Water Front Housing Complex, Graduation Project by Farah Alshami

AQUA Waterfront Housing Complex Located in Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi

Farah Alshami

How can the city of Abu Dhabi accommodate a sustainable housing that is suitable for its context?

Project Description A Waterfront Housing Complex that will transform an industrial, commercial, and historical waterfront , and anchor historical practices. Creating unified society that achieve a self-sufficienct cycle, through living and working in the same space and practicing UAE’s traditional activities, lifestyle, and culture.

Objectives +

= Participatory Community

Live

Work

01

Creating a socially engaged community

<

03 Considering the social aspects of the chosen site.

Before Museums

02

After Real living spaces

Creating real spaces to practice cultural activities

04 Intergrating cultural and industrial aspects through living and working in the same space.

Chosen Site The project’s location is in mina Zayed in Abu Dhabi, right next to the dhows harbour where the lanshes settle. This zone is highly known for its rich historical transition, as well as its traditional manufacture of gargoor nets as its identified mostly in this region in particular.

Context Typology Abu Dhabi’s 2030 vision supported the opportunity of mid density housing, with enough retail and commercial space to serve local demand only. High residential density in the city is shifted towards the northeast and that’s to encycle the water edge.

Site Photo Montage

Derived from Context The project aims to define the traditional clustering of housing and translate neighborhoods of Emirati villages. To reflect on the dwellings of the Arab Emirates and formulate a modern paradigm for the modern century. Imitating the traditional sails, which gives an opportunity to transformation a conventional solid land to a floating existence in harmony with the sea. The proposed concept is derived from the fishing tool: Gargoor, its ephemeral nature influenced many design ideas.

Concrete

How did the fishing tool Gargoor inspire an architectural approach?

Circulation tube

Screen

Shading Device

Double Skin

Outdoor Furniture

Green House

Design Concept The sea waves movement with the wind direction inspired a major water canal idea, that could create a floating effect to resemble the UAE’s sea culture. Letting the environment and the contextual data design the project.

Form Derivation - morphology

01.

02.

03.

04.

05.

06.

07.

08.

Vertical Circulation Study The core is spread around through the building, to maximize the experience of circulation and engage users to communicate with each other when circulating in the building.

Elevators Staircases

Vertical Landmark Massing Exploration

Landscape Parti

04 Minor Canals

01Fishing Grounds

03 Promenade

02 Amphitheater

05 Outdoor Cinema

4 25 m 0 0 2

m

Site Plan

Med-Density 580 people Total site area 55,494 m2

A

D

D

B

B

C

C

A

Ground floor Plan

Ground floor plan (House of Pearls Zone)

Ground floor plan

(House of Artisans Zone)

First floor plan

(House of Pearls Zone)

First floor plan

(House of Artisans Zone)

A

D

D

B

B C

C

4th Floor plan

A 0

10

50

100

A

Basement Plan

B

B

Units - Modules types

A

Total amount of units is 140

01 Studio

02 One Bedroom

03 Two Bedrooms

Section A-A

Section B-B

0

5

10

15

20

Section C-C

Section D-D Perforated roof structural analysis and fixation system

Aluminum Sheet

Glazing

Steel Rod Diagonal Steel beam Structural Steel beam Aluminum Sheet

Western South Elevation

Eastern South Elevation

Northen West Elevation

Eastern North Elevation

Pedestrian bridge structural analysis Recyled plastic panels

Interlocking diagonal spiral steel structure

Structural steel ribs Metal bracing

Arched trusses slab structure RCC V columns Nodes

Semi helix arch vehicle bridge

Semi helix arched beam

High strength steel cables

pre-cast concrete slab segments keyed together and post tensioned, formed a cambered structure that is topped with a pre-cast concrete plank road deck.

Thick RCC columns

Diagrid Curtain Wall Raised Floor

Diagrid Node

Suspended Ceiling

Diagonal Bracing Member

Structural Beam Fire Damper Horizontal bracing ring (major floor beam)

Triangular Glass Panel

Farah Alshami