brownbook

Number 14 - March April 2009

Art &Architecture Building art and sketching towers

in the Middle East

www.brownbook.ae

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The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai

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The Art of Magical Jewels From 18th to 21st March Exhibition of vintage and modern pieces of jewellery

at Art Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai www.vancleef-arpels.com

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Al Shamsi, who is working on the Venice Biennial, uses her spare time to pursue her interest in photography. She contributed in the photos used for the Forgotten Architecture article. She has a Masters in Photography from Durham University.

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:BSB 4IBNNBÂľB 8SJUFS %BNBTDVT Stephen Phillips, AIA, PhD is an award winning designer and practicing California architect, theorist, scholar, and is a PhD recipient in Architecture History and Theory from Princeton University.

Phillips is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture History and Theory at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

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(PMOBS 1IPUPHSBQIFS *TGBIBO Glonar is a freelancer and photographer who has assisted brownbook regular contributions.

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A fourth year student of graphic design in Zayed University, Bin Sulayem contributed with photos of Dubai and Sharjah for the report and travel sections.

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An upcoming Emarati artist, Al Ghaith’s work has been displayed in prominent exhibitions such as Emarati Expressions and Dubai Underground. Al Ghaith contributed with the planning of brownbook.

Currently, Al Dabbagh is the head of communications for the Sharjah Biennial, where she has assumed the position for the past three years.

Al Dabbagh, whose interests range from art history to creative writing, was also a member of Who’s Who’s Professional Committee year 2007.

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Al Qasba & brownbook | Partnership

Al Qasba

If you are looking for a prime tourist attraction in Sharjah, the cultural capital of the UAE, then you don’t have to look beyond Al Qasba, as the huge facility has now evolved into a popular tourist destination. Since its opening in 2005 and recent rechristening as Al Qasba, the vibrant venue offers families, residents and visitors an unparalleled entertainment option. So, if you are seeking to soak yourself in culture, dabble in art, eat out to your heart’s content and entertain with your family, head straight to Al Qasba where fun and joy are waiting for you with open arms.

Visitors to this fantastic family destination can enjoy a leisurely stroll in the great outdoors along a scenic waterfront promenade. The contemporary Andalusian architecture combined with the oriental look, with its uniform arches and crisp, symmetrical design in muted desert hues provides a stunning backdrop and serene ambience for those who appreciate a modern environment with a classic air of sophistication.

And it’s not just the serene ambience that lures visitors to Al Qasba. Dotted with unique events year round, the destination is also home to the highest observatory wheel and the first musical fountain in the region. Coupled with a potpourri of delicious international cuisines offered at the restaurants and cafes lining the banks of the canal, the complete Al Qasba package is hard to resist.

At this luscious “World on your Plate” destination, visitors can savor delectable delights from Italian, Lebanese and Thai to Mediterranean, French and Portuguese; or take their pick among the series of street cafés. Besides the fine dining and international cuisines, Al Qasba has proved to be the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Al Qasba is sparing no efforts in developing the destination and transforming it into the ultimate cultural, entertainment, tourism and family destination of the region. The destination has helped in boosting tourism in the UAE, and particularly in the Emirates of Sharjah. In middle of the year 2008, the restaurants and outlets located at Al Qasba have recorded a percent increase in sales, and we would like to thank all the restaurants and outlets who helped in achieving these results, said Al Sarkal.

Lifestyle › Profiles

Art &Architecture in the Middle East

Profiles from the art and architecture who are making a difference in the Middle East Perhaps one of the most booming industries in the Middle East, architecture has been closely related to the major cities in their thrive to develop and become more cosmopolitan. As we take a closer look at the industry, it was only natural to a look at the people behind the vision that has materialized as buildings in all shapes and sizes. We look at how they started, what pushed them to succeed, and how they see the industry shaping in the future. Not steering too far from architecture, artists behind visionary and creative work are also looked at in a time where art is celebrated through the various festivals, biennials and exhibitions taking place. We ask what inspires them, and study their creative work as the Middle East slowly showcases the bustling talent that is currently emerging.

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Idil Ilkin

Contemporary Artist

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"Istanbul is a perfect example of how homogenous and accepting the Ottoman Empire was. The churches and mosques are bundled together in the older suburbs of the town, coexisting peacefully and happily, surviving the text of time, space, war and earthquakes."

Photographer & Writer: Idil Jans Contemporary art is finding a new home within Istanbul. With events such as "Contemporary Istanbul" it is quickly becoming a destination for collectors from all over the world.

Idil Ilkin is a young emerging artist who resides in Istanbul and has quite a lot of achievements under her belt. Having started off by writing a thesis about 19th century Orientalism and the Ottoman encounter, she received a "Christies" education in London from which she came back and immediately started working alongside established renowned Turkish artists.

She exhibited her photos at the first ever Contemporary Istanbul several years ago and her videos were shown at the 10th Istanbul Biennale under the curatorship of Hou Hanru.

She was chosen to exhibit three of her videos at the Frankfurt Film Museum, which was curated by Heike Stockhaus, where Turkey was the honorary guest country.

Idil thinks that the Middle East is now a prime destination for Contemporary Art. "As an artist, I find living in this region, especially Istanbul, is so inspirational and resourceful. Some artists want to use the Middle East as inspiration but the current situation of constant conflict makes that close to impossible for me. One would need to have a subjective political view to be able to be inspired by what transpires in the region right now."

Ms Ilkin believes that she is the starting point for her own inspiration. "I have pre-programmed myself to have an instinctive creativity. I let it be a second nature instead of waiting for it to hit me. My state of mind is constantly in production."

She does also insist that the city defers from other cities because it is not as clean cut as most European capitals. Urban development is growing very chaotically; she says that this inspires her to create in an entropic way.

Her very first words in her statement of intent are, "The human brain constantly perceives its surroundings and through an unconscious process continually records all perceptions. I have found that the source of my artistic creation is not a planned and structured probing, but rather a steady, inadvertent dialogue with the subconscious.�

Istanbul is the heart of the Turkish art scene, and right now that very same scene is extremely vibrant. Many collectors have started collecting a lot of local contemporary art and the market is constantly expanding. Turkish art is more affordable for international buyers, which is one of the main reasons why it is so in demand at the moment. The prices and the creativity create unique pieces which art collectors rave about.

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Turguy Mutlugoz Artist / Painter

Mr Mutlugoz’s passion for art started at a very young age. He was born in Solothurn/Olten, in Switzerland and believes that his life in Europe has had an immense influence on his talent today. Life in Switzerland is very cultural and cosmopolite.

Mr Mutlugoz moved back to Turkey in 1986 and studied at one of the best universities in the country; Mimar Sinan University, School of Fine Arts.

He worked with Nese Erdok and finished University first of his school. After completing a Masters degree at the same university, Turgut completed two shows at the "Evin" gallery of arts, the first in 2005 and the second in 2007.

His work is heavily influenced by the baroque movement. He pays closer attention to the reflection of chaos upon his figure than the actual form of the figure. "I want that chaos to be seen by the naked eye, to be felt and to be forced to become an entity.

Which is why the figure shouldn’t be looked at just as a figure, but as an ironic reflection of what I am trying to portray."

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Photographer & Writer: Idil Jans

When one looks at the paintings created by this artist, the desperation and darkness creeping within through the subjects that he portrays can be felt.

He continues by noting, "I try to stay clear of the usual styles and use a more subjective, international method. Turkish art is very open to eastern and western cultures, I count using this to my advantage as my biggest achievement."

He believes that due to the cliches in the industry, some of the work created doesn’t stand out and gain the notoriety that it should if it doesn’t conform to certain standards, which limits the creativity of the artist. When asked about the disadvantages of the art market in Turkey, Turgut commented that there are no disadvantages to it, nor does he see any disadvantages to any of the art markets in the world. Especially since the art industry in booming in Turkey, this has a positive effect on all artists.

He believes that the Middle Eastern artist has a cosmopolitan constitution and that due to this they manage to influence and interpret events happening all over the world through their art. Even though auto control and auto defense is art’s biggest enemy, he believes that this approach will certainly strengthen its influence in the future.

"I don’t believe that this region where I currently reside and where I create my art is the only influence on my identity as an artist. World history and different cultures are an immense influence on my work. Without wanting to give too much importance to those external factors, I believe that the work of art created is of prime importance.

So instead of looking for how the region would influence the artist or the art, I believe that the artist must look at how they can influence the region.“ The recent attention that Mr Mutlugoz is receiving from critics, collectors and the media is a proof that he has already achieved certain notoriety in the Turkish art world. His plans to open a studio where he will be teaching his art. The community has welcomed this, and classes are already overflowing with students hungry to learn from a master, like he once did.

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Reda Sijiny Architect

In the heart of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast, a modest design practice run by two school friends is changing the way people approach architecture and design in a country steeped in centuries of old traditions.

Reda Sijiny and his friend Mohammad Al Sharief had the idea for their urbanphenomena practice, a combination of studio space, think tank, research center and architectural practice, after winning first prize in an architectural competition at college in 1995.

“We believed that was a good omen that one day we should set up an architecture office together,” said Sijiny.

Before that dream could become a reality, Mohammad first finished a Master’s degree in Architecture at the University of Houston and Reda headed East, finishing a Master’s degree in Design Studies in Japan, followed by a two year stint working at the architecture office of Shin Takamatsu in Kyoto. Returning to Saudi Arabia from Japan in 2003 with his Masters degree, Sijiny joined his schoolmate as partner of urbanphenomena with the idea to change the way architecture and design was practiced in Saudi Arabia and the wider region.

Now 36, Sijiny is married with two children and urbanphenomena is a busy organization with research projects and a list of interior design contracts.

“All we had at the start were ideas to present something honest and fresh to society, to enable a paradigm shift on the way architecture and design was practiced in our part of the world,” he recollected. “Our biggest asset was our conviction, determination and sacrifice. Now that might sound cliché, but at a time of serious recession in Saudi Arabia, and in the face of social and professional objection, we were out there to prove it could happen.”

With neither Sijiny nor Al Sharief coming from architectural backgrounds and with little capital or funding, it was this conviction that has led to today’s successful and conscientious practice.

“We see ourselves as a design studio, think tank,” Sijiny said about urbaphenomena’s current set up. “We believe in maintaining a network of highly skilled professionals in the design and engineering fields.”

Now, 10 years later urbanphenomena has seven full-time design professionals, and three part time design professionals in a multi-disciplinary design office, working on projects that require architectural, interior design, and environmental graphic design solutions.

“Initially we started with small-scale interior O38

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Writer: Adrian Murphy Photographer: Yousef Raffah

design projects due to their rapid speed of construction and faster visual impact, plus, of course, their limited budgets,” said Sijiny.

“We realized that a niche market exists in the design consultancy business serving young entrepreneurs starting a new business of their own especially in the advertising industry.”

They have managed to fill this niche in Jeddah and Riyadh by establishing a design, development, consultancy and management operation dealing with original design ideas and conceptually driven projects. Sijiny said that a big part of urbanphenomena’s work is research, either as part of the project requirements, or to facilitate the design process, or as a project in itself.

The urbanphenomena team is also engaged in culture mapping, which sees them cataloguing and listing the cultural landscape in the region.

“We see our office taking the role of an

observatory that could detect, study, and analyze the urban phenomena occurring here and there, we could start to grasp what makes the key to the Arab Gulf city identity,” he added.

“Part of our work at the urbanphenomena observatory and research lab is to try and define the contemporary identity of the modern city of Jeddah, and similar cities across the region that have undergone severe transformation during the past 30 years or so.”

Currently urbanphenomena is completing, among other projects, its prototypical housing units, interior design of the boys section of the TAS Riyadh school (currently under construction) and a complete redefinition of the visual and architectural identity of Saudi Arabia’s only Organic food produce company, Abazeer in Jeddah.

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Samer El Dahr AKA Zimo Musician

He makes his own songs from A to Z. He writes the lyrics, composes, distributes, and records all his songs, doing all that from his bedroom.

The nineteen year old Samer Sayem El Dahr, whose nickname is Zimo, tries to take tools from the west and inspirtion from the Arabic reality where his values and culture stems from, creating new music through all its stages, which enables him to be a comprehensive, independent, and artistic institution.

"I started making songs in my own bedroom, and this is still the case so far. Maybe one day I could get to the kitchen or to the living room, I might even take over my parents' house and turn it into a big studio," Zimo explained.

So far, Zimo has more than fifty songs, including an album made up of 13 songs. All of them were launched in the market, and grew to become so famous among young people that anyone can listen to it in Syria everywhere. However, this work does not bear the stamp of any production company or distributor, simply because they are produced by Zimo.

Zimo's career started as he recorded his first song at the age of 12, with the help of his brother and friend. He then kept on working that way until he came to have fifty songs, including: (To Be or not to Be, Adam's world, AB human, Daily Life, and

Alive they buried me.) The remaining songs spread among young people through exchanging CDs and copying them.

Zumo describes the secret behind the spread of his songs despite the absence of any recording label to help him . “The most important thing is that through my songs, I discuss a number of issues in a simple way, or the so-called "street-language." What made the songs popular among young people is their willingness to accept all new things, in addition to the lack of similar Arab songs that would directly address the problems witnessed by our society, (which are not the usual topics of) love, affection and separation".

Zimo's fame started at the age of sixteen with the rap songs, but he did not stop with that genre. He started to experiment with other kinds of music, and wrote some Jazz , Blues, and other songs.

When asked about the possibility of recording his songs on CDs to guarantee that they will spread quickly and in a legal way, while preserving the copyrights for him, he said, “The presence of a production company shall secure me the suitable environment to work, carrying out the distribution and ensuring that songs are widely spread, but this has to be according to one condition, which is that there should be no intervention whatsoever in the contents of the songs. It is the condition that I insist

Writer: Yara Shama'a Photographer: Omar Sanadiki

on, since the secret behind success lies in dealing with new issues for the song producers, which has not been provided so far by any of the companies".

Samer or Zimo is currently studying at the second year in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Painting. Zumo excels in painting as much as musical composition, to the extent that he no longer has enough time for anything but music and painting.

Through his continuous search in the international music, Zimo found out about a new kind of music that is widely spread in Europe, especially England.

This is a kind of music that more like soundtracks expressing some events and emotions that take place through the music and that have no lyrics, which attracted Zimo so much to the extent that he is currently working on an entire CD of this type to be launched in the market.

In this type of music, he found an expression that is like psychology. It directly communicates with the human soul.

"Today, I finally managed to communicate the music that expresses me after long years of experimenting. I believe now that my experience is mature and that it started to take its final form," Zimo said.

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Miné Arslanbek Architect

In a city as vast as Istanbul, it’s sometimes hard to find architects who are still true to the real heart and soul of one of the most vibrant and historical cities in the world.

Thanks to the lack of rules and regulations, illegal housing pops up in every part of the city, be it in the rich districts or the poorer ones on the outskirts of Istanbul. It doesn’t matter where you are, chances are you will see homes that are a constant reminder that Turkey needs to step up regarding home building regulations. Four walls and a tin roof portray a sad state of affairs.

Thankfully, there are architects like Mine Arslanbek who refuse to stray from ethics and have an infinite respect to what Istanbul used to be once upon a time; a mix of Ottoman style with Art Deco, a melting pot of cultures. She caters to those who require quality and dedication. It doesn’t matter if the projects that are brought to her seem impossible; she always seems to find a way to apply her customers’ imagination to reality and create gems. Her bubbling personality and attention to every single detail are what makes her be a part of a very exclusive club in a world where bad architecture can be as unhealthy as cheap fast food.

Istanbul is prone to bad architecture and usage of cheap material. Unfortunately, those projects spread like a disease, eliminating the true essence of the city.

Mine studied at the University of Virginia and has been in the business since 2002. She launched her own business two years ago and already stands out with her achievements. Having been mentored by some of the best award-winning architects in the country, her creations breathe style and art into every project she undergoes. She gives a lot of importance to the use of natural materials. Working with marble and wood, she likes to create sustainable entities.

"I believe that the importance of sustainability needs to be underlined. Turkey hasn't understood the importance of it as of yet.

There are a lot of constructions and projects ongoing right now but none of them have enough budgets for ecologically conscious solutions like natural air conditioning and solar energy heating systems. In my projects I try to create smarter, more "Green" friendly solutions and environments."

“Unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to travel through the Middle East as much as I’d like to but I am very fascinated with the historical and Islamic architecture blending into the modern world. I do enjoy traveling to Dubai as I have family there and enjoy witnessing the constant development. I feel that there is a lot of potential, desire and courage to build designs in the Middle East, but I also believe that the region should integrate its cultural identity into its designs. Even if they work with foreign architects, they should make sure that they keep the projects true to their heritage. We want to avoid that the Middle East ends up being some sort of Las Vegas, and that can be done by staying true to our origins and mixing it up with the modern world.”

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Writer & Photographer: Idil Jans

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Raidar Adham Architect

He chose to major in interior design in England, but the desire to study architecture lead to studying it upon moving to Australia. Upon completing his education, Redar Adham decided to then move to the city of Halab, where he started his career.

"I wanted to come back and work here, since this is an underdeveloped (area) which doesn’t have many designers. It still has a wide space for working with new ideas," he said.

At first, Redar worked at an engineering office but this did not give him an opportunity to fully and freely develop his imagination and thoughts the way he wanted. He then decided to work independently, and he started armed with nothing but his certificates, his thoughts, and the help of a group of young people who together made up one team.

From the very beginning, Redar Adham's dream was to build a working team, so the office might not be representing just one person, which is why it bears the name “Orange” and not that of a specific person.

Orange is the name of a virtual village that exists only in the imagination of the working team. Each project they design is but a part of such a village that is expanding day after day.

Redar's work stems from finding a certain philosophy for each place that his team members and he are designing. They are launched from a certain idea that bestows upon the place its spirit, and they go far beyond the work of

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designing and architecture.

"I am proud of our office, with its unique style in developing ideas. (These ideas are) launched for every project from a base that expresses a certain topic. That …gave us precedence over all other engineers," Redar said.

"Some others might be capable of searching the Internet and making use of magazines and references, their designs might be even prettier than mine, but I am proud of being capable of making a design of my own, customized according to the needs of our clients. It is as if such designs are babies following the clients in all stages of their growth before getting to its final shape," Redar added.

Redar has always been keen on making imagination and creativity part of his designs, which made him reject the presence of redundant, previously created designs or magazines related to architecture and interior design in his office in order to guarantee that his team and he will not be influenced with the designs of others, thus allowing more innovation and uniqueness.

The care he dedicated to linking architecture to the life of people and their philosophy motivated him to implement a number of projects in new ways that are a bit strange to the Syrian society.

"Sol" was one of his projects in which the design was based on the issue of digital music. It is a restaurant with a theme completed through coordinating the architectural design with the

internal design, the lights, and the selected music, as well as the names and the flavors of the food offered and the way the staff deals with clients, which makes all those who step in the restaurant live quite an experience that clearly links him to the aim of the design.

At first, Rader has faced a number of problems due to the fact that the local market rejected his ideas, and failed to appreciate the way he works.

Things changed, though, and now he has lots of clients who do insist on using his services due to his special way of working.

"I don't care if people see that our projects are beautiful or well done, I care more about making sure all my teammates and clients are aware of all the stages of the idea or the philosophy and how those are applied in reality. I want people to know that our projects have stemmed out of ideas and philosophies and are not merely designs," Redar said.

According to Redar, the importance of architecture and interior designs, as well as the presence of local architects in the Middle East, lie in getting to know the needs of the people and their traits in order to make our projects more realistic.

Commercially, they would also be less costly than the imported projects, which are alien to our culture.

Redar especially criticized all of these imported huge glass facades, being quite far from our eastern architecture in his opinion.

"Unfortunately, we failed so far to develop an Eastern or Arabic architecture that would cope with our style of life, how we eat, how we dress, and our social nature," he said.

Writer: Yara Shama'a Photographer: Omar Sanadiki

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Diana Al Hadid Sculptor

Sharjah’s 9th Biennial will provide a unique opportunity for 27-year-old sculptor Diana Al Hadid, who will be creating and showcasing her first work in the Middle East at the international event.

The Syrian born artist has been making waves in New York in the past year where she is a resident artist at the Perry Rubenstein Gallery, which is dedicated to nourishing contemporary, emerging artists like herself.

Al Hadid’s large sculptures of intricate, broken towers and melting cathedrals have been on show at the West 23rd Street gallery – some selling for up to $28,000 - and have also been acquired by separate collections in New York, London and Lugano, Switzerland.

Born in Aleppo, Al Hadid moved to the United States with her family when she was six and says she had a strict upbringing, in what she describes as a creative household.

Now, for the first time, she will be coming back to her roots and working on a new sculpture, her first outdoor installation entitled Spells on Our Youth, which will be located near Sharjah Arts Museum during the two-month biennial.

“It’s a curiosity [Sharjah] to me as it’s not my neighborhood,” she said.

“But it’s very exciting to be here and it also represents a new opportunity.

I am really flattered by the attention my work is getting here.”

Al Hadid moved to New York when she was 24 after completing a Bachelor and Masters’ degrees in fine art sculpture in Ohio and Virginia in the hope of finding her way as a professional artist.

While in the Big Apple, Al Hadid slept on her older brother’s couch and found a job as a secretary for a fabrications firm to make ends meet.

Whatever money she earned during her first two years was spent renting a small studio and attending courses at some of the best art schools in the US such as the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine.

“This is where I learnt what it was like to be like an artist as I would be working specifically for a show and would be surrounded by 60 other artists,” said Al Hadid.

She described the first year in New York as really tough but by the second year she won prize money, sold two pieces of work and met Perry all within five months.

She said that before that “I was literally on my last breath.”

Now a fully-fledged professional, she spends her O46

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days in her Brooklyn studio from 9am to midnight working on her masterpieces, spending up to three months on one piece and completing five to six per year.

“People don’t realize that every last inch is made by hand,” she explained.

The affable Al Hadid draws her inspiration from architecture such as the French Gothic, Chartres Cathedral and mythology such as the Tower of Babel. Titles such as Self Melt and The Tower of Infinite Problems give an insight into her deep, yet fascinating work.

“You can relate that [Tower of Babel] to what is happening today with Burj Dubai, which is tremendous,” said Al Hadid. “I think the most attractive thing about it is it’s still under construction.”

But for now Al Hadid is enjoying her time in the UAE and in the future hopes to make new pieces from bronze to add to her repertoire.

Writer: Adrian Murphy Photographer: Tom Powell

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Golnaz Fathi, Untitled 3, silk thread, 2009, 1x3 meters

The Doha Series The Third Line, Doha

Golnaz Fathi

Doha Series

15 March - 3 May, 2009

The Doha Series sees four disparate contemporary artists from the Middle East travel to Doha, Qatar and create a body of work in response to their experience of the city. To launch the series, The Third Line is exhibiting works by Golnaz Fathi, a classically trained calligrapher whose semi-abstracted paintings and textiles break with traditional rules.

Dubai . Al Quoz PO Box 72036, Dubai, UAE, Tel: +9714 341 1367 - Fax: + 9714 341 1369 Doha . Upper Floor, Waqif Art Centre, Souk Waqif, PO Box 23289, Doha Qatar, Tel: +974 432 6285

www.thethirdline.com

Lifestyle › Profiles

Taha Al Douri

Chairman of the School of Architecture & Design

Writer: Adrian Murphy Photographer: Maisam Darwish

“The most remarkable aspect of the approach of the UAE to culture in general and design particularly is that the decision makers are quite open to variants and are not apologetic about the possibilities of discord,”

Formal is a word architect Taha Al Douri often uses to describe himself, but behind the three-piece suit is a man who likes to live life to the full. Professor at a leading Abu Dhabi school of architecture, associate at an architect firm in Dubai and champion of the Abu Dhabi Women’s Literary Salon are just some of Baghdad-born Al Douri’s preoccupations. Add to this his affection for dance, music, and a love of literature and suddenly you get the picture of a man who is in tune with the world around him.

“It’s important for a designer to be current,” he said about keeping up with popular culture.

“I like to indulge my natural senses and to be receptive and enjoy life. While having a target and discipline, you also want to capture all the things that make life fun.”

Al Douri is the UAE Chairman of the School of Architecture and Design at the New York Institute of Technology, Abu Dhabi Campus, and has an important part to play in steering his students – a mixture of Emiratis and Middle Eastern undergraduates - to success. He is also an Associate of Perkins Eastman Architects’ Dubai, which is a design firm he worked with while living in New York.

“I left Baghdad when I was seven, when my mother, father and sister and I moved to Amman,” he recollected. He grew up having popular TV from the West, music and cinema." Because he was bilingual in Arabic and English, he grew to be aware of both the occident and the orient, which lead to him being fascinated with both.

Gaining a Bachelor of Architecture at Jordan University, the young Al Douri had made no secret of his intention to study in the US and was accepted into a Masters of Science in Architecture program at Pennsylvania State University.

Determined to get a PhD before he turned 30 Al Douri entered Pennsylvania University but his dream was to work in New York and moved there when he was 27 and over the next three years, while writing his dissertation, tried to find work.

“When I was in Jordan I knew I wanted to study in the US and when I was in Pennsylvania I knew I wanted to be in New York at any price.

It’s a great sense of achievement – twofold as I achieved something I wanted and was living in a place I loved,” he explained.

At first Al Douri had to volunteer in New York for six months at an architecture research center on West 35th Street run by San Francisco architect Beverly Willis. He was 27 by the time that she eventually recommended him to an architectural firm, Goshow Architects..

Working on health design projects such as the construction of hospitals and veterans’ homes, Al Douri also spent much of his career in New York focusing on interior design for renovations and the reuse of existing buildings in the city.

He also taught at the New York Institute of Technology and managed to get his own artwork exhibited in some of the city’s art galleries.

In 2005, Al Douri headed back to the Middle East after taking a position at the University of Sharjah as a visiting assistant professor of architectural engineering so he could be near his family in Jordan. After this, Al Douri taught at the American University in Dubai before being asked to launch an interior design course at NYIT Abu Dhabi in 2007.

Having taught at the New York campus he was asked to start course in interior design. “I refuse to recognize any boundaries between architecture, interior design and art for that matter. A professor is someone who instructs on making and I firmly believe to do this you have to be a maker ,” he said.

He further explained, “The most remarkable aspect of the approach of the UAE to culture in general and design particularly is that the decision makers are quite open to variants and are not apologetic about the possibilities of discord. This affords an education of design angle pretext to contemplate the present .”

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Sarah Rahal Architect

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Writer: Adrian Murphy Photographer: Maisam Darwish

“The UAE has given opportunities for architects whether they are young, pioneers or famous names from around the globe,”

With its skyscrapers, mega-projects and palm shaped islands the UAE is an Aladdin’s cave for architects like 24-year-old Sarah Rahal. After graduating from the American University of Sharjah with a degree in Architecture in 2008, Rahhal went directly into a job on the Dh11 billion Ajman Marina project.

As the development coordinator for the coastal scheme, Rahhal said her job has been a steep learning curve and cemented her desire to succeed in the profession.

“Being with the master developer, I am responsible for the design development of the master plan in addition to the concept design of several buildings through coordinating with our design consultants,” she explained. She is also in charge of liaising with their sub-developers to make sure that their parts of the project are developed according to the master plan vision, and follows the design guidelines and development regulations.

Working on the 3m sq ft project allowed Rahal to take what she has learnt in the classroom out into the field and learn from more experienced architects as well. She said that since graduation, she learnt so much in her current job since she is exposed to all aspects of the development of a project. “I get to see how all parties work together to bring a project to life: engineers, architects, business people and salesmen,” she described.

Rahal was born in the UAE and lives with her parents and three siblings in Dubai. She believes she is fortunate to live in a country still experiencing a building boom.

“The UAE has given opportunities for architects whether they are young, pioneers or famous names from around the globe,” she enthused. She said that it gave her an opportunity to pursue her career as an architect in the property development industry, which was her interest from the start.

In her opinion, the UAE has the new, the old, the good, the bad the ugly and the beautiful. Rahal said this variety of architecture gives architects a better

insight of what they like and dislike or what they would like to change and achieve in their careers.

“The good and the beautiful we want: the bad and the ugly we want to make better,” she explained.

“This fact makes the UAE a very special and interesting for learning more than anything else.”

Rahal said she has always been interested in arts, interiors and architecture with a preference for the latter. She sees architecture combining both the aesthetic and the human element, which eventually reflects on the well-being of people and the community as a whole.

“I am planning to focus further on a career in design and project management, and will continue my studies to better help me achieve that career goal.”

As a fresh graduate, Rahal said one of her biggest challenges was to shrug off this label and show her worth through hard work. She explained that being a fresh graduate means she is always placed in that category. It takes what she described as “a strong drive and ability to learn fast” in order to be placed out of that category “in the shortest period of time.”

Being the development coordiantor for Ajman Marina has given Rahal the incentive to go on and achieve more in her profession, as well as give something back to the UAE through her work.

“My ultimate ambition would be to add to the community that has given me so much exposure and quality learning through working on quality architecture pieces and projects that would ultimately enhance some aspects of our life,” she explained.

Rahal feels that the UAE has already started its journey through paying more attention to concepts of energy conservation, sustainability and green architecture. All of these methods would help in raising the standards of community life.

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Reem Al Ghaith Visual Artist

Crediting Dubai as her main inspiration, Reem Al Ghaith embarks on showcasing her new artwork “Dubai: What is left of my land” in the Sharjah Biennial, expressing through the installation her perception of the changes happening in her home city.

“It was a stage I built, as Dubai to me is a theater showcasing these random projects,” Al Ghaith explained. The instillation, which is created on a wall as a 2D and 3D map, illustrates the contradiction between the undeveloped land in Dubai and the planned, constructed, and developed land.

Al Ghaith was born and raised in Dubai. She graduated from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) with a Bachelor of Science in visual communications, and started working as a freelance graphic designer and artist ever since.

Working through the use of a variety of media that includes photography, drawing, graphic design and print, Al Ghaith usually portrays changes in the urban and social landscape of the UAE and how these relate to tradition and history.

Al Ghaith participated in many exhibitions and competitions. In 2008, she took part in SA&D Best Student Projects Exhibition, AUS, and showcased her photography series “Held back” at “Vibrations Within,” Tashkeel, Dubai. Her “Held back” series was exhibited in “Dubai Next” Vitra Design Museum, Weil Am Rhein, Germany as well. Al Gaith was also in the “Private Preview Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak: Emarati Art” Arab Women Conference.

Describing her struggle as a freelancer, she said, “Being a freelance artist is a struggle, as I have to keep up with phone calls, deadlines, production, design, financing, exhibitions, interviews, meetings, events, traveling (as well as) keeping up with my social life.”

She is grateful that she always had support from those around her. “I am grateful to come from where I am, my family, my social circle, as they are and were the source of inspiration, support and help to push me become who I am today.”

Al Ghaith describes her philosophy in life as “living each day and every hour of the day as if its your last.” She never had second thoughts about choosing this career and this path, but she does sometimes wish she gave herself a proper break.

However, it is interesting that her second choice of a career is quite far from her first. She said that had she not been a designer, “I would have been doing medicine specifically orthopedics.”

As a member of the artist community in the UAE, Al Ghaith sees that the main problem affecting the O56

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Writer: Salama Khansaheb Photographer: Alia Al Shamsi & Alia Lootah sector is commercialization. She elaborated by saying, “Commercialism and the unclear vision of what’s next in the art scene here in the Emirates. It’s growing but more into the commercial side and not the other way around” Her latest work, “Dubai: What is left of my land,” reflects the fragmentation that is evident in Dubai.

Al Ghaith wishes to send out the message of dreams, change, progress, and reinventing. She came up with the concept after doing some research, where she found an interesting fact. Her research was based on information collected about the projects being developed in the city. The projects she looked at, Burj Dubai, The Palm Islands, Dubai’s Waterfront and The Dancing Towers, all cover a part of developed Dubai. The land that is left, however, is as big as London, Barcelona and Paris put together. This land is planned to inhabit over six million people.

In her project, Al Ghaith conveyed her personal opinion about Dubai. She allowed her artwork to display her vision of the city. She feels that she is communicating, “an important aspect of Dubai, which is not being expressed enough.” That area is the land that is at loss, not yet developed or built.

Al Ghaith sees the future open and without any constrains. She urges the next generation to continue creating, and to her, the next step is “where the opportunities will take me.” With such high ambitions, it is only natural that her ultimate goal would be to “save the world”

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Wassan Al Khudairi Collections Curator

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Writer: Adrian Murphy Photographer: Ashraf Khunduqji

Doha made the headlines last year when the Museum of Islamic Art opened and may well do the same next year when with the inauguration of the Arab Museum of Modern Art. The museum has a collection of 6,300 works from around the Arab World donated to the state

by Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali AlThani, who has been collecting the works for the past 25 years.

Wassan Al Khudhairi, 28, collections curator for the museum, has been transforming this private collection into a public one since 2007 and believes it is not only one of the best collections of its kind in the region, but also globally.

“I believe we have one of the best collections of modern and contemporary Arab art in the world, and of course we strive to become an internationally recognized institution,” said the Iraqi-born curator.

Al Khudhairi explained that there is a void of an academic and institutional space for modern and contemporary Arab Art. Through their work, they hope that they would be able to make their collection accessible to students, academics, scholars and the international community.

He also said that the museum will be more than just a place to view art, and will essentially be a new institution with programs running alongside the exhibition to enhance its worth.

“Books will be published, professors will begin teaching courses in universities and we will begin to write our history, the history of art from our region,” she explained. That way, the museum hopes to contribute to this academic and scholarly growth, which she described as “growth that will firmly root modern and contemporary Arab art in academic discourse and begin an international dialogue about modern and contemporary art.”

In order to turn the collection into a new institution, Al Khudhairi has had to catalogue, photograph and conduct preventative conservation on the entire collection, and says those involved have a history to tell. “Sheikh Hassan is passionate about art, artists, and the development of this project, and pioneer artists have worked in Doha and produced works that are now in our collection,” she added.

She explained that the buildings that currently

store the artwork owned by the museum are places that have witnessed an exchange between artists and a buildup of the relationships that existed between them. The stories of these artists are exactly what she wishes to share, and she hopes that the collection, library and exhibitions of modern art in the Arab world would be able to illustrate that.

The Museum of Modern Arab Art has also been loaning works to other exhibitions and institutions internationally, such as the Modernism and Iraq exhibition at Columbia University’s Wallach Art Gallery in New York. Local institutions have also benefited with a number of works being loaned to the Virginia Commonwealth University and the Carnegie Mellon University, both located in Qatar.

“I’ve also been working on developing the foundations for the Museum so (there is) lots of policy building,” said Al Khudhairi. “And recently I’m working with a team on our building that will open in 2010 and all the program and exhibitions around that.”

Because Qatar will be the cultural capital of the Middle East in 2010, Al Khudhairi, who has a Masters with distinction in Islamic Art and Architecture from the School of Oriental and African Studies, also hopes to prepare a number of events for this celebration. She has previously worked across the region and the US before arriving in Doha.

“To be involved in such a project is exhilarating and to be able to contribute to shaping a museum from its initial inception to its final stages is quite an amazing opportunity,” she said of the collection of paintings and sculptures that date back to the 1930s.

“Having access to this collection, researching, writing and developing plans on the first hang of the museum, I really feel like I’m participating in history in the making.”

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ART DUBAI 1 8 – 21 Ma rch 2009 Agia l Ar t Ga ller y, B eir ut Aicon Ga ller y, Lond on / Ne w York / Pa lo Alto Aida n Ga ller y, Mos cow Alba reh Ar t Ga ller y, A dliy a Albion, London Almine Rech Galler y, Brussels Ana nt Ar t Ga ller y, Ne w Delhi Ar tspa ce, Du ba i Ata s s i Ga ller y, Da m a s cus Athr Ga ller y, Jed d a h Ay y am Ga ller y, Damas cu s / Du ba i B 21, Duba i B ISCHOFF / W EISS, Lond on bitfor m s ga ller y nyc, Ne w York B odhi Ar t, Mu m ba i B ols a de Ar te, Por to Alegre B R EENSPACE, Sy dne y C hem ould Pres cott Roa d , Mu m b a i Dir im a r t, Ista nbu l Distr ito 4, Ma dr id Ed wy nn Houk Ga ller y, Ne w York Elem enta , Duba i Filom ena Soa res Ga ller y, Lis bon Fra nces ca Minini, Mila n Fre y Nor r is Ga ller y, Sa n Fra ncisc o Ga ler ie C a pr ice Hor n, B erlin Ga ler ie El Ma rs a , La Ma rs a Ga ler ie Em m a nu el Per rotin, Pa r i s Ga ler ie Ja nine Ru beiz , B eir ut Ga ler ie K a s hy a Hildebra nd, Z u r i ch Ga ler ie K r inzinger, Vienna Ga ler ie Micha el Schultz , B erlin Ga ler ie Piece Uniqu e, Pa r is Ga ler ie Ta nit, Mu nich Ga ler ie T hom a s , Mu nich

G a l e r i e Vo l ke r D i e h l / D i e h l + G a l l e r y O n e , Be rl i n / M o sc ow G a l l e r i a C o n ti n u a , S a n G i m i g n a n o / Be iji n g / L e M o u l i n G i mp e l Fi l s, L o n d o n G i o rg i o Pe rsa n o , To r i n o G o ff + Ro se n th a l , Ne w Yo rk G re e n C a rd a m o m , L o n d o n G ro sve n o r Va d e h ra , L o n d o n / Ne w D e l h i H a kg oja e , S e o u l H a u n ch o f Ve n i so n , L o n d o n H o r ra ch M oy a , Pa l m a d e M a l l o rc a H u n a r G a l l e r y, D u b a i K a l fay a n G a l l e r i e s, Ath e n s / Th e ssa l o n i k i K a m e l M e n n o u r, Pa r i s L & M A r ts, Ne w Yo rk L a B. A . N. K, Pa r i s Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Galler y, New York Mario Mauroner Contemporar y Art, Vienna M a x Protetch , Ne w Yo rk O c to b e r G a l l e r y, L o n d o n Proje c t 8 8 , M u m b a i P YO G a l l e r y, S e o u l Ro ssi & Ro ssi , L o n d o n S a k sh i G a l l e r y, M u m b a i S a l o n 9 4 , Ne w Yo rk S C A I , To k yo S e l m a Fe r i a n i G a l l e r y, L o n d o n S fe i r- S e m l e r, H a m b u rg / Be i r u t S i l k Ro a d G a l l e r y, Te h ra n SUN Galler y & Galler y SUN C o n te mp o ra r y, S e o u l Th e Th i rd L i n e , D u b a i Tow n h o u se G a l l e r y, C a i ro Tr i u mp h G a l l e r y, M o sc ow Wa te rh o u se & D o d d , L o n d o n

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Rasha Salti

Writer: Adrian Murphy Photographer: Rashid Kasmi

Independant Curator

“There are more basic questions of censorship, freedom of thought and tolerance for dissent.

The region has a great deal of catching up to do in that regard.”

Writing the text to a book on photography to be launched at Sharjah Biennial 9 is slightly off track from Rasha Salti’s day job. As the Film Program Director for ArteEast - a non-profit organization based in New York promoting arts in the region and its diaspora - Salti, 39, spends most of her time watching films and planning where to showcase them in the Middle East.

But for the past two years she has also collaborated with Lebanese photographer Ziad Antar to create Beirut Bereft: Architecture of the Forsaken and Map of the Derelict, a look at some of the ghostly buildings scattered across Lebanon’s capital.

“I have been thinking about these buildings since 2003 and I thought I could just snap shots and write my text,” added Salti, who was born in Toronto Canada to Lebanese, Palestinian parents. “I tried, but I soon realized I was no photographer.”

In 2006 she worked on a small project of Antar’s and it turned out great so she made a proposal that he photograph the buildings and she writes the words.

She described the text as lyrical or poetic, reflecting the first few years of Lebanese history after the end of the civil war. It focuses on unfinished, abandoned buildings that “pepper its urban fabric.”

As for Salti’s full-time job, she advises filmmakers

on available funds for their projects and shifts through stacks of independent films to promote in the region. “I have a fantastic job which allows me to look at dozens and dozens of films of all shapes, sizes, colors and genres,” said Salti, who now lives in Lebanon. Her main concern is thinking about the best way to showcase a film, give it its due visibility and where it would work best. Funding for the program comes from a variety of sources, including US-based foundations, local funding in New York, as well as regional donors.

“Our big challenge in the next couple of years will be to cultivate private philanthropists and corporate philanthropists from the region,” said Salti. “The commercial system of filmmaking has pretty much captivated people’s imagination to the extent where independent films are perceived as tedious, incomprehensible or not commercially viable, which makes our job more difficult.”

Salti and her team try to bridge the gap between international festival programmers and independent filmmakers and distributors, and she said the region’s film festivals are invaluable. “I would say that most of the festivals in the region have diligently given due attention to independent and non-mainstream production,” she added. She explained that the festivals are the only occasions for independent

productions to be showcased on a big screen.

Through her work with ArteEast, Salti has worked with some important faces in the region such as Elias Khoury and Fawaz Traboulsi, and has also paid a tribute to Edward Said.

She organized a tribute to Edward Said in 1997, For a Critical Culture, in Beirut, the first of its scope in the Arab world.

“Edward Said was then writing his autobiography, Out of Place, and he read passages at the conclusion of the conference with his son. The experience was unforgettable. I feel tremendously indebted to Edward Said, the scholar, intellectual, writer, activist and person,” she described.

Salti believes the region is bursting with talent and creativity but said that it is not only a matter of money, venues and lack of critical engagement that holds them back.

However she said that genial filmmakers like Palestinian Elia Suleiman, ‘have miraculously proved all these negative preconceptions wrong.’

Rasha Salti’s book is part of the Sharjah Biennial’s publications program, and will be launched on Monday, March 16, with a book signing event at Art Dubai on Wednesday, March 18.

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Lifestyle › Profiles

Haig Aivazian

Writer: Adrian Murphy

Artist

Constructing his own running track from scratch is one Dubai artists’ way of sprinting into the fast lane at the Sharjah Biennial 9 to get his message across.

Haig Aivazian, 28, exhibitions director and artist liaison at The Third Line gallery, had to contact the manufacturers of rubber athletics tracks to complete his exhibit: Fugere: A Series Of Olympiadic Events.

His work is a culmination of ideas about refugees in the form of particular athletes who instead of winning medals are competing for their survival.

“The project started with a series of drawings of athletes about a year ago, and from that stage they will go into sculptural explorations,” he said.

“The swimmer becomes a boat person, the pole-vaulter and hurdler become people jumping over land borders and the hammer thrower is a reference to intifada-style guerilla tactics.”

Aivazian’s participation in the biennial is a good example of how submerged he is in his profession, exhibiting his work, installing other artists’ exhibits and writing reviews for art and culture magazines such as Bidoun.

Originally from Beirut, Aivazian moved to the UAE in 1990 as his father’s job as an architect in the west of the city became too dangerous towards the end of the civil war.

Aivazian studied at the Lycee Georges Pompidou school in Sharjah before moving to Canada in 1999, where he obtained a bachelor of fine art with distinction from Concordia University in Montreal and then returned to the UAE in 2005.

“When I first moved back I just thought I would do something to do with graphics and work for myself,” he said, a testimony to Dubai’s growth in the art market.

“I never thought it would be possible to make a career out of art in Dubai.

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I first read about the biennial in Montreal and remember thinking, ‘there’s a biennial in Sharjah: I wonder what that’s like.’”

This will not be Aivazian’s first time at a biennial as he exhibited work at the St Etienne International Design Biennial in 2004 - his piece was a couch made of reusable materials that you could take apart without tools – and believes their purpose is different from that of the gallery.

“No matter how cutting edge a gallery is, at the end of the day it has to sell work to survive,” he explained.

“Whereas a biennial functions outside of those sorts of limitations: you cannot sell conceptual art in the traditional sense.”

At the gallery in Al Quoz, Aivazian works with curators on what artists’ works is to be exhibited and concentrates on how to present that artwork and visualize the end project.

But apart from this he has strong views on the borders that are put up in society and in particular how these borders are identified and negotiated at major sporting events.

He gives an example of the Olympic Games which, by definition, are a nationalistic event.

However, there is a euphoria around the notion of globalism.

“I was looking at the hands that produce the sports clothing worn by the athletes and how easily they are circulated internationally but how difficult it would be for those same hands to migrate through the same borders,” he explained.

Juggling his time between his full-time job and the project, Aivazian spends about three hours at a time working on his installation, which will be on display at the Sharjah Art Museum for two months from March 19.

He isbuilding a one-lane Olympic swimming pool and building a running track which spells out the word fugere, which is the Latin root for terms like refuge and other derivatives.

Aivazian has now applied to do a Masters degree in fine art in the US, following what he hopes to be a return to Lebanon where he intends to teach, produce work and curate.

Design › Architecture

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Forgotten Architecture

Writer: Salama Khansaheb Photographer: Alia Al Shamsi

Hidden by the shadows of the extravagant twenty-first centaury architecture, the buildings created in the 70’s still exist today, forgotten by most tour guides and tour books. These buildings have a rich history than many don’t know about, created in the first building boom after the discovery of oil. Amongst them are the World Trade Tower, the Dubai Municipality Building, and the Deira Tower, all of which have definitive architectural characteristics that deserve to be remembered.

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Design › Architecture

Drop the word Dubai on anyone familiar with the city, and a mental picture of a modern skyline might materialize, constituting of many skyscrapers dwarfed by a tall, magnificent, everrising tower. Perhaps one might see an image of a building shaped like a boat sail, surrounded by the gulf water, looking curiously a lot like a pregnant woman. Others might think of the Palm Islands, or the World, in all their splendid, artificial glory.

To any person born in Dubai over twenty years ago, however, these buildings have one similar characteristic. They are all recent additions made in the last decade to a city that has existed long before then. And if these new kids in the block are all anyone can think about when picturing Dubai, the question that should be asked is, was there anything here before them?

Of course, the logical answer is yes. To go even further, yes, Dubai had significant architecture that existed long before these eccentric and contemporary buildings reshaped the city’s identity. The old architecture in Dubai, which was created back when the city just begun treading

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its first steps into development, still exists today, its beauty easily ignored in the wake of the more modern architecture. One should just take a step back, however, and reexamine the thirty or so year old buildings to see that these architectural entities deserve a place in Dubai’s tour guides alongside the younger, more extravagant buildings like Emirates Towers, Burj Al Arab and Burj Dubai.

Originally, Dubai’s architecture dates back to the 19th century. Most buildings back then were influenced by Indian, Iranian, and Islamic designs, specifically because of the traders that frequented the city. Back then; the buildings were created with characteristics of simplicity and functionality in mind. It was also important to make sustainable buildings that could withstand the harsh climate of Dubai’s summers.

With the discovery of oil came a new rigor to create architecture that was both more contemporary and more aesthetically appealing. These buildings were built to serve the city’s functions, but also created Dubai’s architectural identity. For the following years, it was those buildings that were

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Intro image: Radisson SAS Hotel Creek Deira Dubai (formally Inter-

Continental) the structure was built in 1975.

2. Al Ghurair Mosque (Oma Bin Haider Mosque) built around the same time as Al Ghurair Center (1980s)

3. Dubai Tower on Bani Yas square Deira Dubai (interestingly enough this building is called Burj Dubai in Arabic)

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Design › Architecture

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the symbol of Dubai’s development, only ceasing in importance as the 20th centaury came to an end, starting a new era for the city.

The initial phase of modern construction occurred on both sides of the creek, Deira and Bur Dubai. On the Deira side, one of the looming towers still existing today is the Deira Tower, which is located above Naser Square. Facing the creek, the tower’s creamy white walls and architectural curves showcase an earlier style of Dubai’s architecture.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the creek, the World Trade Center tower was constructed in 1979 through the orders of Sheikh Rashid. Although the Bur Dubai side of the creek was not developed with tall buildings at the time, the World Trade Center stood alone as the tallest building in the United Arab Emirates, rising in what used to be a desolated desert until 1990. Today, the 39 stories, 149 meter long building shares the same location as Dubai’s most renowned towers like Emirates Towers and Burj Dubai.

The Dubai Municipality building, located in Bani Yas Road, is another one of the early examples of architecture built in 1979. After thirty years, it is still used by the municipality today. Both Sheikh Rashid and Queen Elizabeth II attended the opening

Nicknamed the

Mushroom , Khazan Park (water tank) from the 1980s

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Design › Architecture

6 of the building, which was cleverly designed to use glass, columns and curves to create one of Dubai’s architectural landmarks of the time.

Another noteworthy landmark is the Khazzan water tower, which is located in the Khazzan Family Park in the Al Wasel area, south of Dubai. This tower used to be an architectural landmark in Dubai, and it is still seen, by those familiar with it, as a symbol of the early years of development.

Unlike the older examples of architecture in Dubai, one would say that the modern ones constructed recently have lost any ethnic connection to the Arabic culture of the city. In fact, it is sometimes hard to decipher what, exactly, the identity of these buildings is. Furthermore, in comparison to the older buildings, some of the newer projects have become environmentally hazardous, destroying O68

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coral reefs and causing strain on the nature of the city. These consequences lead some members of the older generation to look back at the old architecture with a sense of nostalgia. Despite that, one cannot argue that contemporary architecture is beautiful.

However, people should be exposed to the older buildings, and reminded that they are as much a part of the city’s history and identity as the newer, more extravagant ones.

For a city like Dubai, with a metamorphosing skyline and an individuality that is constantly changing, the future of architecture seems unlimited.

As a canvas for aspiring architects, there is no doubt that more innovative buildings will emerge in city.

Nevertheless, no matter what new buildings and towers are made, or how many world records are broken, citizens and visitors of Dubai should never

forget the subtle beauty of the older architecture that existed in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, because these buildings were the stepping-stone that enabled Dubai to grow into the home of Burj Al Arab, the Palm Islands, Emirates Towers, and Burj Dubai.

4. Dubai Tower (Burj Dubai in Arabia)

5. Residential Building in Deira Old Dubai

6. Dubai Petroleum Company established in 1966 prob-

ably built these premises in the 1970s

7. Residential Building in Deira Old Dubai 8. Municipality Building

9. Al Nasr Cinema after the fire which erupted on the

21st of December 2008. The cinema’s last show were in

2007, the cinema was built around the 1970s

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Tashkeel | Nad Al Sheba | P.O.Box 122255 Dubai, U.A.E. | Tel: +971 4 336 3313 | Fax: +971 4 336 1606 | www.tashkeel.org

Design › Inner space

With a lawn in front and wood-chipped path leading to the main door, Shelter could easily pass off as a cozy home. However, this warehouse-convertedoffice space is the latest attestation to the trend of Middle East entrepreneurs investing in business incubation ventures. True to its impression, Shelter is indeed cozy and close to feeling at home.

Located in Al Quoz area of Dubai, Shelter provides assistance to small and medium-sized startup businesses by providing supplementary facilities of 24/7 office-support facilities, a prayer room, a cafĂŠ, storage facilities, leadership lectures, cinema hall and assistance in preparation for higher education in addition to core facilities of subsidized office space, assistance in business set-up, acquiring trade license, business registration as well as funds and secretarial services.

The 10,000 square feet large space is divided into several functionally convenient areas making it usable and interactive. The front door opens to O72

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a store through which one can procure the best magazines, accessories and other products available in the market. The founders are also partnering with regional and international designers to create bespoke products uniquely made for the members at Shelter.

Behind the store is the large sitting and meeting area with chairs lined up through its length. Arched lights behind the chairs create a neat setting. This is a perfect place to meet clients and / or business contacts as it adjoins a cafe that serves delicious world cuisine with an Emirati touch. For the semiformal or more casual meetings, sofas by the large window or the lackadaisically placed chairs seem ideal. An Apple TV to keep guests entertained completes the laid-back atmosphere.

Beyond the sitting area are the mini-cinema hall, a book library and a garden by the side. The cinema has been built to play a variety of films.

Private screening for regional filmmakers as well as

international debuting movies will also be a feature at the cinema. Above the store, Shelter provides 50 office spaces of 1.5m by 1.2m each. The spiral staircase leading up to the 'office' adds a touch of adventure. The open-office plan is based on the philosophy that work is not just sitting in front of a desk anymore and is rather being on the move, interacting and working with people. So even as Shelter provides the quietness required to work, it also gives the opportunity to work amidst an air of inspiration.

Business incubators are known to lengthen the life expectancy of startup businesses. The average survival rate of incubated firms in France, based on the French definition, is about 80%. According to a report published by an independent agency in France, under French Bordeaux Productic incubating services, 80 new companies were successfully created and nurtured, 72% of which survived for 5 years and longer. 55% of Bordeaux Productic’s new start-ups were still in operation after ten years.

Although no in-depth research was conducted before launching Shelter, the idea got a push when the founders of Shelter saw people too serious to be in a coffee shop, working. After establishing prototypes of different professionals like artists, writers and architects, they realized that the concept could benefit a majority of professionals.

Although brilliant, Shelter, a brain-child of Emarati businessmen twins Ahmed and Rashid Bin Shabib, is not one of its kind in the region.

There are business incubators both homegrown and foreign in Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, West Bank and Gaza. There are about 200 business incubators in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and Iran.

In UAE alone, Al Tomooh group and Mohammad Bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders have a business incubator, and there are more to come from Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and Abu Dhabi Media Zone Authority. That should be tough enough competition for the already existing Dubai Ideas Oasis, Dubai Knowledge Village Small Business Incubator, a regular event organized by Knowledge Village and Small Business Incubator.

What Shelter truly stands out for is that its membership is not limited to Emiratis alone. This creates an infusion, where local people would be able to work with their international counterparts, exchange ideas and feedback and experiences. Thus it fosters ideas and not just businesses. Plus, most incubators provide support only for industry specific businesses. Shelter offers incubation services to a wide range of ventures as long as it does not conflict O73

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the interests of its other member. While getting the paperwork done, Shelter only charges for the legitimate fees prescribed by various governmental agencies. It does not charge commission. In fact, it is also open to waiving off these fees to highly potential candidates who happen to lack capital.

Shelter also offers language learning courses, as well as GMAT and GRE courses. It will also hold guest lecturers from key institutions to share their ideas and experiences with visiting members.

Membership allows one to avail of the various exclusive services available at Shelter including the store and cafe, at discounted rates. Members will also have privileged access to VIP events.

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Shelter, with its minimalistic fixtures, atypical colors and offbeat furniture that has a homely yet inspiring feel is a haven for young dreamers. Last but not least, at 3000 Dirhams as rent per month including secretarial service, Internet connection, phone line, 24-hour access to the library and a parking space, Shelter is a steal. You just need to have an idea and the will to execute it; the rest falls in place at Shelter.

Clearly, Shelter is not just a business; it is a facility to inspire people to do business. However, it doesn’t stop at the incubation level. It will continue its support through the next stages intending to add the aspect of community to a business facility.

Despite the looming global financial crisis, Dubai still has the potential to explore business opportunities and mine money. With an increasing awareness of the need to pursue higher education, Shelter is just in the right direction by fostering a suitable environment to empower the youth. www.shelter.ae

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Design › Residence

Ahmed and Salma’s country haven Writer: Farah Sudki Photographer: Omar Sanadiki Located away from the city, the luxurious three-story house owned by Ahmed and Salma Sakkal offers them a refuge from the pollution that contaminates the city. Furnished in a mixture of contemporary and classic styles, the villa is beautifully decorated and smartly used by the owners to facilitate their needs and give them the refreshing haven many search for.

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On visiting Ahmed and Salma’s house, you are immediately impressed by gorgeous opulence that is not at all in the common way. As you walk in, a vase of fresh flowers greeting you, with fine china decorating the shelves around you. The entrance, which is big and welcoming, opens quite breezily onto the salon.

The wood columns gracing the ceiling, giving it both a chic and a country style, especially define the salon. Three rooms generously decorated open on to each other. The first is a yellow-hued room, with Louis XVI style arm and lounge chairs, and coffee table adorned with a number of Limoges nickknacks. The central room has a cozier atmosphere, with two parallel long couches abound with pillows, facing luxurious marble chimney. The overhanging chandelier evokes the image of a meteor shower

illuminating the night sky. The windows in this room have a pleasant view of the garden, bringing the serenity of nature into the house.

Ahmed and Salma Sakkal moved from downtown Damascus to this villa, escaping the toxicity of the city for a purer, more natural lifestyle out in the country. The three-story villa is near Assad Villages, built on a large plot of land, giving room for a swimming pool and a garden of decorative plants and fruit bearing trees.

“It was good to be able to live in a wider, more open space” said Salma. “At first I thought it was a little too far from the city, with the drive back and forth a little daunting. Now, though, I barely feel disconnected from the city, only the noise and pollution. I could make the trip three times a day and not even feel it.”

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With their children, Khaled and Kinda, all grown up and now living in the States, the family home now reflects some of the Sakkals’ other interests. Ahmed’s engineering skills and experience were challenged when collaborating with their designer to create this modern and classic mixture.

“When visiting our children in the US, we were inspired by a number of styles that we saw there” Salma continued. One example of this is the attachment of the parking garage to the house directly. “This is especially handy when we’re bringing in the shopping, or when the weather is bad” said Salma.

Back in the house, a small stroll from the central room will take us into the dining room, which accommodates eight people around a richly colored dark wood table and is directly connected to the kitchen. A fusion of aluminum, hardwood, and granite create a sleek, angular cooking space, inspiring and allowing the creation of culinary delights.

The rest of the house compliments the sense of retreat. The guest bathroom is a sight to behold, with gentle teal colored ceramic walls, a large central mirror and a number of small deliberate accessories.

On the second floor, there are three bedrooms, a family room and a small kitchenette. Among these rooms is the master bedroom, where the large, leather bed barely distracts from the garden view bellow. The bedroom is also equipped with a large walk-in closet, and a complete toilette in the adjoining bathroom.

The top floor might be considered the smallest of the three, but that is because of the large terrace.

With just a service room, one is almost naturally ushered into a spacious balcony, where it is easy to imagine holding formal parties and family barbecues. Cookouts seemed to be the intended use for this space, as there is a special built in grill here.

The area is also covered from the top, so rain or shine, the party goes on.

Already a decoration masterpiece, the Sakkals still intend to turn part of the land into a tropical garden, meshing with the house’s already relaxing, laid back atmosphere. “I wake up completely refreshed now that we’ve moved out here. It’s completely improved my mood,” said Salma. “The air is clear and soothing; you can hike in nature here, and enjoy the country atmosphere. It really has resolved any qualms I may have had about moving so far away from the city.”

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international design conference collaboration

Icograda Design Week in Qatar hosted by VCUQatar

Education Symposium 28 February–March 2 Research, pedagogy and new thinking MEDEA: creation of the Middle East Design Educators Association for making the education of young designers relevant Professional Conference March 2–5 12 prominent speakers share perspectives on design and design collaboration

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Open to the Public March 3: Design Debate Doha “Globalization harmfully subverts culturally unique sensibilities.” The audience will decide!

Keynote Speakers March 2: Ibrahim Jaidah Architect. Open to the public March 3: Mario Gagliardi Designer March 4: Mark Kingwell Philosopher March 5: Mira Nair Film Director

Registration required: www.mousharaka.com For inquiries +974 492 7245

design week in Qatar 28 february–5 march 2009

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Stationary Design › Products

Preface While on the hunt for the best stationary available in the region, seeking products that are both clean and aesthetically apealing, we decided on Craft Design Technology, a Japanese brand and Hard Graft, an Austrian brand. Both brands produce home and office goods with an emphasis on a consistent sleek design.

Craft Design Technology is associated with a number of manufacturers, and the brand is oriented towards functional and aesthetic goals, rather than “luxury.” Meanwhile, Hard Graft products are handmade entirely in Austria & Italy, and aim to use only natural sustainable materials, which gives their products a distinctive style on retail shelves.

Photographer: Alia R. Al Shamsi

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1. Craft Design Technology perfectly flawless calfskin pen cases, with single hand painted line detail in traditional Japanese dark green, and zip-pull leather body. It’s available in three colors; black, white and auburn.

2. Craft Design Technology scissors in solid stainless steel with a subtle hairline finish. Manufactured in steel and blade producing Gifu prefecture and inspired by the expertise of craftsmen.

3. Hard Graft sleeves. The styling resembles slick shoulder holsters worn with a super-smart ashen suit. It features ivory herringbone elastic straps, which offer a refined method of keeping your technology safe inside, whilst the extra large trademark leather pocket is perfectly matched.

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6 4. Craft Design Technology Plastic Fountain Pen. Modern all-plastic design including body and nib construction. Barrel section finished in traditional Japanese dark green.

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5. Dapper phone by Hard Graft is a state of the art device in a tailor-made suit of nostalgia. The cognac leather pocket accommodates your hard-earned cash, credit and business cards while the Craft Design Technology calfskin coin purse (available in black, white in auburn) is impeccable.

6. Craft Design Technology HB grade carbon-graphite lead in traditional Japanese white green gloss finish.

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7. Craft Design Technology array of files ranging from A4 Polypropylene files with hard wearing, heat resistant luster surface to two hole files in polyester fabric that still maintains the slim and compact design.

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Design › Kartun One

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Design › Kartun collaboration

Re: Doing Dubai Everyone seems to be making the most in and of Dubai.

Everyone seems to be making the most in and of Dubai. Barring a few professions like engineering, investments and real estate, Dubai still provides a dynamic ground for enterprising professionals to explore and experiment. Joining this brigade of gogetters is a group of bright architecture students who have created and designed a comic strip on the real estate scenario in Dubai.

Southern California Institute for Future Initiatives (SCIFI), a post-graduate study group at Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCIArc), looked at urban conditions in Dubai in a one-semester studio exercise. To explore and address these critical problems, the studio reinvented itself as a fictional property developer.

SCIFI, under the direction of Wes Jones and support of Eric Owen Moss, director of SCIArc, created a comic feature titled ‘Re: Doing Dubai’ with a fictional real estate developer Kartun Development Group (KDG). The figures were drawn with the assistance of Mark Simmons from Academy of Art University. The students have portrayed (KDG) as a ‘sheep in wolf’s clothing.’ As a ‘wolf’, KDG unabashedly assumes profit as a critical measure of success and as a ‘sheep’ KDG recognizes that profit is not inherently evil but complex. (Wes Jones) The comic feature has KDG introducing itself to the readers by pointing out how residents of the artificial islands might find it difficult to enjoy themselves due to the country’s cultural and climatic conditions.

Adina Hempel, pr0gress, (the studio was initiated and facilitated by pr0gress, a body which determines the need for an independent research platform aiming to support cross-cultural education) maintained, “They are bold, yes. But, they are neither too bold, nor mocking. We need to keep in mind that these are post-graduate student works and are supposed to push the boundaries by allowing an exploration of

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experimental scenarios. These projects are meant to stimulate a discussion on the highest academic and intellectual level.”

The studio was initiated and facilitated by pr0gress, a group working on establishing an independent research platform to support cross-cultural education.

Founders, Adina Hempel and Richard Wagner maintained,, “During the production of this work, they were primarily architecture students, and part of their education is the exploration of all possible media to convey their project ideas. While producing serious and rigorous work, such projects should also be enjoyable. In this case the fictional developer KDG lent itself to using comic book style narratives, capturing attention in a very different way.”

‘Doing Dubai’ was exhibited at Venice Biennial in 2008. It will make a local launch at Art Dubai this month. Dubai-based business incubator Shelter and pr0gress will host an exhibition and panel discussion of epic post-grad studio projects about Dubai on Saturday March 21, 2009.

Design › Kartun Two

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Agenda › Report

Capital of Arab Culture

Jerusalem recognized as the hub of Arab culture 2009

Amidst the rubble of war and the struggle with occupation, Jerusalem emerges not as a broken city filled with debris, but as the cultural capital of the Arab world in 2009. That is a true sentiment to the essence of the ancient city, which did not give in to the wars it is plagued with but went to create, from all of that, beautiful art. For that, the talent filled city truly deserves the honor of this regional award.

Jerusalem can best be described as jubilant at the moment. Al Quds has never looked so spirited and happy. The holy city is wearing a festive mood as it brings itself to represent Capital of Arab culture for 2009. The cultural team at Jerusalem responsible for organizing a series of events throughout the year to bring out Jerusalem’s Arab culture is elated at the city’s appointment. They feel this is an excellent opportunity to reinforce that Jerusalem is as Arab as it can be.

Tracing the history of one of the most revered cities, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian, executive office director of Al Quds Capital of Arab Culture 2009, describes Jerusalem saying, “Al-Quds Jerusalem is the dawn of civilization; the city destined to be the cradle of the prophets, of divine religions and ancient civilizations; the land of peace that accommodates mosques’ minarets and church bells.

This is the city whose walls, gates, streets, houses and people reflect diverse dynasties and cultures. It is on this land that civilizations took the first step toward enlightenment, a path with intertwined cultural, spiritual, and human dimensions. The history of Jerusalem reflects how the city was always cherished and referred to as the spirit of the homeland.”

There is no one better than Mahmoud Darwish to present the city of Jerusalem as he says: “In Jerusalem, and I mean within the ancient walls I walk from one epoch to another without a memory to guide me The prophets over there are sharing the history of the holy Ascending to heaven and returning less discouraged and melancholy Because love and peace are holy and are coming to town” Dr. Aghabekian is visibly excited about the thrill Jerusalem’s appointment has generated. He explained that cultural contacts and cooperation has been ongoing between Palestinians and Arab artists and intellectuals. There were several meetings 11O

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and interviews that took place on different levels between cultural capitals, as well as politicians, journalists and writers.

The Palestinian minister of culture Tahani Abu Daqa and Dr. Rafiq El Husseini, chairman of the administrative council of Jerusalem capital of Arab culture 2009, visited several Arab countries and were able to reach agreements that promote and support the cultural activities in Palestine, as well as other Arab countries which, in 2009, have started to support and promote the Palestinian cultural year of Jerusalem. Other countries and funds have also promised to financially support Jerusalem’s celebrations.

Elaborating on the team’s plan on celebrating the year, Dr. Aghabekian shared, “We aspire to celebrate Jerusalem as Capital of Arab Culture for 2009, on both Arab and international levels and emphasize the fact that Jerusalem is an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967. We also aim at consolidating the political dimension of the capital of the independent State of Palestine and its status within religious and human consciousness and to support Palestinian presence and steadfastness in the city, in order to confront the Israeli occupation’s measures and consolidate the feeling of Arab national allegiance towards a unified Arab culture.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, along with some senior members of the Palestinian government and parliament and some Arab ministers of culture will participate in the opening of the celebration which will also be attended by people from the fields of culture, art, music and poetry.

Last year, Damascus, Capital of Arab Culture 2008, let down the Arab world due to insufficient funds, improper planning and mismanaged events.

To this Dr. Aghabekian said, “There are some who approve and encourage and others who have a different perspective. We will do whatever it takes to positively accept criticism and certainly deal with that which is destructive. It is not every day that you celebrate your capital being the capital of Arab

Writer: Sapana Patil Images courtesy of Al Quds, Capital of Arab Culture 2009

“Jerusalem is fighting for its presence as the Palestinian capital of culture and light and inspirations. Palestinians are keen, willing and determined to have peace in the land and capital of peace.�

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culture. Additionally, Jerusalem is not any city. It is under occupation which invariably affects how you proceed with such a celebration.”

Dr. Aghabekian admited that the funds they were able to garner did not match their aim. He rued, “The funding issue has been affected by the Israeli brutal aggression on Gaza Strip which has left enormous destruction and the need to meet daily living priorities.”

He added, “Budget is allocated to three major components: infrastructure whereby money will be allocated to support the rehabilitation and development of the cultural infrastructure in the city, the media related activities to highlight the celebration with its cultural political message, and money allocated for cultural activities throughout the year.”

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Nevertheless, they are going all out to promote local talent. “Palestinian culture is rich with talent.

The administrative board overseeing the celebration ensures that most cultural circles are part of this celebration and that theater artistes, writers, fine artists, poets present their work throughout the celebration. The celebration’s calendars, which will be published every three months and modified monthly, will reflect the rich array of such coverage and talent promotion,” he shared.

Talking about the challenges they face owing to Jerusalem’s political border-sharing with a Jewish state, Dr. Aghabekian explained that Arabs, Palestinians and Jerusalemites are simply exercising their legitimate right to celebrate Jerusalem being the capital of Arab culture 2009. He further emphasized that there are no borders or imposed restrictions

that can deny Arabs and Palestinians their right.

Even though obsticles do exist, Palestinians have struggeled in the past, and will continue to struggle in order to remain dedicated to their capital.

He strongly feels that Jerusalem is the identity of Palestinian culture and the representation of Palestinians’ struggle to keep the question of Palestine alive in Arab and international circles.

Hence this project aims to retain Jerusalem’s spiritual, cultural and political reference for all Palestinian people and project an illustration of Jerusalem’s Arab culture as well as the capital of future independent state.

Dr. Aghabekian is also taking the opportunity to bring out to the world that Jerusalem is the last and only capital under occupation in the world.

“Because of its unique characteristics, Jerusalem

resisted 24 attempts of destruction in the past and continues to resist occupation. Jerusalem is fighting for its presence as the Palestinian capital of culture and light and inspirations. Palestinians are keen, willing and determined to have peace in the land and capital of peace,” he said.

Dr. Aghabekian concluded, “We work under the motto that Jerusalem unites and does not divide.

There is a consensus amongst all Palestinians on the status and significance of Jerusalem. As such we hope that the celebration helps all to rise above differences, and uphold their capital with the status it deserves and work together towards this celebration in a steady step in the path of freedom.”

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Agenda › Report

Counting the Blessings:

Why the credit crunch hasn’t crunched us yet Writer: Salama Khansaheb Photography: Al

Preface

The economical crises seems to be on everyone’s mind, its disadvantages and disastrous results exposed thoroughly through all forms of media. What many haven’t considered, however, is why the credit crunch could have positive results. In Dubai, the nationals and residents of the city can list a number of reasons why they think the economical crises could have beneficial outcomes for the city and for themselves

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With the whole world singing the same “economiccrisis” and “credit-crunch” tune, people in Dubai are actually singing another one. Some foreign journalists and bloggers seem to be taking great delight in pointing at the city and abusing their caps-lock and punctuation buttons as they zealously type “ha! See? I told you so.” UAE nationals and people living in Dubai, however, are looking at the credit-crunch in a totally different light.

Traffic and prices are the main reasons many Dubai residents see the economic crises as a blessing in disguise. Others listed different benefits like putting a stop on construction projects and small businesses having a chance to start over and boom in a market that desperately needs revival.

During the months preceding the downward spiral of the economic crises, inflation was causing

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the prices of primary and luxury items to be on a constant rise. People complaints did not stop at expensive rent, but went further to expensive eggs, milk and bread.

Many residents of Dubai felt that the prices were growing preposterous, and with the sudden economic crises, the prices would actually go back to being reasonable. Mohammed Al Mahmoud, a UAE national, echoed the thoughts of many as he said, “This crisis will actually have some good outcomes…the prices of goods will decrease, and reach reasonable prices. Those goods include rent, food, services and retail items.”

Khulood Al-Attiyat, also an Emarati national, agreed, adding, “Some prices of some products have decreased. Which is always good news for people, especially those of us who have a fixed

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income from a government salary, therefore our income has stayed the same but prices around us went down.”

The traffic is another big issue on people’s mind.

In the past few years, it became impossible to think of Dubai without picturing lines of unmoving cars carpeting the main streets. It was not a pretty picture, with drivers reaching their wit’s ends as they yell, shout, and honk their cars at each other.

This picture is likely to change, though.

Due to the credit-crunch, many foreigners are permanently leaving the country. In fact, a New York Times article wrote, “Dubai was canceling 1,500 work visas every day.” Abdullah Kayyali, a Jordanian student in the American University of Dubai, explained, “Many expats believe that it is cheaper to live in their own country since Dubai was getting too expensive and investing was becoming a big risk. A big reason of why expats initially located themselves in Dubai was that job opportunities were great financially.”

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But that is not the only reason. Many companies and corporations began laying off employees as a result of the economic crises. As more people book their tickets and fly out of the city, the roads will slowly begin to clear up. Hind Al Muttawa, an Emarati national, explained, “Some positive outcomes (of this crises) can be that traffic in Dubai will be less as foreigners leave the city.” Kayyali also added, “For the short run, this summer will (have) less traffic, considering the amounts of people who will leave Dubai, as soon as their children finish the school year.”

The economic crises also put a sudden halt on many large development projects. Construction and development in the city became as constant as breathing air for its residents, with many of them harboring ill feelings towards these projects, if for no other reason than their disruptive nature. In fact, a common joke between Dubai residents is that one cannot travel for more than a week outside the city without some new bridge, road, or building emerging.

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I think that there are some positive outcomes, such as the slowing down in the pace of many projects in Dubai. I think it’s a good thing because there were too many projects taking place and too fast for people to keep track of the change.”

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Al Attiyat emphasized the relief of many residents that these projects are finally coming to a stop, or at least, a temporary hiatus. “I think that there are some positive outcomes, such as the slowing down in the pace of many projects in Dubai. I think it's a good thing because there were too many projects taking place and too fast for people to keep track of the change.” Shamsa Lootah, an Emarati finance student, said that she hoped Dubai would learn its lesson, adding, “This will give Dubai the clear message: Slow down, and take your time in expanding rather than rushing everything.”

Also, some Dubai residents think this crisis will have benefits for small business owners. Thuraya Al Waary, an American University student from Bahrain, said, “Small companies basically can benefit since they didn’t have a lot of losses. This way, they can start from scratch to start money circulation.” Fatima Majella Philip, an Indian business studies teacher, also agreed with that assessment, adding, “The industries which will benefit will be those producing lower priced products.”

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Khalid Bin Kalban, the CEO of Dubai Investments, said that the economic crises could have positive effects that may not show in the short term, but would in the medium and long term. He first explained that Dubai is facing a “double-edged crisis” composed of both the international financial crisis and the bursting of the real estate bubble.

Bin Kalban feels that “once the international financial crises stabilizes, it will lead to reducing the negativity of the crises on the real estate economy of Dubai, which will lead to restructured growth in the economy.”

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facing economical problems. It is a worldwide issue, and the excessive criticism that Dubai has been facing was not necessary. Dubai may have rushed into projects, but it was the brave thing to do, and without taking risks there can never be success.

Because of the oil supplies running out, instead of depending for other cities like Abu Dhabi for oil, Dubai created its own means of revenue. Just because these projects are facing problems right now doesn’t mean that Dubai will not be able to get back on its feet and restart its plans of selfsufficiency.

A comment was made on the Internet describing Dubai as a “ghost town” in the aftermath of the economic crises. That is nothing short of a ludicrous

and ignorant description. Dubai is not some bad business plan, some figures and words on a paper that could be examined as a bad idea and filed away as a must-not-be-repeated venture. Dubai is a city, with people living and thriving in its midst. These people were here long before the city was ever placed on the world map as a success story, and these people will remain here when everyone else leaves, still living, still thriving, and still holding down the fort.

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Dubai is not some bad business plan, some figures and words on a paper that could be examined as a bad idea and filed away as a must-not-be-repeated venture. Dubai is a city, with people living and thriving in its midst. These people were here long before the city was ever placed on the world map as a success story, and these people will remain here when everyone else leaves, still living, still thriving, and still holding down the fort.

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Travel › Navigation

Crossing Borders: Drawing the Fine Line between sharjah and dubai

Writer:Salama Khansaheb Photography: Alia R. Al Shamsi, Alia Lootah, Shereena Bin Sulayem

Preface

Numerous people cross the borders between Sharjah and Dubai every day, probably not even noting where one city ends and the other begins. Despite their close proximity and shared history, however, the sister emirates have taken different paths, but they both are building up towards the same goal of development. These different paths have resulted in Sharjah and Dubai having subtle differences that can be clearly noted by any visitor.

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It may take less than an hour to drive from Dubai to Sharjah, but any traveler would notice that despite the short distance there are many clear differences between the two cities. To start preparing for a trip on the roads of Dubai-Sharjah, the two most important requirements would be making sure the car’s tank is full and the driver’s temper is in check, because traffic and bad driving will cause both to disappear. Once the vague borders are crossed, however, the two cities offer visitors and residents very different experiences.

While Dubai and Sharjah are both cities in the United Arab Emirates, with a shared history, language, and religion to tie its people together, the sister emirates have different policies, laws, and follow different attitudes and viewpoints to achieve what they both hope are the same goals of development and progress.

Dubai is the second largest city in the UAE, covering an area of 4,114 km². The city borders 128

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This outstanding sophistication Dubai became known for overshadowed Sharjah’s more subtle progress.

What Sharjah lacks in modern skyscrapers, however, it makes up for by fostering culture, art, heritage and history.

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both Abu Dhabi from the south, Sharjah from the northeast, and Sultanate of Oman from the southeast. Meanwhile, Sharjah is the third largest city, covering an area of 2,600 km². Sharjah is also the only emirate that has both land on the west and east coasts.

Because of their relatively small geographical area, both cities are really close to each other. With a distance of only 16 or so kilometers between them, people can go from Sharjah to Dubai International Airport in 15 minutes if the roads are clear and there is no traffic in sight. Traffic, however, is an almost daily occurrence between the two cities because many people who work in Dubai prefer living in Sharjah for its cultural values and lower living expenses.

Both Sharjah and Dubai have a very rich history, dating back to almost 6000 years, at the time when Sharjah was called “Sarcoa,” and British historians

called Dubai “Al Wasl.” In fact, an Italian pearl merchant who visited Dubai in the 16th century documented his travels, referring to the city as “Dibei.” At that time, these cities thrived on farming, fishing, and pearl diving, although the most important activity was trade. Due to their location between the west and the east, as well as their close proximity to India, Dubai and Sharjah competed for trade opportunities.

Back then; Sharjah was one of the richest areas in the region. For a very long time, trade flourished under the Qawassim, the royal family who ruled Sharjah. The British, who used the same trade routes, eventually signed peace treaties with the Qawassims in 1820, guaranteeing peace and protection for the British ships. These peace treaties caused the whole area to become known as the Trucial States.

Sharjah became a leader in trade, and the

emirate was also the base for the British political representation in this area. Eventually realizing that they would need to combat Sharjah’s advantage, Dubai’s leaders later lowered taxes so traders would be lured away from other trading ports. Eventually, the British moved their local administrative offices from Sharjah to Dubai in the 1950’s, bringing along with them electricity, telephone services, and building an airport in the city.

When oil was found, and the United Arab Emirates declared its independence, cities like Sharjah and Dubai were quickly developed through the construction of buildings and streets. This made the borders between the cities almost invisible, and people were able to easily go from one city to the other in a matter of minutes rather than hours when there is no traffic.

The borders, however, were not completely gone.

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disputes over which area belonged to which emirate.

In fact, many people fail to realize that Sharjah used to extend all the way to the Mamzar area, currently a thriving part of Dubai city. Since Dubai was the one that developed that area, however, both cities eventually agreed to what people now know as the current borders.

Today, a traveler who passes through Dubai cannot miss the glamour of the city. Ever since 2001, construction underwent a massive steroid induced frenzy, and skyscrapers in innovative designs started reshaping the city’s skyline. Defying gravity was not the only battle Dubai underwent with mother nature, because the city decided to take a further step into the impossible, building manmade islands in the shape of palm trees, poetry lines, and the world’s map.

This outstanding sophistication Dubai became known for overshadowed Sharjah’s more subtle progress. What Sharjah lacks in modern skyscrapers, however, it makes up for by fostering culture, art, heritage and history. There are over twenty museums in Sharjah, most prominent of which are Sharjah Heritage Museum, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, and Sharjah Natural History

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and Botanical Museum. There are also several art galleries in the city, like the Sharjah Art Gallery, which is one of the major tourist attractions in the city. Sharjah has also restored many heritage sites like Bait Al Naboodah, which is an old house that shows Emarati architecture, built in the mid nineteenth centaury.

Both Sharjah and Dubai also offer tourists who visit the cities a shopping experience in the old souqs. Sharjah in particular is known for the Blue Souq, which is located in the center of the city. The souq is known for its beautiful architecture, and its prices, which are much cheaper than Dubai.

It is made up of many vendors that sell jewelry, handicrafts, chests and daggers imported from Oman, as well as pearls and other Gulf antiques.

Sharjah also has several shopping malls with retail shops that are global franchises.

Dubai most famous old souq is the Gold Souq, located in Deira, which offers customers the chance to buy from an abundant collection of jewelry and gold . However, the city is known for the retail shopping experience it offers all its visitors.

Besides the extravagantly large malls like Dubai Mall, there are also strip malls such as the ones along Jumeirah Road, and many themed malls like Mercato, which follows a Venetian theme, Ibn Batota, which follows the theme of the countries the traveler visited, and Wafi City, which has an ancient Egyptian architectural theme.

Besides their landmarks and the experiences they offer people, the cities of Dubai and Sharjah are also different in their cultural values and laws.

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Both Sharjah and Dubai have a very rich history, dating back to almost 6,000 years, at the time when Sharjah was called “Sarcoa”, and British historians call Dubai “Al Wasl”.

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While Dubai is known to be much more tolerant of westerners, Sharjah still adheres to very strict Islamic and Arabic values. For example, Sharjah is a completely dry city, with no tolerance for alcohol consumption.

Clothing is also more restricted, with laws banning men and women from dressing in revealing clothes. Dubai, on the other hand, gives westerners more freedom to practice their norms within the city. This makes Dubai more attractive to western expats, especially given the city’s exciting nightlife and attractions. Others, however, prefer starting their families in Sharjah because they feel it is safer for children and more affordable. Sharjah is, after all, a cheaper place to live in, with lower rent rates than Dubai. This has resulted in Sharjah having a majority of the population from the same economic background, while Dubai is more diverse, both in the nationalities and economic backgrounds of the people living in it.

The journey of any traveler from Dubai to Sharjah may not take very long, but it holds the promise of offering very different experiences. While they remain two back-to-back cities in the same country, they are still diverse in many ways. Despite that, it is clear that both aspire to become world-renowned cosmopolitan cities, and if they continue in their different, albeit parallel, paths, it is very possible that they’ll succeed.

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ARMANDO TESTA

Maggie Cheung.

Roma, juin 2007.

www.poltronafrau.it ph 01.43266852

Divan Kennedee, Jean-Marie Massaud 2006. Collection Poltrona Frau.

242 bis Bd Saint Germain, Paris.