Abu Dhabi’s historic cultural site Al Hosn has been awarded the gold accolade at the 2021 World Architecture News Awards, topping a shortlist featuring six other international sites in the "Mixed Use" category.
Al Hosn is home to Qasr Al Hosn, the oldest and most significant historic building in the capital, which housed the ruling family for centuries and was the emirate’s original seat of government.
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A German explorer, Hermann Burchardt, took this photograph of Qasr Al Hosn in 1904. It was one of the earliest images taken of the fort. Photo: Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi -
Sheikh Shakhbut, Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1928 to 1966, in front of Qasr Al Hosn. Photo: National Archives -
An early colour view of Qasr Al Hosn in the 1950s. Photo: John Vale -
Qasr Al Hosn as it looked in the early 1960s. Precious supplies of freshwater are being delivered in tin cans. Photo: John Vale -
By 1974, new buildings are rising but Qasr Al Hosn is still prominent. Note the development of the Corniche on left. Photo: Ron McCulloch -
Qasr Al Hosn was closed in 2013 as it underwent a major restoration. Christopher Pike / The National -
It reopened in 2018 and the renovation also included the surrounding neighbourhood, as this 2020 photograph shows. Saeed Khawaja for the Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
The historic Al Hosn area comprises of Qasr Al Hosn, the Cultural Foundation and House of Artisans. -
Qasr Al Hosn is now one of Abu Dhabi's most important landmarks and attracts tourists from across the globe. Victor Besa / The National
The complex’s other major components include the Cultural Foundation, established in 1981 as the UAE’s first multipurpose cultural centre, and the House of Artisans, dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional Emirati crafts and practices.
Al Hosn also features open areas for events and public gatherings.
Judges said the design of the 140,000-square-metre cultural site combined modernity with the emirate’s maritime and desert heritage.
Other candidates vying for the top spot were: Shanghai's Baoshan Exhibition Centre, which sits within an eco-industrial park; Northtown Affordable Senior Housing and Public Library in Chicago; Harbord Diggers Club, a multi-generational community hub in Sydney; Dusseldorf's new green commercial structure Ko-Bogen II; and the One Excellence development Shenzhen.
“It is a tremendous honour and privilege for Al Hosn to be recognised at the prestigious World Architecture News Awards, especially as it was up against illustrious competition from around the world," said Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.
"Al Hosn is a true reminder of our living history and has become symbolic of our nation’s solidarity, heritage and traditions. This historic site is where Abu Dhabi’s transformational journey began, and it will continue to play a vital role at the heart of the emirate’s story, representing our proud past and the legacy of the ‘father of our nation’, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.”
Al Hosn is also famously home to the National Consultative Council, where discussions regarding the unification of the emirates took place, and Al Hosn Musalla, the design of which recently won first prize in the Completed Building – Religion category at the 2019 World Architectural Festival, and was nominated for the event’s Best Building of the Year award.
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The Musalla at Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi was recognised in the A+ Architizer Awards. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Government Media Office -
An exterior view of The Musalla in Al Hosn. Wam -
The structure was designed by architecture firm CEBRA and developed by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Government Media Office -
A suspended ceiling is punctuated by circular openings that act as skylights. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi -
The structure received top honors in the Internal Design and Creative Ceilings category of the Architizer A+Awards. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi -
Built in 2018, the religious building was an important component in the revitalisation of the Al Hosn heritage site. Wam -
The Musalla at Al Hosn. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi -
The Al Hosn site. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
Visitors can also find restaurants and cafes in the area, such as Mirzam Chocolate Makers, The Espresso Lab, and Wild & The Moon, as well as Erth.
Now in its 13th year, the global WAN Awards acknowledges and celebrates excellent architecture.
