The architecture of the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
has undergone dramatic transformation in recent decades, from operating as a collection of fishing villages to a global business hub known for its innovation and dynamism. Between the 1960s and 1970s, architecture in the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) remained solely traditional, with narrow alleys and
windtower houses still in use, reflective of a strong
Bedouin
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert and A ...
heritage. Architecture is influenced by elements of
Islamic
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the mai ...
,
Arabian
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate. ...
and
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
culture.
In the early 1970s,
Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum ( ar, ٱلـشَّـيْـخ رَاشِـد بِـن سَـعِـيْـد آل مَـكْـتُـوْم, Ash-Shaykh Rāshid bin Sa`īd Āl Maktūm; 11 June 1912 – 7 October 1990) was the vice president ...
, the then ruler of Dubai, employed British architect John R Harris to create the stylish
modernist architecture
Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, was an architectural movement or architectural style based upon new and innovative technologies of construction, particularly the use of glass, steel, and reinforced concrete; the idea that form ...
for which the major cities of the UAE are known today. The introduction of exposed glass curtain walls represented the beginning of a movement, used extensively in the design of almost every commercial and high rise building façade in the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
. In less commercial areas, Emirati architecture continues to heavily reflects the custom and traditional lifestyles of the native people. Building materials are simple, in contrast with the refined images of
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
and
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area.
...
today.
Traditional influences
Traditional architecture in the United Arab Emirates was heavily influenced by the desert landscape, culture, lifestyle and available building materials. The
Bedouin
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert and A ...
, a nomadic Arabic tribe who traditionally live in the desert were well known for using
palm
Palm most commonly refers to:
* Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand
* Palm plants, of family Arecaceae
**List of Arecaceae genera
* Several other plants known as "palm"
Palm or Palms may also refer to:
Music
* Palm (ba ...
frond shelters, known as ''arish'' in the summer months. Frames for ''arish'' houses were often made with
mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...
poles, imported from
East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa:
Due to the historical ...
. In colder months, a move towards using animal skin shelters would be made. The Bedouin tent was a useful and adaptable structure often made of
sheep wool
Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool.
As an ...
,
camels’ hair or
goat
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...
hair by the women of the tribe. Such structures were called ''Bait al Sha’ar'', meaning ‘House of Hair’. Other materials such as a mixture of
seashell
A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer usually created by an animal or organism that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washe ...
s and
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
were used as building resources in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The nomadic nature of the Bedouin tribe demanded the need for light disposable materials that could be found along coastal lines. In contrast, permanent houses inland were constructed with a mud mixture formed into
bricks
A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...
, strengthened using stones bonded together with a mixture of red clay and manure. The geographical context of a tribe or group determined the type of materials that were used in the construction of buildings, meaning that most structures were made of materials drawn from the surrounding environment. These ranged from coral, mud and stone through to palm fronds and animal hair. The harsh climate of the United Arab Emirates created a need for ventilation due to high temperature periods of the year. This resulted in the introduction of Iranian
windtowers, known as ''barjeels''. These vertical shafts allow for a downward flow of cool air and a distribution of water to become available at the bottom of the structure, allowing for the inside temperature of the building to be cooled.
Ancient architecture in the United Arab Emirates
![Jabal hafeet shahin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Jabal_hafeet_shahin.jpg)
While human settlement in the United Arab Emirates can be traced back to the
Stone Age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
(6,000–3,200 BC), it was not until the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
(3,200–1,300 BC) that larger establishments began to form. Such settlements were developed in inland
oases
In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.”
The location of oases has been of critical imp ...
and coastal areas, populated by farmers, animal herders and fisherman. The first recorded large settlement was the town of
Al Ain
Al Ain ( ar, ٱلْعَيْن, , ) is a city in the western side of Tawam (region), Tuwwam region and the seat of the administrative division of its namesake, Al-Ain Region, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. ...
, through which inhabitants would export agricultural products through the port of
Umm Al Nar, located off Abu Dhabi Island. This was a permanent establishment made up of well-constructed buildings built from cut and dressed stone, complete with circular tower-like tombs. Evidence from these sites indicates a strong trade evolving from
pottery production and the export of
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
, particularly between these settlements and surrounding civilisations such as
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
.
![Qanat cross section](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Qanat_cross_section.svg)
A water irrigation system known as ''
qanat
A qanat or kārīz is a system for transporting water from an aquifer or water well to the surface, through an underground aqueduct; the system originated approximately 3,000 BC in what is now Iran. The function is essentially the same across ...
'' emerged in the
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
(1,300–300 BC). This system provided a relatively constant water supply all year round by taking advantage of underground water supplies, leading to a change in settlement patterns as groups would follow the route of the water source. Up until the mid 20th century (marking the beginning of Western attention to the area), most building fell into five categories: religious, residential, markets, public, and defensive buildings. Buildings that were constructed up until then remained within traditional styles. Unlike other styles of Islamic and Persian architecture, there is little ornamentation found in traditional architecture of the UAE. Only a small number of
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
s offer any form of ornamentation, reflecting the lack of resources at hand and general reliance on simple but effective structures.
1980s and globalisation
The onset of the Globalisation era of the 1980s saw the United Arab Emirates become one of the most developed countries in the
Persian Gulf region
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The body ...
. The country saw a major economic boost with transforming into a
commodity based economy, with shipments of oil and natural gas accounting for 40% of total exports and 38% of
GDP
Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjective nature this measure is often ...
. In the past two decades, significant effort has been made to diversify the economy and reduce dependency on oil revenues, with huge investments in
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
, financial and construction sectors. Since the late 1980s, architecture of the United Arab Emirates has become renowned for its urban image, becoming highly westernised but still retaining elements of traditional
Emirati culture
The Culture of the United Arab Emirates is part of the culture of Eastern Arabia. .
Economic development
![United Arab Emirates Export Treemap](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/United_Arab_Emirates_Export_Treemap.png)
Initial economic development in the UAE during the 1950s and 1960s was based heavily on the
oil and gas industry
The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry or the oil patch, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The largest ...
, since diversifying into manufacturing, construction and commerce. The oil and gas sector accounts for approximately two thirds of the UAE’s revenue, employing one percent of the work force while Trades and Repairs Services, Construction ad Manufacturing account for 50% of the work force. In the past decades, high
population growth
Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...
in the UAE has been accompanied by high
economic growth
Economic growth can be defined as the increase or improvement in the inflation-adjusted market value of the goods and services produced by an economy in a financial year. Statisticians conventionally measure such growth as the percent rate of ...
.
GDP
Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjective nature this measure is often ...
growth rate averaged 4.51% from 2000 until 2017, reaching an all-time high of 9.80% in 2006. This has been followed with a greater standard of living, with the current
Human Development Index (HDI) standing at 0.863, ranking the UAE 34th in the world.
The overall economic outlook for the UAE is for continued growth with faster development than any other major Gulf State, encouraged significantly by tourism, manufacturing and financial sectors. In contrast to other countries in the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
, in which oil wealth tends to be centralised around the governing royal family, the UAE aims to distribute and invest such wealth from natural resources into the
infrastructure
Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and priv ...
of the nation. Within the last 40 years, the government of the UAE has developed sufficient infrastructure for the Emirati population, including electricity, transport, housing, telecommunications and hospitals. These are all heavily subsidised. An open economic policy has allowed for
multinational corporation
A multinational company (MNC), also referred to as a multinational enterprise (MNE), a transnational enterprise (TNE), a transnational corporation (TNC), an international corporation or a stateless corporation with subtle but contrasting senses, i ...
s to develop and operate through industrial and commercial businesses. This has resulted in the dynamic and internationally faceted infrastructure for which the UAE is renowned for. Additionally, the UAE has taken the commercial and technological resources offered by the West to promote and integrate their economy into a global setting.
Architecture of the state is heavily influenced by the inflow of wealth that has resulted from the
economic boom
An economic expansion is an increase in the level of economic activity, and of the goods and services available. It is a period of economic growth as measured by a rise in real GDP. The explanation of fluctuations in aggregate economic activity ...
of recent decades. Nonetheless, recent urban and commercial development in all major cities of the UAE continued to be influenced by Islamic architecture, giving these global metropoles a distinct Arabic background.
Major cities
Dubai
![Dubai skyline 2015 (crop)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Dubai_skyline_2015_%28crop%29.jpg)
Early construction after the expansion of
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
as a global city paid little attention to traditional
Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture comprises the architectural styles of buildings associated with Islam. It encompasses both secular and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present day. The Islamic world encompasses a wide geographic ar ...
and concerns for the environment were not considered. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, glass towers became prominent in the city of
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
, all of which required enormous amounts of electricity to keep cool. Recently, builders and architects have become aware of both
Arabic heritage and environmental concerns, leading to more harmonious development overseen by Dubai’s rulers in the last 20 years. Efficient heat resistant materials are increasingly used in construction, combined with traditional Arabic designs. This can be seen in the buildings for which Dubai has attracted worldwide attention for, including the
Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa (; ar, برج خليفة, , Khalifa Tower), known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration in 2010, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is known for being the world’s tallest building. With a total height ...
and
Burj Al Arab
The Burj Al Arab ( ar, برج العرب, ''Arab Tower'') is a luxury hotel located in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Managed by Jumeirah hotel group, it is one of the tallest hotels in the world, although 39% of its total height ...
.
The Burj Khalifa was inaugurated in January 2010, unveiled as the world’s tallest freestanding structure at 829.8 m (2.722 ft.). The structure is host to several mixed facilities, including commercial shops, offices, entertainment venues and residential sectors. In designing the building, the lead architect
Adrian Smith
Adrian Frederick "H" Smith (born 27 February 1957) is an English guitarist best known as a member of heavy metal band Iron Maiden, for whom he also writes songs and performs backing vocals both live and in the studio.
Smith grew up in London ...
undertook elements of traditional
Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture comprises the architectural styles of buildings associated with Islam. It encompasses both secular and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present day. The Islamic world encompasses a wide geographic ar ...
, which uses stepped ascending spirals. This reflected elements of Islamic design while creating a strategic shape to ensure the mass of the building reduces with height, allowing for a stronger and more fortified structure. The building supposedly ascends from a flower shaped based, imitating the ''
Hymenocallis
''Hymenocallis'' (US) or , p. 76 (UK) is a genus of American plants in the amaryllis family.
''Hymenocallis'' contains more than 60 species of herbaceous bulbous perennials native to the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, th ...
'', a white lily native to the surrounding desert.
The Burj Al Arab (translated to ‘Arabian tower’) was designed by architect
Tom Wright to resemble a
J-class yacht
A J-Class yacht (sometimes called a "J-boat") is a single-masted racing yacht built to the specifications of Nathanael Herreshoff's Universal Rule. The J-Class are considered the peak racers of the era when the Universal Rule determined eligibi ...
. The structure is made of a steel frame exterior wrapped around a concrete tower, with white
Teflon
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that has numerous applications. It is one of the best-known and widely applied PFAS. The commonly known brand name of PTFE-based composition is Teflon by Chemou ...
encased
fibreglass
Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass clo ...
forming the ‘sail’. The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m (918.6 ft.) from
Jumeirah Beach
Jumeira Beach is a white sand beach that is located and named after the Jumeirah district of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on the coast of the Persian Gulf. It stretches along the coast south of the city's historic district to the junction with Th ...
. The architect claimed that "the client wanted a building that would become a symbolic statement for Dubai, similar to
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
with its
Opera House
An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets.
While some venues are constructed specifically for o ...
,
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
with
Big Ben
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England, and the name is frequently extended to refer also to the clock and the clock tower. The officia ...
or
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
with the
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.
Locally nicknamed "'' ...
. It needed to be a building that would become synonymous with the name of the city." The building opened in 1999 after five years of construction.
Abu Dhabi
In 1967,
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area.
...
's architecture was planned under the guidance of
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ( ar, زَايِد بِن سُلْطَان آل نَهْيَان, Zāyed bin Sulṭān Āl Nahyān; 6 May 1918 – 2 November 2004) was an Emirati politician, statesman, and philanthropist who served as ...
by Japanese architect Katsuhiko Takahashi. In areas of high population density, there is a large amount of medium and high rise buildings, amongst the city’s notable skyscrapers; the
Etihad towers
Etihad Towers is a complex of buildings with five towers in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates.
Usage
The towers are located opposite the Emirates Palace hotel and feature offices, apartments and a hotel. The estimated cost ...
, the
National Bank of Abu Dhabi headquarters, the
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Tower
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Tower is a skyscraper in the city of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It was completed in 2006 and hosts the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. It has a height of and has 40 floors.
See also
*Lis ...
, the
Aldar headquarters and the
Emirates Palace
The Emirates Palace (Arabic: قصر الإمارات) is a luxury five star hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It has been operated by Mandarin Oriental as of 1 January 2020. The hotel project was launched in December 2001 and was initi ...
, heavily influenced by its Arab heritage.
Abu Dhabi is home to several
supertall skyscrapers. The development of tall buildings has been encouraged in the Abu Dhabi Plan 2030. The expansion of Abu Dhabi’s
central business district
A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
continues to grow, with several skyscraper buildings under construction in the city. Some of the tallest buildings in Abu Dhabi include the
Central Market Residential Tower at 328m (1,253.28 ft.),
The Landmark at 324m (1,062.99 ft.) and the
Sky Tower Sky Tower, SkyTower, Skytower, or Sky Towers may refer to:
Buildings In Asia
* Higashiyama Sky Tower, Nagoya, Japan
* Marina Sky Towers in Dubai, UAE
* Sky Tower (Abu Dhabi) in Abu Dhabi, UAE
* in Kowloon, Hong Kong
* in Dubai, UAE
* Sky Tower ...
at 310 m (1017.06 ft.).
In contrast to the heavily modernised
skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
s of the city, the
Sheikh Zayed Mosque
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque ( ar, جَامِع ٱلشَّيْخ زَايِد ٱلْكَبِيْر, Jāmiʿ Ash-Shaykh Zāyid Al-Kabīr) is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The largest mosque in the country ...
continues to stand out as one of the most treasured sites of contemporary UAE society. Its design and construction began in November 1996, aiming to ‘unite the world’, employing artisans and materials from several countries including
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
,
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
,
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, the
UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. The mosque is made of materials such as marble, stone, gold, ceramics and crystals, all chosen for their long-lasting qualities. As such, the structure is an ode to the globalised nature of modern architecture, but does by still incorporating many traditional facets of traditional Arabic design.
Rural Emirati architecture
![Sheikh Makhtoum house courtyard March 2008c](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Sheikh_Makhtoum_house_courtyard_March_2008c.JPG)
In less commercialised areas of the United Arab Emirates, architecture remains largely traditional, with
''barjeel'' structures still in use for practical purposes. Much of the UAE’s traditional
vernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is building done outside any academic tradition, and without professional guidance. This category encompasses a wide range and variety of building types, with differing methods of construction, from around the world, bo ...
developed in the 18th and 19th centuries remains in less westernised areas of the state. Such settlements are established in response to specific social and environmental conditions; homes, market places, mosques and fortified buildings are all reflective of the interconnected influences between a group’s culture and trade.
To this day, building materials are simple and reflective of resources at hand. The usage of stone guss, a lime mixture derived from seashells and a chalk and water paste is characteristic of more permanent inland houses. The structure of such houses is indicative of privacy and ventilation as
central needs of the population, with high walls and limited visibility into buildings. Courtyard housing features are still utilised, designed to allow public interaction between male members of the household while preserving dignity and privacy of female family members. This is an example of traditional societal standards being well preserved through architectural fixtures in less commercialised areas. Rural and village architecture in the UAE is solely based on protecting occupants from the harsh environmental elements and
climate of the geographical area. At a basic level, protection is needed from high temperatures, high humidity, high solar radiation, dust storms and desert winds.
This is heavily reflected in the traditional and current use of courtyard houses and ''arish'' (houses built of palm tree leaves).
See also
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Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture comprises the architectural styles of buildings associated with Islam. It encompasses both secular and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present day. The Islamic world encompasses a wide geographic ar ...
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Persian architecture
Iranian architecture or Persian architecture (Persian: معمارى ایرانی, ''Memāri e Irāni'') is the architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Its history dates back to at least 5,000 BC w ...
References
{{Asia in topic, Architecture of