Archnet > Site > Flying Saucer Rehabilitation

1 of 1

<p>Flying Saucer Rehabilitation, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates</p>

<p>The Sharjah Art Foundation acquired and commissioned the complete rehabilitation of the iconic Flying Saucer restaurant, originally built in the 1970s. </p>

<p>The core structure was revealed by removing the grey aluminum cladding on the saucer's pillars and the orange aluminum cladding on its canopy. </p>

<p>The dome rises up to seven meters and was kept in its existing condition - a rough exposed concrete finish. </p>

<p>Two access routes lead to the underground level from the Platform, a newly created public space that replaces the old parking. One of them is the enclosed stairwell placed at the rear of the site towards the gas station.</p>

<p>View of the open stairwell towards Sheikh Zayed Road leading to the underground level dubbed 'The Launch Pad'. </p>

<p>The large 'Green Crater' connects the upper floor to the underground, a.k.a. the 'Launch Pad', flooding it with natural light. </p>

<p>The 'Launch Pad' is a community space that fulfills cultural and social functions with multiple programmes and activities.It fans around the Saucer's faceted retaining walls (here on the left). Along the library wall, long tables and chairs double as working and workshop spaces. </p>

<p>Light flows into the underground floor from the skylight above. </p>

<p>The multipurpose café around which film screenings, workshops, performances and readings can be held. </p>

The Flying Saucer is a 1978 Brutalist-style building that originally housed a café, restaurant, newsstand and gift shop; use of the building changed several times from 1988 onwards. It comprises a star-shaped canopy around a seven-metre dome over a circular arrangement of eight columns and V-shaped pillars. The building was fully restored as a community art space, and a later extension to the building was demolished. The surrounding parking area was excavated for construction of a new underground community space to contain a public art library, a film-screening room, and workspace and social areas; the area above it and surrounding the building has been hardscaped as a public urban plaza.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Flying Saucer Rehabilitation On-site Review Report

Flying Saucer Rehabilitation

Reclaiming the Modern

Salon des Refusés: The Jury Process and Its Casualties

Reimagining Reality

Exemplary Practices

Globalisation 4.0: Inclusive Practices, Processes and Publics

Foreword to Inclusive Architecture

Inclusive Architecture: Aga Khan Award for Architecture

United Arab Emirates

architect/planner

Mona El Mousfy

United Arab Emirates

architect/planner

United Arab Emirates

Sharjah

2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Shortlisted Projects

Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2022 Shortlisted Projects Videos

Aga Khan Award for Architecture On-site Reviewed and Shortlisted Projects 1980-2022

Women in Architecture: The Sites

1945

Site area: 2,490 m²; Built area: 3,114 m²

public/cultural

Aga Khan Award for Architecture Shortlisted Project

The Flying Saucer is a 1978 Brutalist-style building that originally housed a café, restaurant, newsstand and gift shop; use of the building changed several times from 1988 onwards. It comprises a star-shaped canopy around a seven-metre dome over a circular arrangement of eight columns and V-shaped pillars. The building was fully restored as a community art space, and a later extension to the building was demolished. The surrounding parking area was excavated for construction of a new underground community space to contain a public art library, a film-screening room, and workspace and social areas; the area above it and surrounding the building has been hardscaped as a public urban plaza.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

<p>Flying Saucer Rehabilitation, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates</p>

<p>The Sharjah Art Foundation acquired and commissioned the complete rehabilitation of the iconic Flying Saucer restaurant, originally built in the 1970s. </p>

digital photograph

<p>The core structure was revealed by removing the grey aluminum cladding on the saucer's pillars and the orange aluminum cladding on its canopy. </p>

digital photograph

<p>The dome rises up to seven meters and was kept in its existing condition - a rough exposed concrete finish. </p>

digital photograph

<p>Two access routes lead to the underground level from the Platform, a newly created public space that replaces the old parking. One of them is the enclosed stairwell placed at the rear of the site towards the gas station.</p>

digital photograph

<p>View of the open stairwell towards Sheikh Zayed Road leading to the underground level dubbed 'The Launch Pad'. </p>

digital photograph

<p>The large 'Green Crater' connects the upper floor to the underground, a.k.a. the 'Launch Pad', flooding it with natural light. </p>

digital photograph

<p>The 'Launch Pad' is a community space that fulfills cultural and social functions with multiple programmes and activities.It fans around the Saucer's faceted retaining walls (here on the left). Along the library wall, long tables and chairs double as working and workshop spaces. </p>

digital photograph

<p>Light flows into the underground floor from the skylight above. </p>

digital photograph

Flying Saucer Rehabilitation On-site Review Report

Flying Saucer Rehabilitation

Reclaiming the Modern

Salon des Refusés: The Jury Process and Its Casualties

Reimagining Reality

Exemplary Practices

Globalisation 4.0: Inclusive Practices, Processes and Publics

Foreword to Inclusive Architecture

Inclusive Architecture: Aga Khan Award for Architecture

United Arab Emirates

architect/planner

Mona El Mousfy

United Arab Emirates

architect/planner

United Arab Emirates

Sharjah

2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Shortlisted Projects

Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2022 Shortlisted Projects Videos

Aga Khan Award for Architecture On-site Reviewed and Shortlisted Projects 1980-2022

Women in Architecture: The Sites

1945

Site area: 2,490 m²; Built area: 3,114 m²

public/cultural

Aga Khan Award for Architecture Shortlisted Project