Today, the areas on either side of the Creek are known as Old Dubai. Residents and tourists can be found there exploring the alleyways in the shadow of old merchant homes and wind towers.
In the 1960s, this was Downtown Dubai. But the city was about to experience a building boom that tilted it away from the Creek. And while these new developments were not made of coral or palm fronds, and while they didn't have wind towers, they did have a story to tell.
These new hotels, hospitals and schools represented Dubai's take on the modernist architectural movement that thrived in the US and Europe in the early 20th century and is known for its clean lines devoid of ornamentation.
“Some people think history stopped with the wind tower,” Maryam Ahli tells The National. “But that’s not true. It continues to be written in these modernist structures.”
Ahli, an Emirati architect and architectural historian, will speak at NYU Abu Dhabi Institute on Wednesday. Her talk — The Arrival of Late Modernism in Dubai — aims to reflect on how architects tweaked characteristics of the movement to suit the needs of Dubai in terms of style and practicalities, such as ventilation and privacy. It will also look at what these buildings mean to the city and how they can be preserved.
“A lot of people think it never came to this part of world,” says Ahli. “But it came to Dubai in the 1960s and 1970s. This is why I call it late. Then came a series of firsts: the first bank; the first hospital; the first hotel; and all have a clear distinctive stylistic approach that has not been practiced in the region.
“But it doesn’t 100 per cent follow the international movement. It responded to regional needs.”
Some of these buildings include Dubai World Trade Centre; Zabeel School for Girls; the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Deira; and the now-demolished Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital on Al Wasl Road.
The hospital, for example, was built in the early 1980s near where City Walk is today. Ahli says it was designed by British architect John Harris — the man behind the famous Dubai World Trade Centre — as a one-storey building constructed around courtyards.
“It resembled a traditional house and was very sensitive to the region,” says Ahli. Photographs taken before it was demolished several years ago show a low-rise building sympathetic to the environment with palm trees providing greenery and shade in the peaceful open-air areas.
These buildings, according to Ahli, should be considered as much a part of Dubai’s modern heritage as older coral stone buildings and wind towers. As well as architectural significance, they also act as a bridge between the different generations in Dubai and provide a sense of what is local in a globalised world.
“Those buildings have memories,” she says. “Older people saw them being built and contributed to their construction whether through investment or other ways. Then our generation used them. I went ice skating at the Hyatt Regency. Now the new generation sees them, but they don’t know what they are. So this architecture bridges the gap.”
There has been a sharp increase in interest over the past few years in the country’s older buildings. Restoration projects such as the Heart of Sharjah, Abu Dhabi’s Qasr Al Hosn, Sharjah Art Foundation’s rejuvenation of the Flying Saucer and the current project to restore Dubai’s Al Fahidi Fort have all helped to raise awareness about the country’s rich architectural heritage.
In Abu Dhabi, the Modern Heritage initiative aims to safeguard its architectural history, and in 2018, Dubai Municipality launched one of its own. Books such as Building Sharjah, edited by Sultan Al Qassemi and Todd Reisz have also helped.
Ahli also believes in not only preserving buildings, but adapting them for today's world. She points to the restoration of Union House in Dubai — where the documents to form the UAE were signed in 1971 — as a good example of how an old building can be adapted for today’s world. And as projects manager at Dubai Culture, one of her current priorities is rehabilitating the Zabeel School for Girls building. It closed in 2010 and articles and a documentary about its history helped to save it.
Questions will always be asked about the fate of older buildings, but for Ahli, many of these modernist buildings were later demolished because people didn’t understand how important they were in telling the urban history of the city.
“I feel it is my responsibility as an Emirati to preserve rather than build; and to find new uses rather than construct new buildings. We need to make a conscious decision before building new things.
“I’m not against building new things, but we need to look at what worked in the past. Architecture doesn’t fail people, but people can sometimes fail architecture.”
The Arrival of Late Modernism in Dubai takes place at NYUAD Institute on Wednesday at 6.30pm. The talk is open to the public. More information is at www.nyuad.nyu.edu
'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
SUCCESSION%20SEASON%204%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreated%20by%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJesse%20Armstrong%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Brian%20Cox%2C%20Jeremy%20Strong%2C%20Kieran%20Culkin%2C%20Sarah%20Snook%2C%20Nicholas%20Braun%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
OPENING FIXTURES
Saturday September 12
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Fulham v Arsenal
Liverpool v Leeds United
Tottenham v Everton
West Brom v Leicester
West Ham v Newcastle
Monday September 14
Brighton v Chelsea
Sheffield United v Wolves
To be rescheduled
Burnley v Manchester United
Manchester City v Aston Villa
