Architect Sandra Piesik portrays contemporary view of palm leaf’s future

London is hosting the first European exhibition to celebrate the date palm leaf’s pivotal role in the United Arab Emirates’ traditional architecture with the ground-breaking event being co-sponsored by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.

The exhibition, ‘Arish: Palm Leaf Architecture in the United Arab Emirates’ runs at the Royal Geographic Society in London until May 5 and celebrates the palm’s influence on Arabian architecture, following the publication of a book devoted to the subject by architect and author Sandra Piesik.

Piesik’s book ‘Arish: Palm Leaf Architecture’ explores the modern use of palm leaves and conveys the 7,000-year history of palm leaf buildings through historical photographs and other sources.

“Inspiration for the exhibition came from my desire to find out more about Emirati culture. There’s amazing knowledge about the Middle East’s ancient civilisation which I felt was important to capture,” says Sandra Piesik, Director and Architect at London’s 3 Ideas Limited.  

Under the patronage of His Excellency Abdul Rahman Ghanem Al Mutaiwee, the UAE Ambassador to the United Kingdom, with guest participation from Dr Anne Coles and Alexander Maitland, the official biographer of the late British explorer Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed the UAE’s Empty Quarter (Rub Al Khali) desert in the 1940s, ‘Arish: Palm-Leaf Architecture’ presents a contemporary view on the future of the Arabian Gulf’s most renewable and locally-available building resource.

“The palm leaf plays a vital part in the history of Abu Dhabi and, indeed the UAE as a whole. Given the Authority’s remit to promote and leverage the culture of our emirate, it is apt that it has got fully behind this unique event,” saidNabeel Al Zarouni, UK Country Manager for Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.

“We host an annual festival in Abu Dhabi, the Liwa Date Festival, which celebrates the unique contribution palm trees and dates have made to our history, and it’s a marvellous moment to see its part in our heritage presented at this exhibition. We hope it will inspire many more travellers to visit our emirate,” Al Zarouni adds.

The exhibition also includes early 20th century photographs of buildings and sites on the Arabian Peninsula taken from The Royal Geographical Society’s (including The Institute of British Geographers) photographic collection.

“The exhibition is a great use of The Royal Geographical Society’s public space and demonstrates incredible imagination and creativity,” says David Riviere, Head of Finance and Services at the Royal Geographical Society.

Entry to ‘Arish: Palm Leaf Architecture in the United Arab Emirates’  is free. Other event  sponsors include Etihad Airways, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in London, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and The British Foundation for the Study of Arabia.

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About Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority conserves and promotes the heritage and culture of Abu Dhabi emirate and leverages them in the development of a world-class, sustainable destination of distinction which enriches the lives of visitors and residents alike. The authority manages the emirate's tourism sector and markets the destination internationally through a wide range of activities aimed at attracting visitors and investment. Its policies, plans and programmes relate to the preservation of heritage and culture, including protecting archaeological and historical sites and to developing museums, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The authority supports intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events to nurture a rich cultural environment and honour the emirate's heritage. A key authority role is to create synergy in the destination's development through close co-ordination with its wide-ranging stakeholder base.