Frank Gehry's Youth Orchestra Abu Dhabi concert hall revealed in Mina Zayed

Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism has unveiled one of Frank Gehry's last designs, finished before the architect died last December. The Youth Orchestra Abu Dhabi is a home for young musicians in the Mina Zayed port district, and its purpose is generous: free music education for children aged six to nine, starting with a first group of 100 students.

Anyone expecting Gehry's familiar swooping curves will be surprised. The renders show something much calmer: a two-tiered building with long, straight rooflines and tall glass facades interrupted by white panels. Inside there will be a 600-seat concert hall and 18 rehearsal rooms, with wood lining the staircases and balcony walkways, and the top floor opening onto rooftop terraces. The department's chairman, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, framed it as part of making culture accessible to everyone in a city that is a UNESCO Creative City of Music.

The building is expected to open in January 2027, though so far there are only renders from the department. It joins other Gehry projects in the city: Dar al Funoon, a performing arts venue wrapped in a rippling, fabric-like skin, is under construction, and the long-awaited Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is due to open on Saadiyat Island on 11 December. Gehry admirers may soon have reason to plan a trip.

Our summary of a story from Dezeen, published 27 October 2026. Read the original