The creation of the Sha'bi houses began as "Zayed's gift to the people" to provide modern housing and living standards for the Emaratis. A Bait Sha’bi is ‘a house for the people’ which was designed and constructed in a standardized method in urban settlements, thus urbanizing the country and ensuring the formation of the union.
Emirati Housing
By the 1960’s, the region of the Emirates witnessed a surge in rural migration due to economic and social progressions in its main towns and cities. Major resettlement programs were needed, to house the influx of Bedouin and rural families. In 1969, Sheikh Zayed embarked on the first housing program in the Western region of Abu Dhabi, and developed the new towns of Madinat Zayed, Bida Al Mudawa, and Ghaydia. The new towns were mainly composed of Sha’bi (social) housing supported by schools, clinics, and mosques. (1)
The increased income from exporting oil facilitated the government to develop an advanced welfare state where each citizen could be granted subsidized housing, free healthcare, education, and other social benefits. (2)
And by 1971, following the unification of the Emirates into the UAE, the effort to provide modern housing and amenities for the population was to not be restricted to major cities such as Abu Dhabi. Throughout the different emirates, government housing was to be constructed and allocated to the rural families. (1)
The building department in the Municipality (?) was allocated the task to develop the residential neighborhoods. Not only were they responsible for delivering the design and construction of the dwelling units, but also had to plan and implement the roads, sewage systems, and civic amenities within them.
These houses represent a different side of Architecture in the UAE, a more modest vanishing scale of architecture. Here we look at the remnants of a disappearing housing typology, one of a generation ago. The principles and rationale of design are to be overviewed, revealing relevant lessons to housing design today.