How the UAE is welcoming a modern marvel while preserving its architectural heritage

“Cities in the Gulf are the fastest growing cities in the world. In the UAE, the population has grown more than 100 times and the number of buildings has grown at a similar rate, in line with population growth. We don’t want to lose our history [as we welcomed many modern building projects]which has spawned many museums and conservation projects,” Buhash said.

The architecture and heritage expert is speaking on the evolution of architecture at NYU Abu Dhabi College. Bukhash has personally overseen the conservation of 215 historic buildings and the design and construction of 200 modern buildings in the UAE, and he traces the development of the country’s architectural structures, from early sandstone buildings dating back to 6,500 BC Abu Dhabi’s Ghagha Island , to the soon-to-be-completed Dubai Creek Tower, which is expected to be taller than the Burj Khalifa when completed.

He told Gulf News that authorities are working to preserve historic buildings, while also discovering and analysing architectural findings. One of the most famous conservation projects is nearing completion in Dubai’s Al Shindagha Historic District. More than 190 historic buildings in the area were demolished in the early 1990s, but are now fully restored as museums covering all aspects of traditional Emirati life.

“We conducted over 20 interviews [elderly] people and tracked the names of 196 owners. The buildings were demolished in 1991, but the foundations remain. So we started looking at old maps, conducting interviews, and documenting old photos to determine the shape and structure of the old buildings that were demolished,” explains Bhash.

These buildings, including Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House and Sheikh Obaid Bin Thani House, now make up the Shindagha Museum, the largest open museum facility in the Middle East, built by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Vice-President. Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

“The museum covers all aspects of Emirati life and is divided into 28 different galleries, exploring Bedouin life, coastal life, desert life, the history of Dubai Creek, the art of perfumery, and various other elements and cultures of Emirati heritage,” said cloth. Hash said.

Open to tourists, the official opening is expected later this year. The development also features a boutique hotel and several traditional restaurants.

Al Shindagha is just one of 3,250 recorded archaeological sites and historic buildings in the UAE.

Like it, the Al Fahidi Historic District was previously restored with 54 original houses and was developed as a cultural and tourist destination in 2008.

Likewise, the first school in the UAE to provide formal or formal education, the Ahmadiyya School in Dubai, has been restored as an educational museum. Abu Dhabi has also restored Qasr Al Hosn, the capital’s first permanent structure and the historic home of the Al Nahyan ruling family, and the Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain. Another conservation project at Umm Al Quwain is currently restoring some 350 houses that make up the emirate’s old city.

Talking about the traditional architectural style of the UAE, Buhash said it has many elements that are best suited to the culture and climate of the region. For example, courtyards bring in natural light and ensure privacy, while wind towers allow ventilation. The buildings are also made from locally available sustainable materials such as gypsum and coral stone.

“Today’s Emirati architecture incorporates [many] Architectural styles and influences. But going forward, I think we’ll have a good mix of ideas developed from established architectural styles that fit the climate and cultural norms of the region. This architectural style has developed over the centuries and is very suitable for the area,” said the expert.

“So while we don’t need to imitate [traditional architecture], we can combine ideas to make our modern buildings more suitable, such as a C-shaped structure that mimics the courtyard style, or elements that allow for the use of the UAE’s year-round sun exposure. Urban planning departments are certainly regulating the use of more sustainable building methods and materials, and we encourage architects to adopt them in their styles as well.I believe [such changes] coming [to the architecture of the UAE],” Buhash added optimistically.

The expert went on to explain the importance of elements typical of pre-modern traditional Emirati settlements.

For example, most cities in the UAE have defensive walls against outsiders. The inhabitants also built forts for the same purpose, but these forts also doubled as homes for the ruling families and as a refuge for the city’s population in the event of an attack.

“There are still 67 forts in the UAE, most of which were built in 1793, when Qasr Al Hosn was built,” Buhash said.

The city also includes watchtowers strategically located on its borders, and the UAE currently has 130 watchtowers. Authorities are considering registering them and even applying to list them as a World Heritage Site, Buhash said.

As for the dwellings, Buhash said they evolved from portable structures used by the Bedouin to mud-stone structures topped with wooden palm-leaf frames known as balasti. There were also houses made entirely of ballasti, while wealthier families built permanent structures that increased in size as the family grew.

Courtyards are a distinguishing feature of such dwellings, while unique wind towers or bagirs allow for cooling and were first incorporated into traditional Emirati architecture by immigrants from southern Iran from 1902. They allow for natural cooling and ventilation, and studies have shown that temperatures under wind towers can be 10 degrees cooler than elsewhere in the house.