Rehabiltation of Jahili Fort N Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates Architects Roswag & Jankowski Architekten Berlin, Germany Clients Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Commission 2007 Design 2007 Construction 2007 - 2008 Occupancy 2008 Site 24573 m2 Ground floor 1,002 m2 Total floor 1002 m2 Site plan highlighting the transformed parts of the Fort 10 m Inner Elevation with the arcade openings and a new mud terrace, connecting the three wings of the building (photo: Torsten Seidel) Costs n.a. Programme The Jahili Fort was built at the Rehabilitation of the Jahili Fort, Al Ain, UAE 2.2 2.3 1.2 2.3 end of the nineteenth century 3 to protect the oasis at Al Ain, Jahili Fort, situated in the quiet oasis city of Al Ain, is 1.3 1.3 now the second largest city one of the most relevant historic buildings in the UAE. 2.1 in Abu Dhabi. This project It‘s reconstruction was the first project completed by 1.1 has seen the restoration and the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (AD- 1930s1930s 1930s1980s adaptive reuse of part of the ACH) as a pilot project for the beginning rehabilitation historic structure (1930s/1940s) 1.1 historic floor level, 1.2 historic roof level, 1.3 historic building fort as an exhibition and visitor of Abu Dhabi‘s cultural heritage. transforming the 1980s structure 2.1 transformed floor level, 2.2 transformed roof level, 2.3 transformed building centre. The aim has been to The Fort, once built to protect the Al Ain Oasis with its respect the original structure precious water resources, was transformed into an exhi- bition and visitor centre. The permanent exhibition »Mu- and strengthen its architecture. 2 Later accretions have been barak bin London: Wilfred Thesiger and the Freedom of removed. As far as possible, the Desert«, shows photos from Thesiger‘s exploration the restoration has been carried trips through the »Empty Quarter« in the 1940s. out using traditional techniques 1 and materials, and in many The design concept aims to respect the existing building structure and to strengthen the qualities of the tradi- N instances existing materials 5,0 m were reused, with historical tional architecture. The floor planning and changes in earth bricks and mortar soaked the north wing are going back to the footprint of the in water and reformed, and buildings from the 1930‘s, which were connected by an palm leaves treated for termites arcade in the late 1980‘s. and reinstalled. The transformation follows the traditional philosophy of building by reusing natural material such as mud and Groundplan 1:1000 palm trunks, leaves etc. The structure had to be chan- (after the intervention) Information Centre ged entirely while mud blocks and plaster, mostly fromemporary Exhibition Hall Mubarak bin1 London Information Exhibition Centre Jahili Fort, West Elevation with the „Buffer Zone“ | Arcades closed with wooden windows to define the conditioned the early 20th century, could be remixed with water and 2 Temporary Exhibition Hall inner space (photos: Torsten Seidel) then be reused. 3 Mubarak bin London Exhibition Section/Elevation east and south (after the intervention) Building Type Restoration & Adaptive Re-Use 2010 Award Cycle 3513.UAE south 3513.UAE – 1 5,0 m 3513.UAE For all-season use in the desert climate, where tem- Through the reuse of historic materials like mud and peratures can rise up to 45° C, the arcades have been palm trunks, the consumption of energy and natural closed with double glazed wooden windows. resources could be reduced substantially during the The building is cooled down by a very comfortab- transformation process. le and energy efficient radiation system, based on chilled water pipes integrated into the walls. This The permanent exhibition with Thesiger‘s photos system uses the special humidity activity of mud links the building with the Bedouin history of the structure and render. The reduced need of fresh air is country. The visitor centre introduces the guests to supplied through pipes under ground, with air outlets the rich heritage of Al Ain with a book shop and an invisibly integrated into the exhibition furniture. Both, Arabic café. radiation and reduced amount of air generate a very comfortable building climate. Light objects are establishing relations between interior and exterior spaces (photos: Torsten Seidel) Mubarak bin London Exhibition Entrance area, Exhibition room, outer arcade (photos: Torsten Seidel) Historic and modern mud render, waxed historic mud floor, ceiling with palm trunks and leaves (photos: Architects) 1. costruction 1.1 sun filter glass, 1.2 themal insulation 2.6 1.2 2.1 2. building technology 1.1 2.3 45° C 22° C temperation/cooling 2.1 wall cooling system, 2.2 central chilling unit 2.5 ventilation 2.2 2.4 2.3 supply air intake, 2.4 air handeling unit 2.5 fresh air oulet in furniture, 2.6 waste air Cooling Scheme extract behind picture H.E. Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan visiting the café, bookshop and information centre (photos: Torsten Seidel) Section/Elevation north and south (after the intervention) south 3513.UAE – 2 north 5,0 m 3513.UAE The transformation process The „outer“ Fort is the first phase for the rehabilitation, followed soon by the Old Fort and the Tower. In the 1980s the building configuration was changed. In the north wing an arcade was added as a third building axis. The historic building configuration was investigated and the historic footprint brought back into the new layout. All construction works have been done in historic manner by hand through a mud artisan team, reusing the historic materials. The mud finish was applied by hand in a very precise, straight way to give the historic fabric a modern expression. The building is cooled through a plaster integrated cold water pipe system, which uses the special humidity activity of the mud structure and finish. The reduced need of fresh air is assu- red by under ground pipes, all air outlets are integrated invisibly into furniture and exhibition layout. The radiation and the reduced amount of air generate a very comfortable building climate. existing open arcades before the rehabilitation (photos: Architects) Insertion of a wooden beam in the entrance area | integration of palm roof construction after anti-termite treatment | artisans, all works have been done by hand (photos: Architects) N 5,05,0 m Mud mortar and plaster were soaked and reused | all wooden parts had to be taken out, treated against termites and set in again | precise mud plaster before the cooling pipes were integrated | chilled air supply pipes under ground, cooling pipes on the wall (photos: Architects) Groundplan 1:1000 (before the intervention) south north 5,0 m Section/Elevation north | south | east | south (before the intervention) ost south 3513.UAE – 3 3513.UAE Exhibition Concept: »Mubarak bin London: Wilfred Thesiger and the Freedom of the Desert« The »Mubarak bin London: Wilfred Thesiger and the Freedom of the Desert« exhibition is integrated into the historic building parts, the arcade of the 1980‘s is used as a entrance and circulation hall. Screen printed light objects with a selection of Thesiger‘s photos are welcoming the guests, connecting the exhibition with the Forts courtyard and organizing the exhibition into different sections. The walls inside the exhibition are plastered with a white mud fine plaster, serving as neutral background for the framed photos, developed on baryte paper. Four exhibition cambers show pictures and text panels about Thesiger‘s early life, his trips with the Bedouins through the Empty Quarter, the time he spent with Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his la- ter life. A Video loop is presenting a interview with Wilfred Thesiger, an interactive screen is showing the trips through the Empty Quarter and gives additional information about Thesiger‘s experiences. Exhibition, the projection shows interviews with Wilfred Thesiger | From the outer arcade the exhibition chambers in the historic building from the 1930s can be entered (photos: Torsten Seidel) Exhibition concept Light object, showing W. Thesiger (photos: Torsten Seidel) Wilfred Thesiger The Empty Quarter (First and Second Crossing Sheikh Zayed (Liwa, Inner Oman, Duru Country) Early Life The Empty Quarter Sheikh Zayed Bin (one textpanel (photographs, quotations) Sultan Al Nahyan and photographs (photographs, text- Video Jahili Fort Connection lighting object of his early lighting object lighting object panel, quotations lighting object Thesiger‘s Return (including interviews con- (photograph, textpanel) Wilfred Thesiger journeys and The Empty Quarter Abu Dhabi e.g. Inner Oman, Comradeshipe (photographs, text- ducted for the BBC) (Empty Quarter) quotations) (Thesiger party) (Thesiger party) Liwa) (Empty Quarter) panel, quotation) Comradeshipe (photographs, quotations) lighting object Later Life Sheikh Zayed (one textpanel, photographs of his later journeys e.g. Iraq, Asia, Africa and quo- tation) Mubarak bin London Wilfred Thesiger and the freedom of the desert (titelpanel) Thesiger‘s Travel Mubarak bin London The Empty Quarter The Empty Quarter lighting object Equipment in Arabia Wilfred Thesiger and (including interactive map (two photographs Sheikh Zayed lighting object (photograph, textpanel, the freedom of the from traverses by Thesiger including quotations) The Empty Quarter showcase) desert (texpanel) and two textpanel) Entranceway of the exhibition | Inter active map in the hallway (photos: Torsten Seidel) (Thesiger party) Section south (Mubarak bin London Exhibition) Detail of a framed photo | H.E. Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan visiting the exhibition | Exhibition chamber (photos: Torsten Seidel) south 3513.UAE – 4 5,0 m 01_jahili-fort_3513_UAE.jpg 3513_1.jpg S344258.jpg S344259.jpg S344260.jpg S344261.jpg S344262.jpg S344263.jpg S344264.jpg S344265.jpg S344266.jpg S344267.jpg S344268.jpg S344269.jpg S344270.jpg S344271.jpg S344272.jpg S344273.jpg S344274.jpg S344275.jpg S344276.jpg S344277.jpg S344278.jpg S344279.jpg S344280.jpg S344281.jpg S344282.jpg S344283.jpg S344284.jpg S344285.jpg S344286.jpg S344287.jpg S344288.jpg S344289.jpg S344290.jpg S344291.jpg S344292.jpg S344293.jpg .