ARCHIETECTURE AND DESIGN
from the traditional ‘hosh’ courtyards and the natural wind ventilation through the wind towers, which were 100% Green- architecture. There was no electricity or energy; each home relied on natural lighting, with the wind tower acting as a natural ventilation that worked around the house to regulate air flow and keep the house comfortable. The thick walls, made from coral stone, keep the rooms warm in winter. Ideally situated between the East and West, Dubai boasts influences from both sides in its architecture. Iranian masons and architects migrated to Dubai in 1903, influenced by their fathers and historical Islamic architecture, fusions of the Islamic world’s geometric shapes and the East floral designs found in Iran, Pakistan, and India. It is ever more critical to recognise Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and Al Shindagha as the heart and soul of Dubai; Rashad laments, “The country is changing very fast; this historic part is 1% of Dubai, yet it inspires the buildings of today and tomorrow”. Despite the 60% increase in tourists to Dubai over the last ten years due to social media, education, interviews and publications like BARNES magazine, it is still a challenge to pull tourists away from the shiny Dubai that is so well known. As Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood is now considered a protected site within the UAE, along with 850 other protected sites in Dubai, it is Rashad’s passion and determination that will inevitably see his dream of Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site be achieved.
here where, a moment that he will never forget, in 1974, a 13-year-old Rashad met British Architect Peter Jackson on a visit to the UAE to survey the wind tunnels of Rashad’s family home, resulting in the internationally renowned book, Windtower: The Merchant Houses of Dubai. This meeting was the start of a special relationship between Rashid and Peter. It was 28 years later that they next met in 2002 at a seminar at the American University of Sharjah. Since then, they have continued their friendship and worked together on projects, including the “Wind Tower: The Merchant Houses of Dubai” book, subsequently writing a final chapter on the influence Al Bastakiya architecture has had on Dubai and the Gulf region, notably appearing now in the skylines across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Manama, Doha, and Kuwait. Rashad's eyes light up with pride when discussing his family’s strong history. He loves sharing stories that keep history and culture alive, educating and inspiring the next generation with Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s philosophy (may God rest his soul in peace) of “the one who has no present and future.” In 1991, Dubai Municipality created the Architectural Heritage Section, initially with a handful of staff and growing into a 450-strong team of enthusiasts, masons, engineers, architects, and draftsmen who focused on design, survey, restoration, awareness, and management. Rashad says we must “learn our past, study the past and culture, but again, always look for the future.” This is important in architecture and, in particular, with the Fahidi Historical buildings. We can learn
© Anna Nielsen Photographer
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