame was the first-prize winner of the ThyssenKrupp Elevator Architecture Award competition back in 2008-09 out of 926 proposals. But afterward, Donis ran into some serious trouble with the project client, the Dubai Municipality, when it turned out that they breached the international UNESCO-UIA regulations of the competition. Regulations stated that the author maintain copyright of the design, and that the design — along with any alterations to it — may only be used if there is a contract with the author.

Donis and his team, the UIA-UNESCO, and the government of The Netherlands continuously reached out to the Dubai Municipality for over five years to resolve this breach, but to no avail. Despite Donis' team's efforts, the project moved forward without them. Bustler's sister site Archinect had the opportunity to talk with Fernando Donis himself about that outcome. You can check out the conversation here.

Donis shared more details about his concept for the Dubai Frame below.

Project description:

"Dubai is a city full of emblems. Rather than adding another one, we propose to frame them all: to frame the city. Instead of building a massive structure, the purpose of this project is to build a void. This void of 150 meters by 105 meters will continuously frame the development of the past, current and future Dubai. It will become the structure that celebrates yet constrains the city."

"Opposed to the complexity in architecture, the Dubai Frame would become the most simple yet extraordinary archetype; maximization of the post-and-lintel principle. As architecture is about framing space, this will be its epitome. The Dubai Frame is a sustainable structure, easy to build and maintain, yet with an incomparable presence in the city; an anti-icon."

Project details:

Type: International competition, first prize
Competition year: 2009
Location: Za’ abeel Park in Dubai
Program: Art and photo gallery/library, café, sightseeing platform
Size: 150m x 105m, 7000 m2
Competition authority: XI ThyssenKrupp Elevator Architecture Award under UNESCO and the International Union of Architects (UIA) regulations
Client: Dubai Municipality
Status: Competition design development, Under construction – UNESCO-UIA Copyright infringement
Team: Fernando Donis - Collaboration: Engineering: Werner Sobek, Renderings: Cyrille Thomas, Model: Vincent de Rijk

All images courtesy of Fernando Donis.

More project images in the thumbnail gallery below.