• The newly launched Sharjah Art Foundation space at the Flying Saucer building.
    The newly launched Sharjah Art Foundation space at the Flying Saucer building.
  • The building’s design is distinctive for its Brutalist influences and unusual appearance against the backdrop of downtown Sharjah.
    The building’s design is distinctive for its Brutalist influences and unusual appearance against the backdrop of downtown Sharjah.
  • Sharjah Art Foundation acquired the building in 2012 when it was still a chicken shop and began making renovations to restore its original form.
    Sharjah Art Foundation acquired the building in 2012 when it was still a chicken shop and began making renovations to restore its original form.
  • Artwork by Lindsay Seers and Keith Sargent titled Nowhere Less Now 3 [flying saucer] at the newly launched Sharjah Art Foundation space, at the Flying Saucer.
    Artwork by Lindsay Seers and Keith Sargent titled Nowhere Less Now 3 [flying saucer] at the newly launched Sharjah Art Foundation space, at the Flying Saucer.
  • Metallic silver sheets hang from the dome to house a film installation.
    Metallic silver sheets hang from the dome to house a film installation.
  • Large-scale sculptures resembling reef balls and dolos encircle the space. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Large-scale sculptures resembling reef balls and dolos encircle the space. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • In the coming weeks, SAF has prepared a programme of film screenings, workshops and events in order to bring the community into the space.
    In the coming weeks, SAF has prepared a programme of film screenings, workshops and events in order to bring the community into the space.
  • The buildings new 'launch pad' includes the ‘green crater’, a sunken circular courtyard that lets in light from above.
    The buildings new 'launch pad' includes the ‘green crater’, a sunken circular courtyard that lets in light from above.
  • The building also has a cafe, a public art library – the first of its kind in the emirate.
    The building also has a cafe, a public art library – the first of its kind in the emirate.
  • It also has enclosed pods to be used for meetings, workshops and other activities.
    It also has enclosed pods to be used for meetings, workshops and other activities.
  • It has staged workshops on calligraphy, photography, drawing and tile art.
    It has staged workshops on calligraphy, photography, drawing and tile art.
  • The workshops are all free and open to the public, though online registration is required. Antonie Robertson / The National
    The workshops are all free and open to the public, though online registration is required. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A close up look at the work on show at the Flying Saucer. Antonie Robertson / The National
    A close up look at the work on show at the Flying Saucer. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • The building's modifications, led by SAF and Mona El Mousfy of SpaceContinuum Design Studio, were also made to accommodate the 2015 exhibition 1980-Today: Exhibitions . Antonie Robertson / The National
    The building's modifications, led by SAF and Mona El Mousfy of SpaceContinuum Design Studio, were also made to accommodate the 2015 exhibition 1980-Today: Exhibitions . Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Among the new building additions is an underground community art space named Launch Pad, built underneath the structure and platform. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Among the new building additions is an underground community art space named Launch Pad, built underneath the structure and platform. Antonie Robertson / The National

First look: Sharjah's Flying Saucer reopens to the public as art space – in pictures


Alexandra Chaves
  • English
  • Arabic

After opening in 1978, Sharjah's Flying Saucer has lived many lives over many years – cafe, grocery store, fast food restaurant. Last Saturday, it reopened after a two-year renovation as an art and community space run by the Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF).

The building’s design is distinctive for its Brutalist influences and unusual appearance against the backdrop of downtown Sharjah. The circular structure has a star-shaped canopy that gives it a space-age look, along with a seven-metre-high dome that sits on top of a ring of eight columns. Its panoramic facade is supported by V-shaped pillars.

SAF acquired the building in 2012 and began making renovations to restore its original form. This included removing inner partitions and a false ceiling that had been added in earlier years, additions that obscured the view of the dome from the inside.

The Flying Saucer as Sharjah Co-operative Society in the 1990s. Courtesy Sharjah Art Foundation
The Flying Saucer as Sharjah Co-operative Society in the 1990s. Courtesy Sharjah Art Foundation

Previous owners of the building also added aluminum and metal cladding on the canopy, pillars and inside the space, cutting off its 360-degree views. These have now been stripped and the building painted all in white.

Led by SAF and Mona El Mousfy of SpaceContinuum Design Studio, the modifications were initially made to accommodate the 2015 exhibition 1980-Today: Exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates, as part of the UAE National Pavilion for the 56th Venice Biennale. The major renovation project began in 2018.

El Mousfy explains that one of the first things to go was an annex linked to the Flying Saucer, constructed as a kitchen during the time the building was a restaurant. Now, the circular structure stands alone, situated on an elevated platform that will be used as an outdoor space for events and outdoor installations.

The Flying Saucer as Al Maya Lal’s Supermarket in the 1980s. Courtesy Sharjah Art Foundation
The Flying Saucer as Al Maya Lal’s Supermarket in the 1980s. Courtesy Sharjah Art Foundation

In place of the annex is one of the newest major additions, an underground community art space named Launch Pad, built underneath the structure and platform. Its size extends all the way to the edges of the site above ground.

Despite its location, the Launch Pad is bright and airy, thanks to the "green crater", a sunken circular courtyard that lets in light from above, as well as from three skylights installed along the sides of the structure.

The community area also includes a public art library – the first of its kind in the emirate – with publications from the foundation and other regional institutions, including Jameel Arts Centre. Underneath the dome is a wall panel that will be used for film screenings. The acoustics of the space have been considered as well, with speakers embedded into the ceilings to allow for sound to fill the space if needed.

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The Launch Pad features numerous table stations designed for workshops, as well as seating areas that double as spaces for socialising and can also be rearranged for film screenings. It also includes a cafe at one of its entrances, plus enclosed pods and rooms that can be used for meetings, workshops and other activities.

The Flying Saucer itself has become an exhibition space, reopening with an installation by Lindsay Seers and Keith Sargent titled Nowhere Less Now 3 [flying saucer]. Metallic silver sheets hang from the dome to house a film installation, while large-scale sculptures resembling reef balls and dolos encircle the space.

SAF has prepared a programme of film screenings, workshops and events such as poetry readings to take place in the coming weeks, in order to bring the community into the space. Visitors can expect to attend calligraphy, photography, drawing and tile art workshops, which are all free, though prior online registration is required. 

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
What went into the film

25 visual effects (VFX) studios

2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots

1,000 VFX artists

3,000 technicians

10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers

New sound technology, named 4D SRL

 

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

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

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 

Founders: Ines Mena, Claudia Ribas, Simona Agolini, Nourhan Hassan and Therese Hundt

Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure

Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers

Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised

Funders: Oman Technology Fund, 500 Startups, Vision Ventures, Seedstars, Mindshift Capital, Delta Partners Ventures, with support from the OQAL Angel Investor Network and UAE Business Angels

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo hybrid

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 390bhp

Torque: 400Nm

Price: Dh340,000 ($92,579

'Brazen'

Director: Monika Mitchell

Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler

Rating: 3/5