Armed Forces Officers Club, Abu Dhabi
Sunday, 7th August 2005 by James Turnbull
The Armed Forces Officers Club in Abu Dhabi has 120,000 square meter roof constructed from a 3 large concrete shells. My first thought was that it looked a lot like the Olympic Stadium in Montreal so it's no surprise that both were designed by Roger Taillibert, a French architect who clearly thinks he's designing spacecraft rather than buildings. There's ground level photos and design sketches on Tallibert's website.
Thanks to Tggb3k (We noticed your submissions eventually!)
Looks like a spaceship!
Looks like something out of a bad HR Giger nightmare.
This building is intended to represent a Falcon, the national bird of UAE.
If you head due north you will see the still unfinished Grand Mosque, which, if you head just a tad bit further north, you will see sits at the end of the Bateen Air Base.
This mosque has taken quite a few years to build because, in the finest example of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing, its minarets are right in the final approach path to the main Bateen rundway and at 300 feet tall tend to block the approach.
Ooops!
SJ
There is some REALLY interesting looking things around here. I thought this area was pretty cool looking.
Boats hard at it …
View Placemark
I suggested this as well, mentioning the comparison to Montreal’s Olympic stadium. I didn’t know what the building was though… I even asked an acquaintance from the UAE but she didn’t know either. Glad to finally learn what it is!
Hey thanks… I knew I could get this spacecraft on GgSs eventually. I can’t belive I was out of town when it got posted. Damn rural Montana. You guys would not believe how many tries it takes to get something posted. Or how hard it was to find info on this building. I found it in an attempt to get a good view of where Odie and Nermal may have ended up. Then after I realized it was the coolest building in the whole world many sleepless nights were spent searching on Google for “cool building in Abu Dhabi” or “giant spacecraft crash-landing just slightly inland on Southwest tip of Abu Dhabi.”
You’ll also notice if you go down and to the right just a little you will see Al Dhafra AB where our KC-135’s are stationed
The Armed Forces Officer is a quite a nice club open to the publc. I recently optained a family membership (Me, Wife, 3 kids) and its great. Best facility in town by far (and the cheapest). Lots of coaches, trainers, lifeguards, etc., immaculately clean, food, salons for men & ladies, etc. Some baulk at the gym areas being gender specific – my wife and like this aspect – she’s more comfortable and I’m more focused. The majority of the members here are local and royal family – I’m a western expat and I’ve had no issues whatsoever and would highly recommend. As mentioned, it a cool looking building and is massive.
Great hotel and club……spent a month there when in active duty air force…..people really friendly…room service great!!! Loved the gym, but i guess there are some times when the gym is coed…..my squadron and i all worked out together…..Marble everything!!! Nice courtyard, great for running as a squadron, and the mosque is awesome too. Look for camels just outside hotel sometimes….plus…..cats run wild through the hotel….i guess to keep the birds in the atrium style hall to a minimum….just be careful what you leave on room service tray outside your door….also, the music in the halls is fabulous…really relaxing…….does look like a klingon ship or something!
I am currently here in UAE and went there about 2 weeks ago, this place is amazing, it has a bowling alley, pool hall, pool + spa with hot tub, Gun range, all you can eat buffet, and much more. The floors and walls are all Marble, very nice place.
in december 2005 my squadron burnt a table and part of the cartpet in one of the presidential suits…ha
wonder what’s the reaction of the designer, r.taillibert if he saw (or probably did already) the TWA terminal in new york by eero saarinen. hehe…
The place is awesome! Recreation is fantastic espec ially the staff in Bowling Alleys..U guys are great!!keep it up!