ABSTRACT
Now when many foreign architects are receiving commissions in the United Arab Emirates, it is essential to analyze how their designs are influenced, if at all, by the region's culture, environment, and building traditions. This study examines the approach to siting, geometry, construction methods, and material choices in the Dar al Marefa School, constructed by the internationally acclaimed Spanish team of RCR Architects. These Pritzker Prize-winning architects gained renown for their unique design methodology and their built works that are deeply responsive to the history, landscape, and customs of their hometown in the Catalonia region of Spain. The school is one of two completed projects in Dubai by RCR, with three more commissions underway. The first part of the research will examine key formative projects by RCR and their entry into the international scene, according to the theoretical positions of the poetics of construction, material imagination, and place identity. Following this introduction, the primary focus presents the conceptual framework of RCR's design methodology for projects in the UAE and studies the design and construction processes through interviews with the architects and school staff; the in-depth analysis of videos and photographs taken on-site; and unpublished conceptual sketches, details, and geometric diagrams. This framework will be relevant to the analysis of architectural projects produced by other designers operating in situations outside their home base. Ultimately, in emphasizing the importance of regionally specific responsiveness, the dynamics of international construction practices, and communication through geometry and detailing, this study highlights essential issues for professionals and students looking to practice in an increasingly global market.
