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Dubai sets a course for the future

Thanks to immersive experiences, the Museum of the Future in Dubai transports visitors to 2071, where they can explore solutions to tomorrow’s challenges. Audi is an exclusive partner on the topic of mobility. In this interview, Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, talks about the city’s ambitions in shaping the world to come and how the museum supports this.

Text: AUDI AG – Photo: Audi, Museum of the Future, Dubai Reading Time: 5 min

The Museum of the Future in Dubai, set against a backdrop of skyscrapers.
Housed in a futuristic building reminiscent of an eye, the Museum of the Future offers visitors a glimpse of the world to come, including tomorrow’s mobility.

Mr. Belhoul, Dubai is synonymous with dreaming big. Since your foundation is at the helm of the new Museum of the Future, how would you define its vision?

As a leading centre for emerging industry research and development, Dubai constantly strives to advance knowledge and improve lives. By building on its long-standing reputation for innovation, the emirate’s capital is continually expanding its plans to become the world’s leading smart, sustainable city. The Museum of the Future is further testimony to the city’s ground-breaking vision. By serving as an intellectual laboratory, the museum acts as a beacon of knowledge.

 

What role does your foundation play?

At the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), our vision is a better future for our region and the world, with Dubai as a hub for innovative solutions serving humanity. The landmark Museum of the Future (MOTF) showcases the foundation’s work in shaping tomorrow’s Dubai with a view to making it one of the world’s foremost cities. Visitors to the museum not only catch a glimpse of a brighter, sustainable future but are also empowered to build it. Part of that is highlighting the power of collaboration between innovators, creators, technologists, scientists and futurists.

  • A view of the white, spiral staircase in the museum lobby.

    The heart of the museum is the spiral staircase in the lobby, which allows visitors to access several floors of exhibits.

  • A view of a purple and pink booth designed for children to learn through play.

    A dedicated space for children, the museum’s “Future Heroes” section teaches future-proof skills in a playful way.

  • A view upwards from the base of the central, spiral staircase.

    Designed as a double helix, the central staircase rises up through the 16-metre-high lobby into the museum.

  • A man stands on a bridge inside the museum.

    Arabic calligraphy is incised into the building’s façade as well its interior walls.

  • A view inside a spaceship in the museum.

    The museum spotlights potential future scenarios in areas such as outer space.

By collaborating with people from around the world, is the museum pursuing a common global goal?

The Museum of the Future is designed as a nurturing environment. As such, it fosters fresh ideas and perspectives on understanding and shaping the world to come through in-depth dialogue. After all, we can only build a better tomorrow for everyone by working together. It’s up to us as a global community to pull together and create an inclusive future for all.

 

Can you describe the Museum of the Future’s main features?

From an architectural point of view, the 77-metre-tall museum, whose seven floors – five of which are dedicated to exhibits – add up to 30,000 square metres of floor space, is a marvel of engineering. The 17,600 square metres of façade are covered with 1,024 stainless steel panels. Thanks to the use of innovative tools and technologies, it redefines contemporary architecture.

  • Portrait of Khalfan Belhoul.

    Khalfan Belhoul is CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, which operates the Museum of the Future in Dubai.

  • A view inside the spa with vapour pouring from a fountain.

    Guests visiting the “Al Waha” futuristic spa are greeted by a fountain-like structure that gushes vapor.

 

Audi x Museum of the Future

The “Tomorrow Today” section at the Museum of the Future in Dubai is dedicated to the shape and form that mobility might take in years to come. As an exclusive automotive partner to the museum, Audi offers its vision for the future. The Four Rings’ permanent exhibition currently showcases the Audi skysphere concept¹ – a concept vehicle that envisage cars evolving into interactive spaces for immersive experiences.

Learn more

 

¹The vehicle described is a concept vehicle that is not available as a production vehicle.

¹The vehicle described is a concept vehicle that is not available as a production vehicle.

 

The Audi skysphere concept is on show at the museum.
With its high-tech features, including a revolutionary interior and seamless digital ecosystem, the Audi skysphere concept¹ illustrates the Four Rings’ vision of tomorrow’s progressive luxury segment. The car is on show at the Museum of the Future.

¹The vehicle shown is a concept vehicle that is not available as a production vehicle.

¹The vehicle shown is a concept vehicle that is not available as a production vehicle.

What is the meaning behind the Arabic calligraphy incised into the steel façade?

Inspirational quotes by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum decorate the Museum of the Future’s façade. The glass panes fitted into the cut-outs in the steel that form the Arabic calligraphy were manufactured using leading-edge technologies that improve interior lighting quality and thermal insulation. One of the quotes translates as, “The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it and execute it. It isn’t something you await, but rather create.” This sums up the Museum of the Future’s ethos.

 

Dubai aims to be a leader in mobility by 2030. To what extent does the museum support this vision?

By embracing everything from driverless vehicles and new modes of transport, such as hyperloops, through the AI and big data technologies that facilitate them, to more sustainable mobility in the form of electric and hybrid vehicles, Dubai has become the ultimate destination for shaping the future of mobility worldwide. The MOTF is a living, breathing institution that aims to shape the future rather than merely predict it. That includes designing tomorrow’s transportation solutions and more.

 

Let’s take a peek into the future. What are you looking forward to most?

As we continue to explore the ever-shifting dynamics of the digital age, I am most excited to see how we can work together in pursuit of a monumental goal, such as global unity. I can imagine that over the next 50 years, we will focus on ways to make inclusivity, togetherness and collaboration an important part of our social fabric. By harnessing transformative disruption, advanced technology, accessibility and the power of robust networks, we can usher in a more connected world.

A view of one of the museum’s exhibition halls, featuring robots.
Created in collaboration with Audi and other partners, the “Tomorrow Today” exhibition showcases innovations and technological developments that could change the world.
The three Audi concept cars lined up in a row.

On the pulse of tomorrow’s mobility

The three fascinating concept vehicles unveiled to date offer a glimpse of the Four Rings’ vision of progressive mobility. Thanks to spacious interiors and innovative technologies, occupants can immerse themselves in a world of exciting experiences on board.

Learn more

The vehicles shown are concept vehicles that are not available as production vehicles.

The vehicles shown are concept vehicles that are not available as production vehicles.

Sustainability Innovation Vision Concept cars

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* The stated consumption and emissions values were determined in accordance with the legally stipulated measurement procedure. The WLTP test cycle completely replaced the NEDC test cycle with effect from 1 January 2022. As a result, no NEDC values are available for vehicles with a type approval issued after this date.

The values do not refer to an individual vehicle and are not part of the offer; instead, they are solely for the purpose of comparing between different types of vehicles. Optional equipment and accessories (attachments, tyre formats etc.) may alter relevant vehicle parameters such as the weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics and, alongside weather and traffic conditions and individual driving behaviour, may influence the fuel consumption, electricity consumption, CO2 emissions and performance values of a vehicle.

Due to the more realistic test conditions, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions values will in many cases be higher in accordance with the WLTP than in accordance with the NEDC. There may have been corresponding changes to vehicle taxation since 1 September 2018 as a result of this. You can find further information on the differences between the WLTP and the NEDC at www.audi.co.uk/wltp.

 

Further information on the official fuel consumption and the official, specific CO2 emissions of new passenger car models can be found in the “Guide on the fuel economy, CO2 emissions and power consumption of all new passenger car models”, available free of charge from all sales outlets and from DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern, Germany or at www.dat.de.