The Emirati Sha‘bī House: On Transformations, Adaptation and Modernist Imaginaries

In the United Arab Emirates, the Sha‘bī houses — a public housing initiative— offer a counter narrative that stands in opposition to the official vision of a modern and progressive society, exclusively expressed through a spectacular architecture.1 In their adoption of an incremental approach to hou...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Yasser Elsheshtawy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centre Français d’Archéologie et de Sciences Sociales de Sanaa 2019-10-01
Series:Arabian Humanities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/arabianhumanities/4185
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849732863949275136
author Yasser Elsheshtawy
author_facet Yasser Elsheshtawy
author_sort Yasser Elsheshtawy
collection DOAJ
description In the United Arab Emirates, the Sha‘bī houses — a public housing initiative— offer a counter narrative that stands in opposition to the official vision of a modern and progressive society, exclusively expressed through a spectacular architecture.1 In their adoption of an incremental approach to housing design and the resultant informal architectural language an alternative urban imaginary is ascertained. One in which residents take matters in their own hand and in many ways reject the state’s model. This can also be construed as part of a broader strategy initiated by city residents in various urban settings.2 Within the highly restrictive context of the Gulf such moves can be construed as a form of adaptation and to some extent resistance; an attempt to establish rootedness within a transient and rapidly changing society.
format Article
id doaj-art-0d91e5c79b6c4be69f9b5c0a2fb36b11
institution DOAJ
issn 2308-6122
language English
publishDate 2019-10-01
publisher Centre Français d’Archéologie et de Sciences Sociales de Sanaa
record_format Article
series Arabian Humanities
spelling doaj-art-0d91e5c79b6c4be69f9b5c0a2fb36b112025-08-20T03:08:12ZengCentre Français d’Archéologie et de Sciences Sociales de SanaaArabian Humanities2308-61222019-10-011110.4000/cy.4185The Emirati Sha‘bī House: On Transformations, Adaptation and Modernist ImaginariesYasser ElsheshtawyIn the United Arab Emirates, the Sha‘bī houses — a public housing initiative— offer a counter narrative that stands in opposition to the official vision of a modern and progressive society, exclusively expressed through a spectacular architecture.1 In their adoption of an incremental approach to housing design and the resultant informal architectural language an alternative urban imaginary is ascertained. One in which residents take matters in their own hand and in many ways reject the state’s model. This can also be construed as part of a broader strategy initiated by city residents in various urban settings.2 Within the highly restrictive context of the Gulf such moves can be construed as a form of adaptation and to some extent resistance; an attempt to establish rootedness within a transient and rapidly changing society.https://journals.openedition.org/arabianhumanities/4185architectureUnited Arab Emiratesadaptable housinginformal architecturevernacular architectureurban planning
spellingShingle Yasser Elsheshtawy
The Emirati Sha‘bī House: On Transformations, Adaptation and Modernist Imaginaries
Arabian Humanities
architecture
United Arab Emirates
adaptable housing
informal architecture
vernacular architecture
urban planning
title The Emirati Sha‘bī House: On Transformations, Adaptation and Modernist Imaginaries
title_full The Emirati Sha‘bī House: On Transformations, Adaptation and Modernist Imaginaries
title_fullStr The Emirati Sha‘bī House: On Transformations, Adaptation and Modernist Imaginaries
title_full_unstemmed The Emirati Sha‘bī House: On Transformations, Adaptation and Modernist Imaginaries
title_short The Emirati Sha‘bī House: On Transformations, Adaptation and Modernist Imaginaries
title_sort emirati sha bi house on transformations adaptation and modernist imaginaries
topic architecture
United Arab Emirates
adaptable housing
informal architecture
vernacular architecture
urban planning
url https://journals.openedition.org/arabianhumanities/4185
work_keys_str_mv AT yasserelsheshtawy theemiratishabihouseontransformationsadaptationandmodernistimaginaries
AT yasserelsheshtawy emiratishabihouseontransformationsadaptationandmodernistimaginaries