We are thrilled to share the opening of our new immersive installation The Library (also known as the Vault of Life) in The Heal Institute at the Museum of the Future, Dubai.

Four years ago, following a workshop in Berlin led by the Dubai Future Foundation, we were invited to conceive, design and create an immersive installation that provokes and inspires visitors to actively engage with our ecological resurgence. This week, The Library, a vast interactive archive of species that tells the story of life on Earth, has opened for visitors to experience within the Museum of the Future.

Filling the corridors from floor to ceiling, 2,400 crystal specimen jars hang suspended in the 375sqm space, each etched with an image of a unique existing or even extinct lifeform. The Library catalogues the wonderful diversity of our planet’s living things: from kapok trees to hummingbirds, slime moulds to tigers, with an intricately laser etched design. Visitors can ‘scan’ the jars to discover more about each species on a smart device as they explore. The Library’s immense scale and breath reveals the deeply interconnected nature of all life on earth, and what we can do to restore our rich ecosystems.

This vast ecological archive of our planet’s natural abundance was created from our initial idea, The Genetic Commons. We imagined an incredible living library of all the species on our planet. An immersive installation that would take visitors on diverse narrative journeys through our planetary abundance, with the core aim to inspire everyone to become active agents in the resurgence of our ecological diversity.

Superflux were responsible for The Library‘s creative concept, exhibit design and overall content development. Handheld device design and interactivity was done by Marshmallow Laser Feast and ATELIER BRÜCKNER led the overall Museum’s environmental and spatial design, coordination, management and production supervision.

Over the last four years, we worked on the design, concept development and narrative to bring this sketch to life. A key part of this work was visioning the concept, and then working with scientists to create the vast species database and the compelling narrative journeys. We also worked extensively with product developers and engineers to design, prototype and test the specimen jars, and with 3D artists to develop the 3D models etched within them.

Please stay tuned on our social media platforms for more information about the immersive experience in the coming weeks. Visit the Museum of the Future website for more information and to book your ticket.

Museum of the Future, Sheikh Zayed Rd – Trade Centre – Trade Centre 2 – Dubai – United Arab Emirates

museumofthefuture.ae | www.superflux.in | instagram.com/superfluxstudio

Press

For more information, interviews and further imagery, please contact:

Anab Jain at anab@superflux.in or hello@superflux.in 

Credits

Brendan McGetrick: Lead Curator, Museum of the Future

Superflux: Creative concept, exhibit design and overall content development

Atelier Bruckner: Environmental and spatial design, coordination, management and production supervision

Marshmallow Laser Feast: Handheld device design and interactivity

Thanks to Noah Raford (Futurist in Chief & Chief of Global Affairs at the Dubai Future Foundation) for inviting us to participate in the project.

Superflux Team 

Creative Direction: Jon Ardern, Anab Jain

Business and Operations: Louise Astley, Nicola Ferrao

Project Manager: Leanne Fischler

Design Development (Superflux & Collaborators): Arnaud Peron, Roland Ellis, Particle Studio (Doug Stokes, Freddy Billowes), Matthew Edgson, Niccolò Fioritti

Science Research Collaborators: Dominique Vassie, Angela Matheickal, Romie Littrell

Copywriter: Emma Hutton