The Archive Safa Park

“About five years ago we were looking at old building in Dubai - Every project we take on is for repurposing. The recycling notion is constantly on our minds in all our projects. There is a sense of tradition and a nostalgic desire to connect with the past. So, I went to Safa Park anting to restore the large arcade building, but the park authorities told us that we must consider a building in the park that is no longer in use. Ahmed and I found this building and recognized that it resembles the Louis Kahn design of the Kimbell Art Museum. We took on the project, wanting to turn the building into a community center. We retained the core structure, and beautiful arches. We wanted to leave the slab and expose the columns. We wanted the Joinary to disappear. We designed the building with a team of freelance architects. We also worked with Sara, who brings a background in book curating, because we wanted to create a community library, and activate the public realm around the park. Safa Park now holds a market, yoga classes, bird watching expeditions, and Arabic classes - all new attractions to the Park without which few would go”