UAE to host architecture summit

The Bin Rayeh Tower in Al Ain Abu Dhabi - Arabstoday An international conference on localised architecture will be held at the Al Qattara Arts Centre in Al Ain next week. The three-day conference, which begins on Monday, is being hosted by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. The annual summit on vernacular architecture - design based on localised needs and construction materials, reflecting local traditions - is being held in an Arab country for the first time. The theme is "Sense of Place in a Heritage of Vernacular Buildings amid a Fast-Changing Environment" and related topics will be discussed by experts and organisations presenting research papers. The annual meeting of the International Committee of Vernacular will be held on the sidelines of the conference. The committee is an affiliate of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, which specialises in issues related to vernacular architecture, the concepts behind it and the best ways to protect it. The council is also organising an international camp for documenting vernacular architecture until Saturday. Twenty student architects and professionals from around the world are taking part in the event, which is being held at Camp Vernadoc, one of Al Ain's historical buildings. They comprise of ten UAE nationals representing government institutions and ten from other countries. The participants will document vernacular buildings in Al Ain in architectural drawings, which will then be displayed as part of a special exhibition at the Al Qattara Arts Centre.