Qasr Al Hosn is considered the birthplace of the UAE Capital constructed in 1761, Qasr al Hosn is the emirate’s first permanent structure, which was home to its ruling Al Nahyan family.

This iconic fort is part of the Cultural Foundation Building which was launched in 1981 and comprises the city's first library, exhibition hall, and theatre. Recently, the 23,000 sq m building   saw a $136m (AED500m) makeover that included extensive refurbishment and upgrading work to include a library, exhibition spaces, and the launch of a theatre designed to seat 900. Learning and workshop spaces, as well as food and beverage (F&B) areas, are now part of the facility. 

Given the complexities of the project, Creation Gulf was called on board by the contractor Voltas Ltd to Supply, Install, Test and Commission the Lighting Control System for the Cultural Foundation Building, Pocket Spaces, External areas, Fountain Areas, and Parking Buildings. The project which took six months to finish was replete with challenges. “There were multiple areas, and each had its own unique design and concept. It was as if we were working on six different projects at one time which finally had to be integrated with each other".

“The concept for each area kept changing before the final design was approved. So, we kept redesigning the system and its components to ensure we match the design intent. Besides this, the time-frame for the on-site execution was very tight and called for precise planning and coordination. On-site work also called for impromptu solutions due to site conditions,” explains Mr. Dharmendra Patel, MD, Creation.

The controls integrated into the lighting plan were dependent on the area and the broad objective of the plan. Helvar, was the brand of choice throughout the project. The resuscitation of Qasr Al Hosn is not about redoing facades and going modern with the interiors. Rather it is all about celebrating Abu Dhabi’s humble beginnings and delving back into the pages of time and into a way of life that deserves to be celebrated.

Qasr Al Hosn is all set to enter into the next chapter of its extraordinary history. On Friday December 7, after a decade of meticulous conservation and renovation, Abu Dhabi’s oldest heritage site, parts of which date back to the 1760s, reopened as a museum alongside a re-constructed National Consultative Council building and Cultural Foundation.

This monuments proud custodian -The  Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, has successfully resurrected  in the heart of this ever-changing city- a physical timeline of the story of Abu Dhabi, in a tranquil oasis soaked in Emirati culture.