In the last week of October we went on a trip to the United Arab Emirates, which was the main prize of the Grand Prix Tubądzin Design Awards 2020. The travel programme was jam packed with attractions. We planned on seeing many fantastic places in the UAE. We had a chance to get to know the many faces of this country, both from the perspective of architecture, as well as from the point of view of its history and culture.
Źródło: Tubądzin
On the first day, we visited the most characteristic places in Dubai: the artificially created island in the shape of a palm tree on the coast of the Arabian Sea, the recently built viewpoint The Dubai Frame, from which you can see both the old and the new part of Dubai. We saw the sun set from the terrace of Burj Khalif and a wonderful show of fountains.
The trip to the capitol of the country, Abu Dhabi, was incredible. There, we visited the awesome Palace Qasr Al Watan.
We saw the mosque of Sheikh Zajid and also the prestigious buildings of the Etihad Towers. The Louvre, designed by Jean Nouvel, stole our hearts. The simple shapes sunk in the Arabian Sea, covered with its characteristic blue dome, through which the sunrays burst. All of it made a huge impression on us.
An important element of our trip was a visit to Masdar City, described as the first fully ecological city. Our attention was drawn to the specific shapes of the architecture, using pro-ecological solutions. Much was linked to the traditional ways of building, adjusted to the local climate. We remember the famous autonomic vehicles. During our visit, we didn’t see many people in the area. The city is still unfinished, right now, only a small part is ready, but it is worth a visit. The discussion about architecture caring for our climate is very important.
The final point of our programme was the trip to the EXPO, which obviously, we started from visiting the Polish pavilion. In order to see the entire exhibition, one would probably need at least another week 😊. The huge project was realized despite the pandemic.
Meeting the Middle Eastern culture was new experience for us, many things surprised us. From our guides, who have lived in UAE for many years, we found out about many interesting things. Each and every day was very rich in impressions, which will stay with us for a very long time. Firstly, the modern architecture of Dubai impressed us. It has unmatched high-rises and an unlimited array of attractions for tourists. On the one hand, Dubai seems to be very rich, but on the other, it also has poor areas. We were impressed by the dynamic development of the country. Particularly the short period of time needed to build the world’s largest buildings in the dessert. This fast growth would not have been possible, had it not been for the arrival of expats, which found work in UAE and played a huge part in the development of the country.
The trip was full of experiences, emotions and flavors. The discussions we had about culture and everyday life in UAE were very eye-opening. We saw designs from the world famous architects like Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid and Jean Nouvel. Many thanks to the Tubądzin Group for giving us the opportunity to go on this inspiring trip together 😊
Autorzy: Marta i Łukasz Gąska
Marta Sowińska-Gąska – Architect. In 2017 she graduated with honors from the Poznan University of Technology – Architecture. Her final project, for the Pediatric Hospital, was nominated for an award by the city of Poznań. She is a winner of many competitions, including the International Velux Award 2016: Daylight in buildings in Eastern Europe & Middle East and the Young Architect Builder 2016: concept project of arranging the Narutowicza square in Łuków. She has been working as an architect since 2014. In 2018 she co-created Gąska Studio.
Łukasz Gąska – Architect. In 2017 he graduated with honors from the Poznan University of Technology – Architecture. His final project was nominated for the Young Talent Architecture Award 2018 from the Mies van der Rohe foundation. He is the winner of many competitions, such as the International Velux Award 2016: Daylight in buildings in Eastern Europe & Middle East and the Young Architect Builder 2016: concept project of arranging the city center of the city of Gniezno. In 2018 he won the Grand Prix Tubądzin Design Award. He has been working as an architect since 2014. In 2018 he co-created Gąska Studio.
