Al Falaj: Water Systems of the Gulf’s Oases
الأفلاج: أنظمة المياه في واحات الخليج
Illustrations by Nadine Ghandour
Al Falaj, the Arabic term used to describe the water channels commonly found across the Arabian Peninsula, once stretched across the UAE.
Mainly intended for life and settlements to arise in the otherwise harsh desert climate, the native water irrigation system spans kilometers, subtracting underground water sources to the surface by excavating and building a complex network of tunnels, vertical shafts and channels.
A collaboration between Cultural Engineering and Case Design, the material exhibited was a result of research conducted across the UAE. The exhibition was initially envisioned for the UAE’s pavilion in London Design Biennale’s “Utopia by Design” theme in 2016.
Other editions of the exhibition included collaborations with Allies and Morrison in UK (2017) and Civil Architecture in Bahrain (2018).
Falaj channels in Al Ain - 2016. Video and photos by Jonatas Barros.
London Design Biennale 2016 photos courtesy of Case Design.
Sheikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa Center for Culture and Research 2018 photos courtesy of Dilmuni Couple, Civil Architecture and Jonatas Barros.
