RIBA Gulf recently hosted an insightful and inspiring architectural tour of the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, led by Stuart Rennie, Senior Project Architect at Adjaye Associates. The event was organized and delivered by Aldrine Sanchez, Senior Development Lead for the Gulf Region at the RIBA Gulf office, as part of RIBA's ongoing efforts to engage members with exceptional projects shaping the built environment in the region.
The Abrahamic Family House is a unique complex composed of three distinct houses of worship—a mosque, a church, and a synagogue—each designed with equal prominence and dignity. These three spiritual spaces are unified by a fourth secular space, a Forum, which includes a raised garden, a library, courtyards, and an exhibition area. Together, these elements form a powerful architectural and philosophical statement about peaceful co-existence, dialogue, and mutual respect among different faiths and cultures.
Throughout the tour, Stuart Rennie offered an in-depth walkthrough of the project's architectural vision, construction techniques, and design philosophies. He detailed how the forms, materials, and spatial arrangements of each house of worship were carefully crafted to reflect both their religious identities and their collective purpose. RIBA members gained insight into how universal values were translated into architecture, and how the interplay of light, geometry, and context creates spaces that feel sacred, inclusive, and inspiring.
Stuart’s commentary also highlighted the project's broader mission as a space for inter-religious dialogue and cultural exchange, underscoring its importance not only as a place of worship but also as a civic landmark. His thoughtful explanations and behind-the-scenes insights into the design process left a profound impact on the attending architects, sparking reflection on the role of architecture in promoting harmony and understanding in a complex world.
The event exemplified RIBA Gulf’s commitment to showcasing forward-thinking, contextually relevant architecture while fostering professional development and meaningful dialogue among its members across the Gulf region.
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The architectural form of each building—the Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque, St. Francis Church, and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue—is translated from its respective faith, carefully using the lens to define what is similar, as opposed to what is different. Through the power of these revelations, the design emerges as powerful plutonic forms with a clear geometry: three cubes sitting on a plinth. The narrative of each religion unfolds through various scales— from structure to detail—and emerges through the elements of creation—water and light.
Wrapped in off-white concrete that references the sand and mountains of the Emirates, the structures are illustrated with colonnades, screens, and vaults to represent their sacred natures, and each form is oriented towards religious references whilst sitting within a unifying garden.
Sir David Adjaye, OM OBE, the designer of the Abrahamic Family House, said "As an architect I want to create a building that starts to dissolve the notion of hierarchical difference—it should represent universality and totality—something higher, that enhances the richness of human life."
Learn more about the 2021 recipient of the Royal Gold Medal Sir David Adjaye, OM OBE.
