Sana Al-Nour
Midfield Terminal, Abu Dhabi International Airport, UAE
2024
2024
Sana Al-Nour is a monumental integrated artwork by Carpenter + Lowings, engineered by Arup for the new Midfield Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Suspended within a 70-metre-high atrium, the sculpture acts simultaneously as artwork, daylight reflector and environmental moderator, directing both light and air between the departures and arrivals levels of the terminal. Measuring 30 metres in diameter and 22 metres in height, it is believed to be one of the largest public artworks in the Middle East.
As part of the Arup team, I developed the parametric design of the structure and carried out the seismic analysis of the installation. The sculpture comprises over 1,600 curved, chemically strengthened glass panels supported by an efficient cable-net structure tensioned between compression rings and suspended within the vast terminal space. The complexity of the geometry and the integration of structural, environmental and architectural requirements required close collaboration between artists, engineers and architects throughout the design process.
I developed computational workflows that enabled the generation, rationalisation and analysis of the cable-net geometry, ensuring that the form could satisfy both the artistic intent and the structural demands of a large-scale suspended installation. Particular attention was given to the dynamic behaviour of the structure, with advanced seismic analysis used to assess its performance under earthquake loading while preserving the visual lightness and transparency of the artwork.
Beyond its sculptural qualities, Sana Al-Nour forms an integral part of the building's environmental strategy, reflecting daylight deep into the terminal and supporting the airflow management between arrival and departure levels. The project demonstrates how parametric design, advanced engineering and public art can be combined to create a work in which aesthetics, performance and functionality are inseparable.
Photo credits: Carpenter + Lowings.
