This year at Abu Dhabi Art 2025, BMW Abu Dhabi Motors presented a partnership that included an architectural pavilion titled Contours of Motion, created in collaboration with acclaimed Emirati architect and designer Abdalla Almulla.
Set within the fair’s artistic landscape, the pavilion is a statement of cultural fluency, an intersection of automotive innovation, architectural experimentation, and the region’s growing appetite for design-led experiences.
A Pavilion Created by Motion and Memory
Commissioned as a tribute to the 40th anniversary of Abu Dhabi Motors, Contours of Motion captures the sculptural elegance of BMW’s flagship models, most notably the fully electric BMW i7 M70 displayed at its core. Rather than replicating automotive aesthetics, Almulla translated BMW’s design language into space: soft curves, layered volumes, dynamic lines, and carefully orchestrated sightlines that guide visitors through the pavilion as though they are moving through a landscape in motion.
The result feels distinctly Emirati: minimal, fluid, intentional, and confident.
In describing the concept, Almulla noted,
“I wanted to express BMW’s refinement through a form that feels native to our environment – a premium, welcoming space that visitors can move through and experience.”
The pavilion reads like a walkable sculpture of architectural choreography where design and movement speak the same language.
A Dialogue Between Abu Dhabi and BMW
For Abu Dhabi Motors, the pavilion is both a celebration and a reaffirmation. After four decades in the capital, the brand is marking its milestone not with spectacle, but with cultural contribution.
Syed Faiz Karim, CEO of Abu Dhabi Motors, said:
“Showcasing an Emirati-designed pavilion at Abu Dhabi Art is a natural continuation of our journey. It reflects our commitment to Abu Dhabi, to our clients, and to the cultural life of the city.”
The gesture is subtle yet significant. At a time when Abu Dhabi continues to define itself as a global design destination, collaborations like this place local creatives at the centre of international narratives, not as participants, but as authors.
A Premium Journey, Inside and Out
BMW’s role as the official VIP mobility partner of Abu Dhabi Art further extends the experience beyond the pavilion. A dedicated fleet of BMW vehicles transports VIP guests between venues, offering the same sense of refined movement and comfort that the pavilion expresses architecturally.
It is a holistic approach with the journey to the fair, the encounter with the pavilion, and the interaction with the vehicle all echo the same design ethos – precision, motion, and a simple luxury that doesn’t require grand declarations.
A Milestone Wrapped in Design
At its heart, Contours of Motion is a celebration of place, of a brand that has evolved alongside the capital, and of an Emirati creative whose architectural voice is helping shape the identity of the region’s contemporary design landscape.
It feels fitting that this celebration unfolds at Abu Dhabi Art, a fair that has long championed the intersection of local talent and global expression. In a year where conversations around sustainability and cultural belonging are at the forefront, Almulla’s pavilion offers a grounded, elegant response: movement inspired by heritage, refinement curated by environment, and design that speaks a uniquely UAE dialect.
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