<strong>The</strong> <strong>YAS</strong> <strong>Marina</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Racetrack</strong> <strong>Hotel</strong> 2/4 <strong>The</strong> Yas <strong>Hotel</strong> project opened in Abu Dhabi, UAE On Nov 3 2009 after a preliminary opening coinciding with the inaugural Ethiad Formula 1 race held on October 30. A 500-room, 85,000-square-meter complex constructed by Aldar Properties PJSC. Asymptote was awarded the commission to design the buildings <strong>and</strong> environs from a closed competition two years prior to the official opening. Photos by Bjorn Moerman
<strong>The</strong> <strong>YAS</strong> <strong>Marina</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Racetrack</strong> <strong>Hotel</strong> 3/4 <strong>The</strong> Yas <strong>Marina</strong> <strong>Hotel</strong> is located within the Yas <strong>Marina</strong> Circuit, Abu Dhabi. It is the first new hotel in the world to be built over an F1 race circuit. <strong>The</strong> hotel’s exterior surface is designed as an environmentally responsive skin that by day reflects the sky <strong>and</strong> surroundings <strong>and</strong> by night is lit by a full color changing LED lighting system that incorporate video feeds that are trasmited over the entire surface of the building. <strong>The</strong> Yas hotel, a 500-room, 85,000-square-meter structure made up of two twelve story hotel towers linked together by a monocoque steel <strong>and</strong> glass bridge A Grid Shell structure that both cross above <strong>and</strong> over the Yas <strong>Marina</strong> Circuit F1 race track. Asymptote created <strong>and</strong> conceived of the building as an architectural l<strong>and</strong>mark embodying key influences <strong>and</strong> local <strong>and</strong> global inspirations ranging from the aesthetics <strong>and</strong> forms associated with speed <strong>and</strong> spectacle to the artistry <strong>and</strong> geometries that form the basis of ancient Islamic art <strong>and</strong> craft traditions. Of architectural <strong>and</strong> engineering significance is the main feature of the hotel s design; a 217-meter expanse of sweeping, curvilinear glass <strong>and</strong> steel covering that is made up of 5,800 pivoting diamondshaped glass panels. This Grid-Shell component is a key aspect of the overall architectural design <strong>and</strong> significance of the project by producing an atmospheric-like veil visible from miles away. <strong>The</strong> two hotel towers, one being set within the race circuit, <strong>and</strong> another placed in the <strong>Marina</strong> itself, are physically linked by a sculpted steel monocoque bridge construction that passes above the Formula 1 track. <strong>The</strong> bridge along with the Grid-Shell visually connect <strong>and</strong> fuse the entire Yas <strong>Hotel</strong> complex. <strong>The</strong> Yas <strong>Hotel</strong> was designed by Asymptote to become a significant <strong>and</strong> important l<strong>and</strong>mark for Abu Dhabi. <strong>The</strong> pixelated lighting design by Asymptote in collaboration with Arup Lighting creates a dynamic appearance at night, with colours flowing smoothly across the double curved surface. says in a press release “<strong>The</strong> hotel embodies various key influences <strong>and</strong> inspirations ranging from the aesthetics <strong>and</strong> forms associated with speed, movement <strong>and</strong> spectacle to the artistry <strong>and</strong> geometries forming the basis of ancient Islamic art <strong>and</strong> craft traditions, a perfect union <strong>and</strong> harmonious interplay between elegance <strong>and</strong> spectacle. <strong>The</strong> search here was inspired by what one could call the ‘art’ <strong>and</strong> poetics of motor racing, specifically Formula 1, coupled with the making of a place that celebrates Abu Dhabi as a cultural <strong>and</strong> technological tour de force.” Client Aldar Properties PJSC, Abu Dhabi Lead Architect Asymptote Architecture: Hani Rashid <strong>and</strong> Lise Anne Couture Project Directors: Mick McConnell, Andrew Drummond Project Managers: <strong>The</strong>o Sarantoglou Lalis, Constantin Doehler, Matthew Utley Project Team: Danny Abalos, Keehyun Ahn, Sebastian Andia, Bernardo Crespo, Greg Derrico, Reed Finlay, , William Garcia, Arm<strong>and</strong> Graham, Moritz Greiling, Justine Groves, John Guida, Kurt Hanzlik, Robert Hendrick, Tyson Hosmer, Robert Ivanov, Jeremiah Joseph, Feby Kuriakose, David Lessard, Sophie Luger, Brooks McDaniel, Jonathan Podborsek, Klaus Ransmayr, Ben Ritter, Greg Spaw, Ariane Stracke, Kyle Stover,Tae-Hyung Park, Martin Zangerl, Christoph Ziegler Assistants: Manca Ahlin, Phuttipan Askawool, Ali Baker, Christoph Boeckeler, Julie Bogdanowicz, Remi Chevrillon, Cluadia Friesz, Hiroe Fujimoto, Daniel Angulo Garcia, Daniel Gillen, Avital Gourary, Richard Heger, Katharina Hieger, Julia Hoins, Ji Young Kim, Siyoung Kim, Jonathan Kleinhample, Adam Koogler, Rol<strong>and</strong>o Lineros, Brendan Maloney, Mirai Morita, Tom Raymont, Friedrich Rohde, S<strong>and</strong>er Schuur, Greg Spaw, Jeff Walker, Robert Wehinger, Michael Whalen, Ann Wright, Margaret Yoo
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