ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores and documents the urban history of Abu Dhabi and deals with the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan area, which lies within the Capital region. It examines the history of the Al Hosn Palace, analyses aspects of British policymaking, and presents a window into the socio-economic conditions of Abu Dhabi. The book highlights the rulers’ visions during each period, seeking to understand how the various visions and decisions affected the development process in Abu Dhabi, including how the experts’ plans iteratively and cumulatively affected urban form. It looks at the sudden transformation of Abu Dhabi from a provincial desert backwater to a green, modern city. The book reviews the emergence of new real estate development companies that pushed ambitious plans of varying scales for new construction and redevelopment in Abu Dhabi, following the 2005 change in real estate and property law.
