2
1 Dubai Marina 2 Dubai Creek 1960s 3 Blue Souq, Sharjah 4 Bidiya Mosque, Khorfakkan
I also admire Dubai’s Burj Khalifa by SOM Architects. It goes
against all my sustainability values but it is such an elegant statement, as well as technical achievement, that I can’t fail to be fascinated by it. One of my favourite buildings in Abu Dhabi is the Library &
Cultural Centre, designed by The Architects Collaborative and completed in 1981. It’s a handsome public building with a strongly arcaded verandah and filled with interesting spatial experiences. I also like the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi for its exquisite decoration and stunning scale.
3
How has the UAE’s built environment changed since you started working here?
When I returned in 2002 after a break of some 27 years, I was amazed at the amount of greenery in both Dubai and Sharjah. The buildings of the 1970s tried to be sensitive to climate and place. Though modern architecture was by necessity imported, the larger western practices – such as John R Harris & Partners (JRHP) – strove for appropriate designs and sensitivity to the context. JRHP’s Bur Dubai Creekside National Bank – now sadly demolished – fitted beautifully into the existing tight urban grain, while their World Trade Centre is still an example of a sustainable tall building, with its double shading façade and small window openings. By the time I returned, such concern seemed to have largely disappeared in favour of sun-facing, unshaded and scaleless glazed façades. In many cases these buildings are artless, unattractive and unsustainable, with minimal or no architectural detail.
➔
Architect Peter Jackson first worked in Dubai in the early 1970s, which sparked his fascination with the culture of the Gulf region. After spells in Zambia and Zimbabwe, Jackson returned to the UAE in 2002 and became architect advisor for the Sharjah government in 2007. His passion for preserving the past led to his appointment as chairman of the English-speaking chapter of the UAE Architectural Heritage Society from 2005 till early 2010.
What are your favourite buildings in the UAE?
One of my favourite heritage buildings is Bidiya Mosque, Khorfakkan, which was probably built in the 17th
century. I think it’s the single most
beautiful structure in the UAE. As tiny as it is, it is a fine sacred space. Another favourite of mine is the demolished Bait Bukhash in Bastakiya, which I came to know intimately when surveying it in 1974. It was one of the most beautiful examples of a Bastakiya windtower house. A more recent building that I admire is the
Central or Blue Souq, Sharjah by Michael Lyle & Associates, which was completed in 1978. It’s a wonderful place-orientated landmark and a modern interpretation of the spirit of the traditional souq. It’s so different to the ubiquitous shopping malls. Another modern favourite is City Tower 2,
by Ralph Baldwin Associates (1995) on Sheikh Zayed Road, opposite Emirates Towers. I think it’s a finely detailed and articulated tight-skin tower, which is well-scaled and proportioned and without any pretension.
4
Blue Souq is a wonderful place-orientated land- mark and a modern interpretation of the spirit of the traditional souq. It’s so different to the ubiquitous shopping malls
apr-may 2010
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