Al Uqair Masterplan Competition

Project objectives:

• Regeneration old Al Uqair>Creating cultural and leisure destination
• Protect heritage building >Rehabilitation with adaptive reuse
• Capitalize of maritime location > Waterfront experience with continuous seaside promenade
• Celebrate the History of Al Uqair > Excavation old Port, restoration heritage buildings, re-construction some collapsed buildings in the Khan
• Position Al Uqair ‘on map’>Designing 3 major areas for events: the Festival Square, the Multipurpose Hall, the open court of the ‘Khan’
• Protect Natural Environment > Understand the local biodiversity defining 4 type of landscape, progressing transition from ‘inland’ towards ‘the sea’: Desert, Oasis, Urban, Marine landscape
• Celebrate Al Uqair marine tradition>The Maritime Museum in the Custom Building
• Celebrate Al Uqair trading attitude>The Regional Museum of Trades in the Khan-Fort-Mosque Emirate building’s complex
• Culture as investment opportunity>A tourist destination with leisure activities: 2 souks, the Boutique Hotel, the ‘floating’ F&B platform, F&B spread in several location
• Equal intensity of uses through the site> Mix cultural hubs and leisure-F&B in each location, to avoid segregation of areas
• Full time use of spaces>Plan balanced use of indoor and outdoor areas, to allow functionality in every climatic condition 365 days/year-day and night
• Understand architectural character ‘genius loci’, avoiding mimetic approach > Plan 3 type of intervention: rehabilitation with restoration of authentic heritage buildings (Custom, Khan-Fort- Mosque Emirate building’s complex), new construction keeping the heritage character & materials in linear simplified manner to show difference between original/new architecture (new Northern development), innovation in some iconic-contemporary architecture (Visitor Center, Festival Square & Floating platform along N-S axis).