When visiting Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and towards the end of your journey, you encounter the root system of a Ghaf tree and a magical light display. The Ghaf tree is the national tree of the United Arab Emirates. Factum were working on many projects for the Zayed National Museum, but we were commissioned by the Spanish company EMPTY to produce a monumental, suspended bronze sculpture (completed in October 2025). Its fabrication, engineering and installation represent a synthesis of botanical research, advanced 3D modelling, Factum’s methodology for making trees and roots, traditional foundry work, highly specialised metalwork and many hours of human labour.

Celebrated for its resilience in harsh desert environments, the Ghaf tree (Prosopis cineraria) has long represented stability, sanctuary and the profound bond between people and their landscape. Its expansive canopy and exceptional drought resistance establish it as a cornerstone species in the region. The roots of the Ghaf tree are the stuff of legend. They anchor the tree in its sandy environment and extend deep beneath the surface to sustain life in extreme conditions with minimal water.

The sculpture is connected to another installation produced by Factum Arte for the museum: the life-sized bronze Ghaf Tree located on the ground floor. Together, the works articulate the connection between what is visible above ground and the unseen structures that sustain life.

Spanning over 5 metres in depth and weighing 1,450 kg, the work demanded rigorous structural engineering and a complex construction approach. Direct observation in the field was followed by high-resolution photogrammetry to record different examples of renowned Ghaf trees. This comprehensive documentation of living trees was accompanied by the documentation of salvaged natural roots. This approach informed both aesthetic authenticity and botanical accuracy—reconciling technical requirements with the organic asymmetry inherent to root systems.

3D Modelling, Botanical Research and Casting

Factum Arte's Imran Khan documented living Ghaf trees during a trip to Abu Dhabi, and this photographic survey formed the basis for the digital model of the tree. The root system required further recording and research. To refine the design, a life-sized timber prototype incorporating authentic roots was built within the workshop, guiding choices regarding scale, branching patterns and structural composition.

The casting process at Esfinge Foundry in Madrid required splitting the 3D model into manageable sections and merging actual roots with wax additions. Lost-wax casting was employed for the central trunk and major roots, using silicone and fibreglass moulds. Salvaged natural roots and branches—chosen according to diameter, length and form—underwent similar preparation before being cast in bronze and woven into the overall structure.

Structural reinforcement came from a stainless-steel skeleton engineered and built in Factum Arte's metal workshop. This internal framework was embedded within the trunk to support the considerable weight of the suspended installation.

Over the past 15 years, Factum has made many trees and has developed a system to reinforce the bronze during casting with a stainless-steel core. As the bronze cast elements are assembled, full-penetration welds ensure invisible transitions between sections of cast root. The overall feeling of the root system is dependent on human skill to produce a fully integrated form with no evidence of human artifice.

Fine bronze filaments, cast from life, were welded onto the roots to enhance the intricate detail of both the root nodules that feed the tree and the root system that anchors it to the ground.

The final fabrication process included sandblasting and chemical patination to create a uniform, lifelike finish. After complete assembly in Factum Arte's workshop, the sculpture was cut into transportable sections that were packed and shipped to Abu Dhabi.

Factum Arte's team carried out the installation at Zayed National Museum. This required two forklifts to work in tandem to position the roots so that they could be mechanically fixed through a concealed connection point in the base that was located in the ceiling.

The lighting system provides the final touch. Moving gobos create the illusion of movement and life. The roots become animated, hinting at the connection between the past and the future, the visible and the invisible.