Al Bait Sharjah
SHARJAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
While it may fall behind on the glamour quotient when compared to its glitzier neighbour, Dubai, Sharjah affirms its position as a must-visit place in the United Arab Emirates, thanks to its cultural bounty. Case in point: it was recently appointed the Unesco World Book Capital 2019 and is now considered the de facto cultural capital. This spirit is alive and well in Al Bait Sharjah, which stands out for a considered approach towards balancing cultural nuances and contemporary appeal. The property, which was previously owned and inhabited by influential local families, and whose Arabic name translates as “the house,” spans 10,000sqm with 53 guest rooms and suites, as well as two restaurants, cafe and ice-cream shop, library, museum, meeting rooms, and outdoor seating and courtyard spaces. Keith Gavin, partner at Godwin Austen Johnson, the firm responsible for its architectural metamorphosis, explains: “The primary aim of the development, from an urban design point of view, was to recreate the intimacy and character of a historic village, with narrow streets, open courtyards, and secluded entrance ways and weave these into the guest experience. Just as residents of old would have negotiated these streets to get to their homes, stopping at the square to meet friends, and then retiring into the privacy and sanctuary of their homes, guests today are able to retrace their footsteps every time they step out of the sanctuary of the individual guest room blocks and into the public streets.” The design team addressed the challenges in the heritage project by embracing both restoration as well as integration into the development. Keeping the project’s integrity intact, and to give guests the true feeling of the heritage aspect of the development, Gavin says, “The rooms have been kept to the specific proportions of the old village homes—governed by the availability of structural timbers—with limited openings due to privacy and timber ceilings.”