CASE STUDY GOLDEN BEACH
In studying these fishing villages, Burt Hill learned that the density of the buildings and the low building height allowed residents to sense the gradual movement in space from narrow passageways to larger piazzas. Above all, it inspired a sense of discovery within the space. This sense of discovery would be a key element in creating a resort that was truly transformational. In addition to studying Fujairah’s fishing tradition, the Burt Hill design team took a deeper look at the city and its land formation. The city is a composition of several mountain chains and a dramatic coastline along the Arabian Sea. This blend was the inspiration behind designing a cascading or ‘stepped’ building rather than building a Dubai-like high-rise tower, which had the potential to disrupt the city’s natural context. The cascaded terraces resemble the stepping of the mountains at the background of the site and create a link between the soaring mountain chain and the beach front. Accordingly, the vision began to take form with the idea of a stepping fishing village. By stepping, we were able to use
Draft after draft of concept sketches allowed Burt Hill to design the right combination of low-density and contextual architecture
www.constructionweekonline.com | 03.09 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT
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