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Wind towers in the Bastakia Quarter of Old Dubai. Getty Images
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Wind towers, such as these beside Dubai Creek, were a traditional form of air conditioning. Razan Alzayani / The National
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Dubai Creek in 1959 or 1960 with wind towers, which worked by drawing in air to cool warm rooms beneath. Photo: Crown Copyright Images
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Winds towers are still effective today as a form of air conditioning. Pawan Singh / Abu Dhabi Media Company
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Powered air conditioning in the form of unit conditioners, such as these, were among the first to arrive in the Gulf. Ryan Carter / The National
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Some early conditioners were not installed properly and one in Dubai blew cool air out to the garden and hot air inside. Lee Hoagland / The National.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/75I3G7K3THVWG6K4R7VJHJE334.jpg?smart=true&auth=c247195553929c612cb3608fa564e7ee3785a8f11b6ae81ece492df76e91175d&width=400&height=225)
Today cooling a room is as simple as pushing a button. The National
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Air-conditioning units are a part of virtually every building in the UAE. Sarah Dea / The National
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Even streetside bus shelters are air conditioned. Nicole Hill / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/63J2DEZYKVHUHIAUUCJPNYWTGI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e185cba472d31a9860d28c367b213df7a3b8eef3877763d8970c14cc4365824a&width=400&height=225)
In some accommodation in Al Satwa area in 2008, many rooms had no windows, with a single light bulb as the only source of light, yet air conditioning was available in most units. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/F7J3IBFEPBFWVGEA47YBN7JTVU.jpg?smart=true&auth=5946cc50dc7adcac427fc913015a4836d8b5173f4625a38cc39a111fd35a3ec7&width=400&height=225)
Wind towers in the Bastakia Quarter of Old Dubai. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RZFDXE4JBLZYJFGSEE2RONNSXY.jpg?smart=true&auth=65971ff881a420437d9c4b85b266796312c78d054522fc2478d02a2183d3955e&width=400&height=225)
Wind towers, such as these beside Dubai Creek, were a traditional form of air conditioning. Razan Alzayani / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YU6I2T4L2KRAUYYTLANP3KFK2M.jpg?smart=true&auth=db7a4c68b8b39f7b5692f0370a94ebe247c91d60a0e7e06ae6be1c8ef1e67e7d&width=400&height=225)
Dubai Creek in 1959 or 1960 with wind towers, which worked by drawing in air to cool warm rooms beneath. Photo: Crown Copyright Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HSVGHNUB64XKLH7FNEV2QPGGJI.jpg?smart=true&auth=a5ac4f7753ea255edfed63e9946d996d48c5322bb3cef1123716969e60f51490&width=400&height=225)
Winds towers are still effective today as a form of air conditioning. Pawan Singh / Abu Dhabi Media Company
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/X5UOG6Y3ABB75OMMUYDPZZXGEE.jpg?smart=true&auth=6124e4df3eb417d6918f04bdbdb1577ffe26e7c919a40a825be7ff5b85e4bbb2&width=400&height=225)
Powered air conditioning in the form of unit conditioners, such as these, were among the first to arrive in the Gulf. Ryan Carter / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PBBU27LAZBPHPJSCX6I6JEDGOM.jpg?smart=true&auth=28d3043a3a200af873eb6c0b9a0e14fd7b5f3317a7b9be6f2a85771fe36cf3cc&width=400&height=225)
Some early conditioners were not installed properly and one in Dubai blew cool air out to the garden and hot air inside. Lee Hoagland / The National.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/75I3G7K3THVWG6K4R7VJHJE334.jpg?smart=true&auth=c247195553929c612cb3608fa564e7ee3785a8f11b6ae81ece492df76e91175d&width=400&height=225)
Today cooling a room is as simple as pushing a button. The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2Q6I277XSDSRNEHHSLUIITISGY.jpg?smart=true&auth=68b1f780d85390f2d70f1ec3f9c923bbbcc96f62c1998ada73ab65655f73686a&width=400&height=225)
Air-conditioning units are a part of virtually every building in the UAE. Sarah Dea / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XD2N2NI42R27TAKO3MI34BGGJE.jpg?smart=true&auth=bef18d158c7bb385b82c4b1bd6b5e8b722ec7edb88d83636eb7e11ca425b9b70&width=400&height=225)
Even streetside bus shelters are air conditioned. Nicole Hill / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/63J2DEZYKVHUHIAUUCJPNYWTGI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e185cba472d31a9860d28c367b213df7a3b8eef3877763d8970c14cc4365824a&width=400&height=225)
In some accommodation in Al Satwa area in 2008, many rooms had no windows, with a single light bulb as the only source of light, yet air conditioning was available in most units. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/F7J3IBFEPBFWVGEA47YBN7JTVU.jpg?smart=true&auth=5946cc50dc7adcac427fc913015a4836d8b5173f4625a38cc39a111fd35a3ec7&width=400&height=225)
Wind towers in the Bastakia Quarter of Old Dubai. Getty Images
How air conditioning changed life in the Gulf
Early devices, often haphazardly installed, could be basic. But chilled air brought with it an economic and social boom
![James Langton](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F59aec61e-41b3-468c-8a69-57168338145b.png?smart=true&auth=20537dd68c837a65707d347b248e74bad34b378390f02a7be13b68d756185b99&width=70&height=70)
James Langton
27 May, 2022
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