ABSTRACT
As the oil rich cities of the Gulf continue to grow and develop, many governments have taken steps to diversify their economies through real estate development, global tourism, financial services, and industrial production. This chapter features a historical and urban overview of the industrial areas in the Emirate of Sharjah as well as design research carried out by an undergraduate architecture studio at the American University of Sharjah. It describes architectural and infrastructural strategies for the transformation of Sharjah’s industrial districts into repurposed sites that are able to support a more equitable urban environment based on Sennett’s definition of an ‘open city’. Sharjah’s industrial areas are largely made up of large warehouse buildings; low-rise housing blocks; linear commercial strips along major roads; and unbuilt lots. The student work outlines the ways in which the industrial areas have the potential to become models for mixed-use, urban development while maintaining the physical infrastructure of the modernist city.
