Wonder Cabinet, designed by Palestinian studio AAU Anastas, the three-storey structure is more than architecture—it’s a catalyst for creativity, community, and culture. Conceived as part gallery, part workshop, and part gathering place, Wonder Cabinet operates on three intersecting platforms: research and production, education and community, and a public programme. The project recently earned the 2023–2025 Aga Khan Award for Architecture, recognised for its design and social purpose.
The concrete structure is accentuated by glass partitions and a central void that choreographs movement and connection across the buildings levels. Below ground level reveals an ecosystem of making: studios for artists, a sound lab, a performance space, and communal kitchens that blur boundaries between creative disciplines. Local artisans collaborated closely on the steelwork and interior design, including bespoke lighting, infusing the building with regional craft traditions.
Lauded by the Aga Khan jury as “a model of connection, rooted in contemporary expressions of national identity,” the Wonder Cabinet exemplifies how architecture can elevate cultural production into acts of resilience and aspiration
For the Aga Khan jury, the project is “a model of connection, rooted in contemporary expressions of national identity.” For the design community, it’s a living laboratory—where architecture doesn’t simply house culture, but actively produces it.
