On September 30, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) dedicated the Met Warehouse, the historic building reimagined as the new home of its School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P). Within it, two new spaces, Sidara Auditorium and Sidara Gallery, honor a long-standing partnership between Sidara and MIT, recognizing Sidara’s support for the project since its inception. 

Redesigned by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the Met Warehouse brings design studios, research spaces and collaborative classrooms together under one roof. The Sidara Auditorium and Sidara Gallery serve as two of the building’s central public spaces, on the ground floor, where students, faculty and visitors come together. 

The dedication builds on a collaboration that began in 2018 with SA+P’s Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism. Through the Sidara Urban Research Seed Fund, Sidara and MIT have supported multi-year research that helps cities become more sustainable and livable, from heat resilience and affordable housing to AI-enabled urban design, with projects spanning cities including Beirut, Nairobi and Lagos. The fund’s third cycle, running from 2025 to 2027, is exploring how digital technologies and big data can reimagine cities. 

Talal Shair, Sidara and Dar Chairman and CEO, commented: 

“Our companies share MIT’s commitment to improving lives, solving critical challenges, and making room for cultures to shine. We feel a profound resonance with SA+P across all three dimensions — so it was only fitting that we would support the transformation of the Met into a hub for education, research, and innovation. We trust the Sidara Auditorium and the Sidara Gallery will serve as spaces for idea exchange, inspiring future generations to think broadly and act boldly.” 

To learn more about the partnership and the research it has supported, visit Sidara and MIT Collaboration.