With the rapid urbanisation of Abu Dhabi island, old buildings were lost in space and time. But in areas of greater Abu Dhabi such as Al Shahama, such buildings still dominate the urban landscape, hinting that the area’s character changed only a little since its first development.
This commercial strip, captured by Hussain Al Moosawi in 2015, was developed by the Department of Social Services and Commercial Buildings in the 1980s. The buildings were first painted in blue and white. With time, some were refurbished in different colours, adding visual diversity to the strip parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road (E10). These buildings are slowly being demolished and replaced with taller ones. All photos Hussain Al Moosawi / The National
