Nour Rouhana
architecture Barch
American University in Dubai
Graduates: 2020
Specialisms: Architecture / Sustainable Design / Modelmaking
My location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Nour Rouhana
First Name: Nour
Last Name: Rouhana
University / College: American University in Dubai
Course / Program: architecture Barch
Graduates: 2020
Specialisms: Architecture / Sustainable Design / Modelmaking
My Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Website: Click To See Website
About
I am an architect who enjoys integrating the intangible environmental elements into my concepts and designs. More than anything, I am committed to expanding architecture into various creative fields and involving it into our human physical and metaphysical experiences.
Post globalization and rapid development, the UAE lost its identity to westernization and is, bit by bit, burying its roots on the expense of local architecture. Consequently, ancient structures, such as fortifications, are being alienated. Having served their purpose of protection in the past, it is their time to be celebrated and embraced today. Coalescence is a ‘recreational cultural hub’ that aims to strengthen the existence of heritage in the UAE by highlighting the historic fortifications at the top of the Dhayah mountain. Located in Ras Al Khaimah, the site is exposed to four different landscapes: gulf, mangroves, mountain range, and desert, all of which influence the architecture. Being disconnected from the urban fabric and from the views, Dhayah mountain is used as a tool to build this connection, physically and non-physically, between the forts (heritage) and their surrounding (the city). The project is comprised of multiple masses inserted within the mountain, housing different activities that relate back to heritage; pearl diving, bird watching, and mountain climbing are among such activities. The aim to learn and practice what local ancestors did for a living is a way to rejuvenate the past and surface it back to our present and future.