Large-scale construction - the total area of the project is more than 600,000 square meters - began in the center of the UAE capital back in 2006. The customer was Aldar Properties, and the local office Planar was a partner of Foster + Partners. The first stage, a completely reconstructed old market, was opened back in 2011. A little later, a modern shopping center was completed. And finally, the construction of a Marriott hotel and two high-rise towers, which will house offices and apartments, have been completed. The highest of them reaches an impressive 378 meters.
The bazaar (it is called the bitch) with grocery and craft shops and a mall with prestigious shops are covered with openwork wood panels, the geometric pattern of which recalls the ornaments of medieval Arab architecture. Thanks to sunlight, they are repeated many times in the interior space.
The internal layout of these buildings provides for many open areas, and the peculiar streets and small squares are open around the clock. These comfortable public spaces are used for festivals, celebrations and even corporate events. Most of the time, the favorable climate allows them to be kept open, but if necessary, the sliding outer panels form a protective canopy that allows you to control the microclimate in the interior.
The roofs of the shopping malls are designed as a series of open green terraces: this is the podium overlooking the multi-level skyscrapers. Their mirrored smooth facades of complex shapes require minimal maintenance in the harsh conditions of a dusty desert climate. Protection of the interior from sunlight and overheating is also provided. These sparkling space "arrows" are demonstratively opposed to the soft, man-made beginning, praised in the design of the low-rise shopping area of the quarter with its terracotta facades. The harmonious coexistence of traditional values and modern culture, high technologies and crafts - the tuning fork of Abu Dhabi, accurately heard by an architect.
