Stepping gingerly over a layer of broken egg shells and encrusted feathers, it's hard to imagine that this will, over the next three years, become a creative hub.
That's the vision for an out-of-use factory on the banks of a protected mangrove swamp in Kalba, Sharjah's east coast fringe.
Once a facility for producing fish-based fertiliser, this 2,000 square metre space has long stood unused and become a nesting home to a menagerie of birds. But as part of an outreach programme by the Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF), under the direction of its president Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, it will soon be revitalised into an arts centre to serve the growing cultural demands of the surrounding community.
"It will create space for workshops, touring exhibitions and a cafeteria," says Mona El-Mousfy, a Lebanese professor of architecture at the American University of Sharjah who heads up a team advising and conceptualising the project before the architecture firm GAJ get to work.
"These buildings from the 1970s can also be a layer of memory," she continues. "They were the beginnings of the oil boom. You don't necessarily have to look to heritage to find history."
With the angular, wave-like façade of the building intact, phase two of this former factory's refit will see the creation of a cinema and performance space and, according to Lana Al Samman, the interior design co-ordinator, small sea-view apartments to host visiting artists. It is one of three ambitious projects by SAF that looks at how existing buildings can be revitalised to accommodate Sharjah's increasingly robust cultural programme.
Designs for the Kalba project are being finalised, as is the rethink of an old marketplace in the town of Al Hamriya, wedged between Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, which will create studio space to accommodate eight artists.
Back in Sharjah central, just off Bank Street, we're taken to see how another of these projects has already advanced significantly.
"In this part of town, you have the city's earliest traces of inhabitation, some dating from the end of the 19th century," says El Mousfy, about the network of crumbling houses and ruins that sit behind Souq Al Arsa. "They were short-lived as houses, with people living there only from about 1900 to 1960. After the oil boom, people simply left and because the buildings were made from coral they quickly dilapidated."
SAF has taken the remains of this heritage area as a canvas to create six exhibition buildings and three open-air spaces in time for the next Sharjah Biennial in 2013
El Mousfy and Sharmeen Syed, an architect and researcher at SAF, show us around the narrow coral alleyways and explain that it's an extensive process of "re-use" rather than "renovation". Instead of restoring the houses to an imagined former glory, it's about drawing out their essence and exploring how certain structural flourishes can be translated into the contemporary.
The foundations of the old houses – which El-Mousfy calls their "traces" – have been used as guidelines from which to evolve suitable spaces. One cavernous building, for instance, uses the outline of three amalgamated housing plots to create a vast courtyard bordered by retractable glass walls.
Slits in the ceiling were common features in houses of the area as a means of ventilation. These have been incorporated into the new buildings but covered with glass, so as to naturally illuminate corridors and rooms.
But the most striking part of the project is the roof: using an efficient, chilled water-cooling system, rather than rooftop air conditioning units, has kept the elevation bare and perfect ground for discussions, performance and drinking tea under the stars. Bridges and walkways connect the buildings to create a public promenade through the area, and the surrounding creek, and blue tiled dome of a nearby mosque immediately comes into view. "These characteristics of the area become framed by the architecture," says Syed.
These older parts of Sharjah had previous government renovation in the 1990s. "It was based in part on aerial photographs," El Mousfy tells us. "Although they interviewed people who used to live there, it was very hard to get a true sense for what the buildings originally looked like.
"The restorers were afraid to move too far from the original buildings. This often meant that many of the restored buildings weren't properly ventilated, making them difficult spaces to use for exhibitions."
This recent approach to the area has been quite different. Coral is a limited resource, and one that quickly degrades without maintenance. So rather than trying to recreate these buildings by imitating old construction techniques, SAF's strategy has been to use more concrete but be more intuitive. "Often during restoration, there's an emphasis on the decorative, but we went for something more experiential," says Syed, as we inspect a meticulous model of the area's future. The suggestion is that it's more about suggesting and being inspired by the traces of what once was rather than trying to freeze it and create an illusion of age.
The project should be finished in time for next year's biennial in March. A lack of space during previous iterations of the growing event have seen curators scouring around the area for places to exhibit art, and this new art district will address that primarily.
But Sharjah Art Foundation also wants these to have a greater presence beyond biennial season. It has been showing that in the past 12 months with more exhibitions of new commissioned work throughout the year. With more space to play with, that can only grow.
Claudia Pestana is a curator at the foundation and has previously worked on a number of exhibitions in the city including the current group show What Should I Do to Live in Your Life? "If you look at the exhibitions that we've had, as well as the residency programme, you can see that this has been built on an idea of exchange," she says. "I would look at these new developments in light of the potential that you can see right now."
clord@thenational.ae
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Celta Vigo v Villarreal (midnight kick-off UAE)
Saturday Sevilla v Real Sociedad (4pm), Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (7.15pm), Granada v Barcelona (9.30pm), Osasuna v Real Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Levante v Eibar (4pm), Cadiz v Alaves (7.15pm), Elche v Getafe (9.30pm), Real Valladolid v Valencia (midnight)
Monday Huesca v Real Betis (midnight)
Results
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Al Suhooj, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) 68,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Final: UAE beat Qatar by nine wickets
Third-place play-off: Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by five runs
Table
1 UAE 5 5 0 10
2 Qatar 5 4 1 8
3 Saudi 5 3 2 6
4 Kuwait 5 2 3 4
5 Bahrain 5 1 4 2
6 Maldives 5 0 5 0
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