Al Otaiba Tower is defined by its facade of prefabricated concrete panels, which feature a distinct pattern of hexagonal openings. These cutouts serve as a functional element of the structure, providing balconies for the inhabitants while…
Late Modernist Architecture
I've designed this walk to showcase the striking 1970s and 80s concrete and glass towers that defined Abu Dhabi's first futuristic skyline before the turn of the millennium.
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1. Al Otaiba Tower
2. Saeed Obaid al Mazroui building
The Saeed Obaid al Mazroui building is recognized by the distinctive circular patterns that frame its windows and balconies. These white, rounded cutouts along the facade create a symmetrical grid that many observers compare to the layout…
3. Al-Ibrahimi Building
The Al-Ibrahimi Building is a sixteen-story cylindrical tower distinguished by a facade of interlocking, tilted concrete cubes. Completed in nineteen eighty-three and officially named the Saeed Al Kalili Building, it is widely recognized…
4. Hamdan Shopping Center
The Hamdan Shopping Center is easy to identify by its massive, ship-like structure looming over the corner of Hamdan Street and Muroor Road. When it opened in December nineteen eighty-two, the building was the city’s first major mixed-use…
5. Hanging Garden Tower
The Hanging Garden Tower stands in the Al Danah district of Abu Dhabi, positioned between Electra Street and Hamdan Street. Completed in twenty eleven, the building reaches eighteen floors above ground, topped by a roof level, and includes…
6. Harib Bin Sultan Building
The Harib Bin Sultan Building stands at the junction of Electra Street and Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street. You can identify it by the concave, curved shape of its upper apartment levels, which contrast with the solid, rectangular podium…