Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction --
The Land of the Exclamation Mark Jan Dimog 22 --
Milestones 30 --
Traditional Vernacular Architecture Peter Jackson 34 --
The Wind Towers of the Emirates Peter Jackson and Dr Anne Coles 38 --
Abu Dhabi 44 --
Gazettes in Pure Heaven Jon Dimog 54 --
Interview: Mustafa Al Slaiman. Arab Allotment Garden Culture 70 --
Portrait: Arthur Erickson.The Poet of Concrete 82 --
Insights: Qaryat Al Beri 122 --
Insights: Masdar City 130 --
Insight Yas Island 142 --
Interview: Asymptote. The Experimentalists 150 --
Insights: Saadiyat Island 152 --
Interview: Ateliers Jean Nouvel. The Poetic Dimension 162 --
Interview: Jassim Al Hammadi. The Lord of the Arts 166 --
Al Ain - Eden in the Desert 168 --
Interview: Martin Eppenschwandtner. The Love Affair of Architects 186 --
Insights: Liwa 193 --
Dubai 196 --
The Peregrine Falcon Jan Dimog 206 --
Interview: Brian Johnson. The Icon 214 --
Portrait: Vikram Divecha. The Divechian Dubai 234 --
Portrait: Cracknell. The Composer of Landscapes 236 --
Portrait: John R. Harris. The Universal Master Builder 240 --
Insights: Downtown Dubai 272 --
Portrait: Rasha Alkhatib. An Energy that Renders Anything Possible 288 --
Insights: Business Bay 290 --
Insights: d3 - Dubai Design District 296 --
Insights: Chicago Beach 307 --
Insights: Alserkal Avenue 312 --
Interview: Studied Impact. "Renewable energy-powered cities are the future." 314 --
Insights: The Palm Jumeirah 322 --
Insights: Dubai Marina 340 --
Sharjah 350 --
The Capital of Culture Peter Jackson 358 --
Insights: Heart of Sharjah 372 --
Insights: Mosques in Sharjah 388 --
Insights: Beach Resorts 400 --
Insights: Al Mahatta 402 --
Portrait: SHAPE. Architecture Practice+ Research 404 -
Interview: magma architecture. Magma Carta 412 --
Portrait: Shurooq. Emirate Developers and Urban Renovators 415 --
Insights: Cultural Square 420 --
Insights: University City 424 --
Interview: George Katodrytis. Modern, Nomadic and without Nostalgia 426 --
Interview: Sumaya Dabbagh The Feel-good Architect 432 --
Portrait: Saeed Hussain. The Wikipedia Man 436 --
Insights: Khor Fakkan 438 --
Insights: Fatima Al Mughani House 440 --
Insights: Kalba 442 --
Portrait: x-architects 444 --
Fujairah 446 --
Anti-turbo Jan Dimog 450 --
Ajman 462 --
The Great Awakening Jan Dimog 466 --
Umm Al Quwain 476 --
Stories from the Arabian Nights Jan Dimog 480 --
Ras Al Khaimah 490 --
The Rising Star Jan Dimog 494 --
Insights: Ahmed Bin Majid Museum 500 --
Interview: Andre Herrenschmidt. A Proud Moment 508 --
Visions: Ras Al Khaimah 514 --

Projects:
72 by Hues --
Abdulrahman Siddik Mosque --
Abu Dhabi Capital Gate & National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) --
Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation --
ADIA Headquarters --
ADNOC Headquarters --
ADNOC Residential Buildings --
Ahmed Bin Hanbal Mosque --
Al Ain Divan --
Al Ain Palace Museum --
Al Badiyah Mosque --
Al Bahr Towers --
Al Bait Hotel --
Al Bithnah Fort --
Aldar Central Market --
Aldar Headquarters --
Al Eslah School Museum --
Al Faisal Mosque --
Al Fattan Marine Towers --
Al Hamra Village & Falcon Island --
Al Hilal Bank Tower --
Al Hisn Ras Al Khaimah --
Al Hisn Sharjah --
Al Ibrahimi Building --
Al Jahili Fort --
Al Jubail Souk --
Al Khawaneej Villa --
Al Magferah Mosque --
Al Majaz Waterfront --
Al Marjan Island --
Al Maqta Bridge --
Al Naboodah Mosque --
Al Nadi Tower --
Al Noor Island --
Al Noor Mosque --
Aloft Hotel --
Al Qasba --
Al Rolla Square --
Alserkal Avenue Extension --
Al Yaqoub Tower --
Al Zorah Pavilion --
Arabian Court Residence & Spa --
Armed Forces Officers' Club and Conference Centre --
Atlantis The Palm --
Awlad Nasser Building --
Bab Al Shams --
Bait Al Naboodah --
Bait Al Serkal --
Bait Al Shamsi --
Bait Jullanar --
Banyan Tree Al Wadi Resorts --
Banyan Tree RAK Beach --
Bird of Prey Centre --
Boulevard Plaza --
British Ambassador's Residence and Chancery --
Burj Al Arab --
Burj Khalifa --
Burj Khalifa Gatehouses --
Capital Gate --
Capricorn Tower --
Cayan Tower --
Chamber of Commerce --
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi --
Code Business Tower --
Coral Beach Resort --
Corniche Beach --
Cranleigh School --
Crystal Plaza --
Cultural Palace --
DAMAC Maison --
Divan of the Emir --
Dubai Creek Golf Club --
Dubai Creek Colt Club Villas --
Dubai Creek Yacht Club --
Dubai International Financial. Centre (DIFC) --
Dubai Mall --
Dubai Metro --
Dubai Municipality --
Dubai Opera --
Dubai Pearl --
Dusit Thani Dubai Hotel --
Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa --
Emirates Palace --
Emirates Towers --
Etihad Towers --
Etisalat Headquarters --
Etisalat Tower 2 --
Etisalat Tower Deira --
EXPO 2010 Pavilion --
EXPO Centre Sharjah --
EXPO Centre Sharjah Extension --
Fairmont Hotel Bab Al Bahr --
Fujairah Fort --
Gate Towers --
Gate Village --
Golden Beach Motel --
Grand Hotel --
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi --
Hamed Center --
Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium --
Hotel Intercontinental --
International Airport Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal --
IRENA Headquarters --
Islamic Botanic Garden --
Jumeirah Beach Hotel --
Jumeirah Zabeel Saray --
Le Royal Meridien Hotel --
Liwa Tower --
Lou Lou'a Beach Resort --
Louvre Abu Dhabi --
Madinat Jumeirah --
Majlis Al Midfa --
Manarat Al Saadiyat --
Manzil Hotel --
Marina Heights Tower --
Marina Terrace --
Maryah Plaza --
Masdar Institute Campus --
Mashreq Bank --
Masrah Al Qasba --
Maze Tower --
Meraas HQ & Engineer's Office --
Meydan City --
Mleiha Visitors' Centre --
Museum of Islamic Civilisation --
National Bank of Abu Dhabi HQ --
National Bank of Dubai HQ --
New Federal National Council --
New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) --
Nobu Restaurant –
O-14 --
Obeid Al Mazru'i Building --
Ocean Heights --
One&Only Royal Mirage --
One&Only The Palm --
Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (PSUAD) --
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi --
Park Towers at DIFC --
Performing Arts Centre --
Precinct Buildings --
Qasr Al Sarab --
Radisson Blue Residence --
Raisa Bint Darwish Building --
Rolex Tower --
Rosewood Abu Dhabi --
Ruler's Office Sharjah --
Russian Church --
Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri --
Shangri-La SZR --
Sharjah Aquarium --
Sharjah Archaeology Museum --
Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF) Art Spaces --
Sharjah Center for Astronomy & Space Sciences --
Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club --
Sharjah Library --
Sharjah Maritime Museum --
Sharjah Science Museum --
Sharjah Souks --
Sheikh Khalifa Specialist Hospital_--
Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House --
Sheikh Saif Bin Butti Building --
Sheikh Zayed Bridge --
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium --
Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre --
Sheikh Zayed Mosque --
Sheikh Zayed Sports Stadium --
Sheikh Zayed University --
Siemens Middle East Headquarters --
Sky Tower & Sun Tower --
Souk Al Arsah --
Souk Al Markazi (Blue Souk) --
Souk Qaryat Al Beri --
Sowwah Square --
Standard Chartered Bank --
Student Activity Center & The School of Architecture --
The Address Downtown --
The Address Dubai Marina --
The Boulevard Downtown --
The Chedi Khorfakkan --
The Flag Island --
The Garden Tower --
The Gate --
The Index --
The Jewels --
The Landmark --
The Pavilion Downtown Dubai --
The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences --
The Sheraton Dubai Creek --
The Sheraton Hotel & Resort --
The Sterling Towers --
The Tower --
The Walk/The Beach at JBR --
Traders Hotel --
Twin Towers --
U-Bora Towers --
Vida Hotel --
Villa The View --
Waldorf Astoria RAK --
World Trade Centre (WTC) --
World Trade Centre District (WTCD) --
Yas Island Viceroy Hotel --
Yas Island Yacht Club --
Zabeet Park --
Zayed National Museum --

From the record-breaking architecture of Dubai to the majestic gravitas of buildings found in Abu Dhabi, this book combines the diversity and complexity of the United Arab Emirates. Indeed, the rich building culture of the lesser known emirates Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fu-jairah is also given emphasis. The (architectural) history of the country is deeply anchored in Arabic tradition and was also influenced by Persia, other neighbouring countries and colonial powers. In 1971 the seven emirates established the United Arab Emirates (UAE). What followed was a race to catch up which catapulted the State from a modest Bedouin society into the era of the Burj Khalifa. At the same time, the country is increasingly shedding its dependency on oil and gas and investing heavily in trade, tourism and construction. Masdar City and Yas Island of Abu Dhabi and the towering skyscrapers of Dubai are the most striking results of the economic upswing. In 2020, Dubai will host the Expo - a first in the region