AL MUREIJAH ART SPACES, SHARJAH

The Sharjah Art Foundation, a cultural institution that emerged from the Sharjah Biennial, wanted to invest in non-museum spaces and simultaneously reclaim historic links to the city centre. Architects Mona Al Mousfy and Sharmeen Azam Inayat saw potential in five dilapidated buildings in the Al Mureijah neighbourhood. If injected with the right intervention, these almost-ruins offered the perfect urban and architectural setting for a contemporary art venue.

In 2013, the rejuvenated area featured, in addition to the renovated buildings, key additional outdoor exhibition areas, provide a range of interior and exterior spaces to experience art in a variety of ambiences. Rooftops were cleared and interconnected to serve as extra open-air galleries and particular attention was given to natural lighting.

The Sharjah Art Spaces were designed to allow the continued preservation of almost 40 per cent of the urban fabric whilst creating a new gathering place for local and international art enthusiasts.