United Arab Emirates. Architectural Guide

Architecture and the United Arab Emirates: these keywords almost automatically provoke thoughts of the headline-grabbing and record-breaking architecture in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. A closer inspection, however, reveals neo-traditional edifices in Sharjah or ambitious structures and trendsetting projects in the smaller emirates. Furthermore, there are numerous examples of a new generation of Emirati architecture, whose focus lies on sustainability and the preservation of diverse building traditions. The architecture in the emirates is thus an expression of a greater creative diversity than one may imagine at first sight.
The Architectural Guide United Arab Emirates presents more than 200 buildings and projects from this still young country which has been catapulted within three generations from austere Bedouin culture into the era of the Burj Khalifa. The authors Hendrik Bohle and Jan Dimog portray all seven emirates in separate chapters, with a particular focus on the glittering Dubai, the sophisticated Abu Dhabi and the cultural capital of Sharjah, imbued with tradition. These not only lead to well-known highlights, but also into remote corners, showing traditional architecture - albeit in short supply - such as fortresses, souks, wind towers and the residential buildings of wealthy merchants. Furthermore, they address efforts to maintain subjects of architectural heritage such as, for example, the Heart of Sharjah project. Excursions into special locations and portraits of architects and artists who constitute important figures within the region paint a vibrant picture of current architecture. A comprehensive glimpse behind the scenes of this dynamic country is afforded by interviews not only with international and local project developers, but also with representative figures from other fields, such as hotel and museum directors, a tour guide and the political affairs advisor from the UAE Embassy in Berlin