Some interesting architectural follies
As soon as you approach the bridges and reach the ground, it is the new that dominates. With 4 km of skyscrapers and amazing towers reaching 400 meters, the substantial financial resources made available to the design offices have made Abu Dhabi the scene of the most ambitious architectural and ecological experiments, including the Capital Gate, the world's most leaning tower (18 degrees) overlooking the Adnec, Aldar's headquarters, a surprising circular skyscraper with visible structures visible at Raha Beach, or the Yas Hotel's polychrome steel and glass fishing net. On Saadiyat Island, the Louvre Abu Dhabi seems to float on the sea. Inspired by a medina and designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, it is the first universal museum in the Arab world. This extraordinary architectural feat embodies the country's ambitions and vision to be an open place for exchange. The centerpiece of the Louvre Abu Dhabi is its silver steel and aluminum dome measuring 180 meters in diameter. Looking like an Arabian dome, the dome is composed of eight perforated layers that create beautiful shadows on the floor and walls of the museum with the sun's rays.
Traditional homes
The barasti or Areesh houses. These houses made of palm leaves, fixed to four pillars made of mangrove wood, are very airy. The barasti houses have a central room of 2 by 4 meters, the place of the common life and a second, smaller room of 2 by 2 meters which is used as a kitchen and a pantry or for the animals.
Bait al Shaar, literally in Arabic the "house of hair". It is the indissociable shelter of the Bedouin. The more poles there are, the more important the host is and the higher the tent will be (up to 20 m). Used in winter in desert areas, it is made of woven goat hair. A curtain separates the men's section which remains open while the women's section is closed. A second tent is set up next to it for the kitchen and serves as storage. The tents of a tribe are arranged in a circle or square. The sheikh's tent is in the middle. This makes it easy for visitors to identify him.
Mashait. This architecture is reserved for the rich. These houses are built in bricks of dried mud or coral stone, limestone and red clay. The roofs are made of wood, mud and straw and covered with palm branches. In the 20th century, the wind tower, ancestor of air conditioning, was imported from Iran. It is called the Barjeel tower. Its ingenious system of openings and vertical ducts allows the breeze to ventilate the interior. The wind towers are strategically placed above the main rooms such as the bedrooms or majilis (the meeting place). Elements of Emirati hospitality, the majilis are the place to sit, exchange news, and receive guests. There are several majilis because men and women are separated. In the house of a sheikh, it is the place to receive grievances. The space is covered with carpets on the floor and cushions placed against the wall. In the center, a fire allows to prepare coffee or tea.
Mosques
There are more than 2000 of them, arranged every 150 meters according to the wish of Sheikh Zayed. Designed by architects from all over the world, the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque (2007) is the largest in the country. It can accommodate 40,000 worshippers. The sheikh had a specific wish for this building: that it be the reference of modern Islamic architecture, a place of Islamic science and learning linking past and present. The Grand Mosque features 82 immaculate white marble Moroccan domes, gold chandeliers and 1,096 columns inlaid with amethyst and jasper. The main prayer hall is dominated by one of the largest crystal chandeliers in the world: 10 meters in diameter, 15 meters high and weighing 10 tons. It also houses the largest handmade carpet in the world. This Persian carpet is a rare beauty with 2 billion knots handmade by 1,200 craftsmen
The shopping areas (souks)
Small in size, the souks bear witness to the architectural organization of this type of space: narrow alleys, colorful stalls stuck together with their canvases stretched to protect them from the sun's fiery rays. The social and religious spaces are nearby. There are no more souks in Abu Dhabi. To go back in time, head to Al Ain Oasis to discover the typical architecture of a replica of Al-Qatarra Souk and Arts Center, a cultural center for handicrafts. This site which dates from the middle of the 20th century has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Defensive works
To build the forts and guard towers, the Aboudabians used locally available materials: coral stone, sand, gypsum, branches, palm tree fibers and shells, and beams from mangrove wood. At the time of the tribal wars, the defensive military works were used to protect the precious fresh water reserves of the emerging colony. Thus, the imposing Qasr Al Hosn, which overlooked the coastal roads, is composed of the city's first watchtower (1761) and two buildings of different periods: the inner fort (1795) and the outer palace (1945). Known as the White Fort, the oldest building in Abu Dhabi was built with lime, sand, shells and coral. On the islet that separates Abu Dhabi from the mainland, the Maqtaa Fort made of coral stone and rocks built two centuries ago watched over the shallow waters of the "Grand Canal". In Al Ain, Al Jahili Fort with its original oriental military architecture, adobe ramparts, two tall cylindrical towers and a central dwelling tower stands out. Built at the end of the 11th century, the fort defended the oasis of Al Ain and its date crops. On the northern border of the world's largest desert, don't miss the Liwa oasis and its old forts. The half-high walls, the decorated wooden doors and the three watchtowers are typical of the architecture of the defensive works of this immense oasis. You are on the lands of the ancient Bani Yas tribe, take the opportunity to visit its forts including Fort Dhafeer, Maria Al Gharbiyah and Muzeira
