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Al Jahili Fort In Abu Dhabi Wins 2010 International Architecture Award |
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Al Jahili Fort of Al Ain in Abu Dhabi has won the 2010 International Architecture Award. According to the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, Al Jahili Fort was selected from a cross-section of ninety-five distinctive and recently built buildings and urban planning projects from around the world. The competition has attracted hundreds of designs from more than forty-five countries, spread over five continents. The contest organisers adopted the decisions of a jury that was made up of a number of top architects. Many factors were taken into account during the selection process, and a wide range of buildings worldwide were included in the contest. The competition was fierce between the most important, famous and innovative design and architectural firms, all eager to win this award for the best architectural achievements. Al Jahili Fort is a unique architectural and heritage monument. It became even more important, in an architectural sense, when it had been renovated and refurbished by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH). The Fort was re-opened to visitors in December 2008 to mark the National Day of the UAE. It became a permanent museum and exhibition centre, attracting visitors and tourists to Al Ain. The Fort’s restoration was part of a huge project launched by ADACH when it was established in 2006. One of the main aims of the Authority is to revive the traditional and historic buildings of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Consultant for Culture and Heritage at the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Court and Director General of ADACH, said that the development of Al Jahili Fort forms an integral part of a series of important cultural projects which are being supported by ADACH in Al Ain. "The qualitative leap that has been witnessed by this cultural movement in Al Ain includes the founding of several distinct cultural heritage projects," stressed Mazrouei. He added that ADACH "is working to provide appropriate venues from where these cultural activities can be hosted. The Authority also aims to offer various forms of logistical support." Al Jahili Fort recently underwent an ambitious rehabilitation project. This was implemented by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage. The rehabilitation project was meticulously planned and used a combination of traditional materials and new technologies. This has resulted in a building that has achieved an environmental and historical harmony with its surroundings. This is particularly evident in the Fort’s nearby garden. Dr. Sami El Masri, Deputy Director General for Arts, Culture and Heritage at ADACH, said that the model of architectural design followed the existing historical pattern of the Fort’s grounds. It displays to full affect the lighting niches and ventilation holes that are scattered throughout this historic building. "The galleries, which date back to the 1980’s, were surrounded with glass. The new interior spaces were transformed into exhibition spaces for Mubarak bin London, as well as a visitors’ information centre," said El Masri. Traditional mud blocks, mud plaster, palm logs and reclaimed historic building materials were used in the construction, whenever this was viable or appropriate. The combination of modern technologies and the use of mud as a building material helped to maintain the Fort’s internal climate; a cool 22 degrees Celsius. Cold water pipes embedded in the mud layers ensured that the building remained cool in the summer. A stream of cold air is cleverly controlled through sensors, and this limits any current surges and helps to reduce energy consumption. |
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