Elie Khouri Art Foundation (EKAF) appoints architect Sumayya Vally and her practice Counterspace to create a permanent cultural venue in Dubai. Multiple outlets report the project will transform an existing villa in Jumeirah into a new contemporary art space, with galleries and educational or public-facing areas, plus gardens and outdoor programming.
Outlets also describe the design approach in different ways. Architecture and design publications highlight drawing on local urban and residential traditions and the “memory of a house,” while others focus more directly on the project’s status as Vally’s first building commission in the UAE and its programming mix. Coverage consistently says the development is due to open in late 2028 and that architecture and curatorial planning proceed in parallel.
Independently sourced details overlap across reports: the site is a repurposed villa, the foundation is the client, and the brief includes exhibition and education uses. Some articles add Vally’s background—such as her origin and past recognition—while others foreground the architectural concept or the timeline.
