Wide government representation

The meeting brought together representatives from the Sharjah Architecture Triennial, Sharjah Institute for Heritage, the Directorate of Town Planning and Survey, the Authority for Initiatives Implementation and Infrastructure Development "Mubadara", Sharjah Art Foundation and the Department of Public Works, along with the municipalities of Sharjah, Al Hamriyah, Dhaid, Al Bataeh, Al Madam, Mleiha, Kalba, Dibba Al Hisn and Khor Fakkan.

Setting a cooperation framework

During its founding meeting, the committee discussed a proposed framework for cooperation between the relevant government entities and mechanisms for coordinating efforts to protect and preserve modern architectural heritage in the emirate. The aim is to safeguard Sharjah's cultural and historical identity, reinforce its standing in this field, and raise public awareness of the importance of architectural heritage.

Grounded in national policy

The committee's work is based on the National Policy for the Preservation of Modern Architectural Heritage, approved by the Ministry of Culture last year to establish a comprehensive national vision for protecting and preserving modern architectural heritage as a core part of national identity and the country's tangible cultural heritage.

A comprehensive protection framework

The committee will develop an integrated framework for protecting the emirate's modern architectural heritage, covering strategies, policies and legislation to preserve culturally significant buildings and sites, as well as their inventory, documentation and classification. It will also encourage the sustainable reuse and rehabilitation of culturally important buildings, restoring these sites to their urban, community and cultural functions by reactivating them as living spaces that accommodate contemporary uses without losing their architectural memory or historical character.

Building on Sharjah Art Foundation's legacy

The committee's formation, overseen by Sharjah Art Foundation, extends Sharjah's long-running vision and the many projects completed across the emirate's cities to preserve and revive examples of modern architectural heritage as an active part of Sharjah's urban and cultural fabric. These projects have gone beyond restoration, seeking to rehabilitate buildings and give them new functions as spaces for art, culture, learning and community engagement.

Such efforts have included a number of buildings and sites, among them the Flying Saucer building, the Kalba Ice Factory, the Al Hamriyah Studios, the Bank Street Building, the Photography Arcade (formerly the Telecommunications Building), the old Dhaid Clinic, the Dhaid Art House, Al Qasimiyah School, Khalid bin Mohammed School and the old Al Jubail Market.