We’re sure you have heard of the island off the coast of Abu Dhabi, home to families with refined fishing skills and deeply rooted knowledge of the sea. With every encounter on this island, a new experience happens, a grander feeling than before. As though it were telling us, I have magic and you can feel it.
She is complex in a small space, as we wandered through the old neighborhoods. Some homes were closer to the sea, others lay cradled in the short mountains — all with their own character, their own story. Here are three significant observations of the architecture on the island.
Layered walls
Our first observation was of the layering, short walls followed by either front yards or patios. What stood out as well was the color of choice and how they varied across different homes. Teal blue, beige brown or a solid white - all decorated with lush palm trees.
doors & emblems
Another characteristic that stood out significantly was the doors, but of course. We know how the region has iron doors that vary from city to city, country to country. Dalma, to no surprise, has finely decorated entrances. We were particularly fond of the door with a crown-like entrance in the bottom right photo, standing like a queen. We also appreciate the house number written in Arabic in the bottom left photo, it felt like a time capsule.
Decorative boxes
We are all familiar with the patterned bricks in the wall that are used across homes, used to channel wind into spaces. Some stood out more than others to us on this island. The one that remains our strong favorite is the palm tree layered brick - we haven’t seen this one elsewhere yet! Also, how bold is the teal brick, fitting for the seaside indeed.
What area of the UAE or the region has architecture that stands out to you? Shall we maybe create a comparable album that shows variations of homes according to geography?
