Sharjah: A group of architects and photographers took part in a special walk in Sharjah recently.
They were part of an architecture and photography walk held in conjunction with the recently released publication ‘In Search of Spaces of Coexistence: An Architect’s Journey.’
The walk was hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development (MCKD) in partnership with the renowned Sharjah Architecture Triennial, a press release said.
Exploring a number of the community spaces documented in the book, participants had the opportunity to gain insights into the architectural features of each site, learn the methods of documentation through sketching and photography and to get a taste of Sharjah’s vibrant neighbourhood.
The walk’s route included the Russian Orthodox Church, featured as one of the 40 buildings in the publication, and the Al Iman Al Nawai Mosque and Indian Orthodox Church, which were part of the UAE Architecture Project’s research documentation but not featured in the book. Participants got to learn about each site’s connection to the surrounding communities that shaped these buildings. Participants were welcomed by associate professor Adina Hempel, who led the project together with Dr. Alamira Reem Al Hashimi under the guidance of Shaikh Salem Al Qassimi, assistant undersecretary of Arts and Heritage at the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development.
The walking tour was led by the research team architect/writer Azza Abou Alam and photographer/designer Hussain AlMoosawi.
Commenting on the walk, Shaikh Salem Al Qassimi said: “With over 200 nationalities in the UAE, coexistence is at the heart of our nation’s foundation, and this publication is a key project in the preservation and celebration of our nation’s unique architecture and the nuances behind each site’s communal history and meaning. Through public programming in conjunction with the book, we seek to share the stories and history of the architecture’s place in community with the residents and citizens of the UAE.”
“In addition to being a place for trade and opportunity, the UAE continuously brings together architects, planners, engineers and developers from across the world to support building and championing the country’s vision. Evidently, what distinguishes this architectural evolution is the unfolding of stories of coexistence and unified diversity. With religious spaces, cultural or recreational centers acting as places for dialogue, they simultaneously develop and enhance positive social relations all the while encouraging cohesion. With this book, we hope to shed light on the UAE’s history, and development, through a visual journey of its architecture and urban fabric.”
The publication’ In Search of Spaces of Coexistence: An Architect’s Journey’ was developed by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Media Company, and Shaikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation.
