Top 10 Cities in the Middle East is ready to announce the spectacular cities on the first places: today, get yourself prepared for a journey in the heart of Middle Eastern modern architecture, where richness is strongly showing off with magnificent samples of state-of-the-art constructions. Are you ready to discover Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates is the second largest city in terms of population and the largest of the 7 emirates. Due to its rapid development and urbanization in the recent times, Abu Dhabi turned into a larger and advanced metropolis, which has been ranked by ‘Fortune’ magazine and CNN as the richest city in the world in 2007. Abu Dhabi also ranks as the 67th most expensive city in the world, and the second most in the region behind Dubai. Today the city is the country’s center of political, industrial activities, and a major cultural and commercial centre due to its position as the capital.
Before the first oil discoveries in 1930s, the economy of Abu Dhabi was based on pearling and trade. Currently one of the world’s largest producers of oil, Abu Dhabi has actively attempted to diversify its economy in recent years through investments in financial services and tourism.
Archeological evidences state that the area had been populated since the third millennium BC. In the 19th century, as a result of treaties entered into between Great Britain and the sheikhs of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, Britain became the predominant influence in the area. Following their withdrawal from India in 1947, the British maintained their influence in Abu Dhabi as interest in the oil potential of the Persian Gulf grew.
The city of Abu Dhabi is on the northeastern part of the Persian Gulf in the Arabian Peninsula. It is on an island less than 250 metres from the mainland and is joined to the mainland by the Maqta, Mussafah and Sheikh Zayed Bridges, the last one being designed by Zaha Hadid and opened in late 2010. Most of Abu Dhabi city is located on the island itself, but it has many suburbs on the mainland.
Abu Dhabi has a diverse and multicultural society and it is generally more tolerant than its neighbours. The city is home to international and local private schools and universities.
Now, let’s find out more about the architectural landscape in Abu Dhabi…
Abu Dhabi is a modern city with broad boulevards, tall office and apartment buildings, and busy shops. Principal thoroughfares are the Corniche, Airport Road, Sheikh Zayed Street, Hamdan Street and Khalifa Street. Abu Dhabi is known in the region for its greenery; the former desert strip today includes numerous parks and gardens. The design of the inner city roads and main roads are quite organized.
One of the most important architectural landmarks is the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. This is considered one of the most important architectural treasures of contemporary UAE society — and one of the most opulent in the world. It was initiated by the late president of the United Arab Emirates, HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, fondly thought of as the father of the UAE. It is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates and the eighth largest mosque in the world. The design of the mosque can be best described as a fusion of Arab, Persian, Mughal and Moorish architecture.
The carpet in the main prayer hall is considered to be the world’s largest carpet, made by Iran’s Carpet Company and designed by Iranian artist Ali Khaliqi. The unique lightning system was designed by lightning architects Jonathon Speirs and Major to reflect the phases of the moon. Beautiful bluish gray clouds are projected in lights onto the external walls and get brighter and darker according to the phase of the moon.
The Emirates Palace is a seven star luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi. The hotel was built by and is owned by the Abu Dhabi government and was designed by the architect John Elliott. The luxurious design is inspired by the Arab heritage.
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Tower is a skyscraper that was completed in 2006 and hosts the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. It has a height of 185 m and has 40 floors.
The Landmark is a postmodern supertall skyscraper in Abu Dhabi. Standing 324 metres tall, it has 72 floors above ground and five basement levels. The construction was completed in 2012.
Taking inspiration from regional elements such as billowing sails and shifting sand dunes, the dramatic form of the corporate headquarters for the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) transforms the city’s waterfront skyline. Designed to represent contemporary commerce and culture in Abu Dhabi, the ADIA Headquarters building also subtly echoes themes found in age-old Islamic architecture.
Sheikh Zayad Bridge, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects features cantilevered road decks suspended from symmetrical steel arches, which form a sinusoidal waveform.
Voted “Best Futuristic Design 2008” by the Building Exchange Conference, Aldar HQ represents the most striking new addition to the Abu Dhabi skyline, whilst providing flexible office accommodation to the most astute of corporate occupiers.
The Capital Gate is a spectacularly cantilevered building which adds its unique architectural form to the Abu Dhabi skyline.
In June 2010, the Guinness World Records certified Capital Gate as the “World’s furthest leaning man-made tower.” The new record shows that the Capital Gate tower has been built to lean 18 degrees westwards; more than four times that of the world famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Zaha Hadid Architects announce the design of the Abu Dhabi Performing Arts Centre : a new cultural institution for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation on behalf of the Tourism Development and Investment Company of Abu Dhabi (TDIC).
Hadid’s Performing Arts Centre concept, a 62 metre high building is proposing to house five theatres – a music hall, concert hall, opera house, drama theatre and a flexible theatre with a combined seating capacity for 6,300. The Centre building may also house an Academy of Performing Arts.
Zaha Hadid described the design of the Performing Arts Centre as “a sculptural form that emerges from a linear intersection of pedestrian paths within the cultural district, gradually developing into a growing organism that sprouts a network of successive branches. As it winds through the site, the architecture increases in complexity, building up height and depth and achieving multiple summits in the bodies housing the performance spaces, which spring from the structure like fruits on a vine and face westward, toward the water.”
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Zayed_Mosque
http://abudhabiliving.net/page/top-ten-abu-dhabi-architecture
http://www.e-architect.co.uk/dubai/abu-dhabi-building
May 28, 2016 @ 5:20 PM
abu dhabi is a best example of unique architecture in world