If Kengo Kuma were given a blank cheque to design any structure he wanted in Dubai, the starchitect would create a Japanese-style teahouse. “I’m very much interested in the spiritual experience in the desert,” he tells me at the launch of his first UAE project, a high-end residential tower with Dubai’s Al Ghurair Collection that incidentally features teahouse-inspired pavilions on the terraces.
“The desert is where the conversations take place, like a gathering place … like a teahouse.” Considering he’s one of the world’s most celebrated architects, Kuma has done surprisingly little in the region. Some of his most famed structures include Japan National Stadium in Tokyo and the China Academy of Art’s Folk Art Museum in Hangzhou.
Here, he’s designed The St Regis Resort in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea, where he relied heavily on organic shapes and curves, natural materials, neutral hues and designs that minimise impact, including spiral-shaped, coral-inspired villas that offer 360-degree views of the sea stretching towards the horizon.
Apart from that, Kuma’s only other foray in the Gulf has been to create a national pavilion for Qatar at Osaka Expo 2025, featuring white fabric stretched over a scalloped timber structure with several arched openings reminiscent of traditional dhow sails, merging inspiration from Japan’s heritage of wood joinery.
He’s excited about this new project, Kuma tells me at the event, which takes place amid the low-rise villas of Umm Suqeim, at Skooni Arts Foundation & Residence, an event space for creative gatherings.
Kuma is as unimposing as his designs; mild-mannered and softly-spoken, but with a fashionable edge. He wears a sculptural black shirt with sheer sleeves, extra fabric twirling outward in an aesthetic similar to the sketch of the soon-to-be-realised building I’m given when we meet.
Whether or not that detail was intentional remains to be seen, but something about Kuma and his vast portfolio strikes me as being very intentional. “Dubai is kind of a museum of architectural design,” he says when I ask him what he thinks of the city’s structural landscape. “To work here is very exciting for me, because Dubai can show the future of a city.”
Kuma is best known for his philosophy of seamlessly merging nature with architecture, seemingly out of step with Dubai’s penchant for glass-clad modernity. However, in the property sphere, a move towards authenticity and wilderness has been emerging – so perhaps he’s right on time.
“We want to show the dialogue with nature,” he says of Al Ghurair Collection’s first waterfront residence, which is called Wedyan, meaning valleys in Arabic. The 46-storey tower will sit adjacent to Dubai Canal, drawing influence from the movement of water and sand. “We were inspired by the organic shape of the river,” he says. “We tried to find a new solution for the skyscraper in the city. The whole silhouette is very soft, organic, intimate – and people want to be in that kind of soft environment.”
The building will house 149 residences – a mix of three, four and five-bedroom layouts – plus two full-floor penthouses, as well as a three-storey sky villa. Some key elements include a back-of-house kitchen, larger-than-usual suites for live-in housekeepers, window glazing that protects owners’ artworks from UV rays and 65,000 square feet of amenity space that comprises everything from a spa to a podcast studio and boxing facilities.
One of the building’s defining features will be the spacious balconies. “People can feel the wind over the canal and in that kind of environment, we can propose these huge balconies, so natural wind comes through, and it’s totally integrated with nature,” Kuma explains. A handful of the terraces will feature those aforementioned Japanese teahouse-inspired pavilions; a blank space the residents can transform into anything they like, whether for yoga and meditation, a recording studio or their own contemporary art museum.
“Wedyan is a dialogue between Japanese aesthetics and the context of Dubai,” Kuma says. “Our design philosophy is to connect and create a conversation between architecture, nature and people … to bring softness to the design and to create quietness through shadows that cascade and reflect across the facade, terraces and amenity spaces.”
To achieve a natural cooling effect, the designer has looked to Old Dubai for inspiration, as architects historically relied on shade, narrow corridors and wind towers or barjeel, before air-conditioning. He has also used old-style mashrabiya screens. “It’s a beautiful solution for controlling natural light and bringing in the breeze,” says Kuma, who likens it to Japan’s penchant for silk and folding screens. “The details on these screens also give a peaceful feeling.”
Sultan Al Ghurair, chief executive of the company behind this project, says Al Ghurair Collection exists to develop buildings that don’t exist anywhere else. That’s why Kuma was entrusted with their vision. “Our search for an architect who shares our commitment to originality and obsession with detail led us to Kengo Kuma, a visionary with a truly unique design perspective,” says Al Ghurair.
In an age when dystopian sci-fi imagery has become reality, it is perhaps disruptive to choose a man known for his dedication to the concept of “weak architecture” – anti-monumental, subservient, subtle spaces that blend in rather than stand out, whether that’s on an isolated desert island in the Red Sea or smack-bang in the middle of an urban environment like Dubai.
Indeed, intimacy, respect for nature and a sense of peacefulness are defining elements of Kuma’s body of work. It’s a balance between ultra-modern design and traditional values, while paying homage to local craftsmanship and materials.
It’s Dubai’s architectural freedom that he’s most enamoured by, Kuma adds. “There are many, many constraints everywhere, but Dubai has a freedom. I think it’s very necessary for artificial design because we are facing a drastic change and we need to find new solutions.” With this, he refers to climate change; the UAE’s climate might be tricky to work with, he says, but “in the future every country will have this kind of climate. So, this can be a pioneer project.”
Honeymoonish
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The%20specs
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 171 points
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP) 151
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP) 136
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing) 107
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 83
6. Sergio Perez (Force India) 50
7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) 45
8. Esteban Ocon (Force India) 39
9. Carlos Sainz (Torro Rosso) 29
10. Felipe Massa (Williams) 22
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
The%20specs
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Notable Yas events in 2017/18
October 13-14 KartZone (complimentary trials)
December 14-16 The Gulf 12 Hours Endurance race
March 5 Yas Marina Circuit Karting Enduro event
March 8-9 UAE Rotax Max Challenge
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
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if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
England squads for Test and T20 series against New Zealand
Test squad: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Dominic Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes
T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m
6.30pm: Liwa Oaisi Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
The National selections: 5pm: Flit Al Maury, 5.30pm: Sadah, 6pm: RB Seqondtonone, 6.30pm: RB Money To Burn, 7pm: SS Jalmood, 7.30pm: Dalaalaat
COPA DEL REY
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
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