Elsheshtawy...
accounts describe it as being as “old as Abu Dhabi, an intrinsic part of the city.”^2 However, the sense of a curiosity pre-
vailed. This was further amplified by the very fact that such a market, with its chaotic appearance, would not fit with
the neat and orderly image that officials wanted to project. Plans for renewal and removal were under consideration
for some time, but it wasn’t until 2002 that authorities finally decided to build a new market in “traditional Arab and
Islamic design.”^3
REBUILDING THE MARKET: THE ORIGINAL VISION
This initial announcement, and subsequently the proposed replacement, did not seek a radical departure from the
existing layout. Initially, Abu Dhabi Municipality awarded the project for the new market to the Arab Engineering Bu-
reau (AEB). Architects at the firm were quick to affirm the historical character of the souq. Aside from these historical
musings, the project in the initial stages was still viewed in mostly humanistic terms: the small, intimate scale would be
retained; it was contrasted with the high-rise towers and so on.
Until the market’s actual demolition in 2005, a series of newspaper articles
periodically documented shopkeepers’ and shoppers’ moods, eliciting reac-
tions and more or less playing into a notion of loss: that Abu Dhabi was los-
ing a “historical landmark.” Plans for the project or images, were never made
public. Ultimately, the original proposal was scrapped and a competition was
held for a larger scheme. The winning design by Jordanian architect Rasim
Badran shows a three-story inward oriented structure, in addition to a five-
story building. The project displays a cultural sensibility by incorporating ele-
ments of what is considered Gulf-Arab architecture.
THE NEW VISION
The project was put on hold, and no significant effort at demolition took place. In 2004, after the death of Shaykh Zayid,
President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, the capital embarked on a significant construction effort, entering a new
phase of urbanization. Among the many development players entering the scene was the government-owned developer
al-Dar. They replaced the municipality as the principal developer for the site. Things moved quickly once the replace-
ment was made, resulting in an announcement of the cancellation of the previous scheme, a complete reworking of the
design and the issuance of eviction notices for shopkeepers. This process was made more urgent by a fire that partially
destroyed the souq. A site visit by the author prior to demolition show the souq still active with significant commercial
activities (Figure 2). The area was finally demolished on March 2, 2005.
- K. Daniel, “Bazaar Buzz: The old world charm of Hamdan Souk in Abu Dhabi makes shopping a pleasure,” Gulf News, June
17, 2002, p. 16. - “Designs underway to build new market in Abu Dhabi: Central Souq to be replaced with a new facility in traditional Arab
and Islamic design.” Gulf News, December 29, 2002, p. 4.
Figure 2: The central market prior to demolition