SOCIAL MEDIA ZEITGEIST

An existing villa in Dubai’s Jumeirah 1 neighbourhood is set to become the permanent home of the Elie Khouri Art Foundation, with South African architect Sumayya Vally commissioned to transform the residential property into a contemporary art institution. Scheduled to open in late 2028, the project will adapt the house and its surrounding grounds for exhibitions, education and public gatherings.

Sumayya Vally portrait, via madamearchitect.org

Announced on 11 November 2026, the commission marks Vally’s first permanent building project in the United Arab Emirates. Through her Johannesburg- and London-based practice Counterspace, the architect is developing a proposal that draws on Beirut’s urban fabric and traditional Gulf courtyard houses, exploring how domestic spaces can accommodate a more public cultural programme.

Rather than replacing the villa with a conventional museum, the project uses the building’s existing character as the starting point for a new cultural institution.

The architectural proposal incorporates exhibition galleries, educational spaces, pavilions, gardens and hospitality areas. Existing architectural details, including doors, cornices, balustrades and room arrangements, will inform the transformation, allowing the property’s history as a family home to influence its new public identity.

The foundation was established by French-Lebanese collector and entrepreneur Elie Khouri, whose collection includes works by more than 300 artists. Under the direction of Caroline Louca, the institution will develop exhibitions drawing from the collection alongside loans, collaborations with museums and educational activities. The programme is intended to connect international contemporary art with audiences and cultural practitioners in the UAE.

New contemporary art space in Dubai will be transformed by Sumayya Vally, via wallpaper.com

Its location in Jumeirah 1 is central to the project. Rather than creating an isolated cultural landmark, the foundation aims to become part of an established residential neighbourhood, using outdoor areas and public programmes to encourage people to visit beyond individual exhibitions.

The commission demonstrates how existing residential buildings can support new cultural institutions while retaining a relationship with the communities and urban environments around them.

For architectural practices, the project also illustrates the emergence of private collectors and philanthropic foundations as clients for adaptive reuse and cultural development. These commissions can require architects to work across building conservation, exhibition design, landscape and institutional programming.

The project remains at the design stage, with its opening planned for late 2028. Its development will provide an opportunity to examine how the scale and character of a private house can be translated into a publicly accessible cultural environment.

Further information

The National – Elie Khouri Art Foundation to open in Dubai in 2028

The Art Newspaper – Elie Khouri plans permanent foundation in Dubai

Wallpaper – Sumayya Vally to transform a Dubai villa into a contemporary art space