Nestled within Dubai’s first-ever forest living community, the Ghaf Woods Experience Centre stands as a landmark of sustainable innovation and immersive place making.
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Ghaf Woods Experience Centre
Cultural Architecture (Built)
Firm
aoe
Architect/Designer
Larry Wen
Design Team
Chief Architect: Larry Wen; Technical Director: Jianning Ma; Design Consultant: Robert Sun;Architectural Design Team: Ruixin Cui, Yang Qian, Mengke Zhang, Zhiyu Chang, Xiao Hai; Interior Design Team: Meng Sun, Mengjie Shi, Yuan Wang, Xiaofan Yin
Location
Dubai, UAE
Country
China
Photographer/Copyright
©Arch-Exist
Website
N/A
Instagram
N/A
Facebook
N/A
Whatsapp
N/A
As a gateway into Ghaf Woods, the Experience Centre offers a multi-layered introduction to the community’s sustainable living vision. The design draws inspiration from the desert landscape, with a dynamic architectural form that mirrors a sand dune emerging from the terrain. Master planned like a stream weaving through the forest, the visitor journey begins with a drive into the woodland, where cars are discreetly dropped off. Inside, the centre merges storytelling, innovation, and place making.
Visitors are guided through a series of immersive experiences: from a signature “Light Tunnel” that plays with shadow and reflection, to curated displays of construction materials, and a VR tour that brings the future homes and landscapes of Ghaf Woods to life. Every element bridges the gap between vision and reality.
Along the outdoor path, a curated sequence of landscape nodes, including an Amphitheatre, Event Plaza, Quiet Garden, and Garden of Water, offer contemplative and social spaces for visitors to pause and explore. These elements are carefully positioned as moments of discovery, like jewels scattered through the forest, enriching the spatial hierarchy and deepening the integration of nature and the built form.
The main building itself is sculpted to echo the organic undulations of a sand dune, rising and falling in tune with the terrain. It appears to grow from the earth, its GRC-stepped exterior wrapping the structure in a flowing, architectural rhythm. On the southern side, a floor-to-ceiling glass façade welcomes in views of a landscaped pond and forest canopy, dissolving the boundary between indoors and out. The result is a serene, immersive atmosphere that evokes a sense of intimacy with the forest and a re-connection to nature.
Every aspect of the building considers UAE’s climatic conditions. Extended eaves shade the façade, reducing solar gain and improving energy efficiency. The southern water feature contributes to passive cooling by lowering the immediate microclimate. The surrounding forest ecosystem, designed with native and adaptive species, contributes to cooler ambient temperatures across the community compared to the adjacent desert zone, proving how ecological design can directly enhance urban comfort.
Importantly, the centre’s open-plan spatial layout allows for functional evolution over time. As the community grows, the space can seamlessly transition into new uses, whether as a cultural venue, learning centre, or resident hub, ensuring long-term adaptability and value generation. More than an architectural achievement, the Ghaf Woods Experience Centre represents a paradigm shift: a move toward biophilic design, low-carbon lifestyles, and sustainable, community-first development. It is a beacon of what living in harmony with nature can look like, offering first-row forest living, where nature and lifestyle exist in perfect balance, setting a new standard for human well being and environmental stewardship.
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