The Facts
On September 10, 2026, Sharjah Art Foundation announced the formation of the Committee for the Preservation of Modern Architectural Heritage in the Emirate of Sharjah. The inaugural meeting, led by Sheikha Nawar bint Ahmed Al Qasimi, was held at The Flying Saucer, a repurposed modern heritage building. The committee will develop strategies, policies, and legislation for classifying and protecting modern architectural sites, following the UAE Ministry of Culture's National Policy for the Preservation of Modern Architectural Heritage. Members include representatives from the Sharjah Architecture Triennial, Sharjah Institute for Heritage, Department of Town Planning and Survey, Sharjah Art Foundation, Department of Public Works, and municipalities across the emirate.
The Signal
The initiative formalizes Sharjah's long-standing practice of restoring and adaptively reusing modern heritage buildings as cultural venues, including The Flying Saucer, Kalba Ice Factory, and Al Hamriyah Studios. This institutional coordination signals a shift from project-by-project preservation to a systematic, policy-driven approach, which could become a model for other Gulf emirates. For collectors and institutions tracking the region, this effort reinforces the value of modern architecture in the UAE as a tangible cultural asset, potentially increasing interest in conservation-adjacent art and design practices.
- People: Sheikha Nawar bint Ahmed Al Qasimi, Hoor Al Qasimi, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi
- Museums: Sharjah Art Foundation
- Locations: Sharjah
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