Al Nassereya Urban Incubator

American University of Sharjah, College of Architecture, art and Design, Sharjah

Project idea

The Sharjah Department of Planning and Survey and Sharjah Urban Planning Council have recently started independent initiatives to explore and propose ways by which deteriorated neighborhoods can be enhanced. The mandate is to maintain the existing housing stock (structurally intact ones) and propose enhancements to the public realm and social infrastructure of those areas based on the needs and specificity of each neighborhood. Al Nassereya Live Work & Play District focuses on three mandates: 1- Attracting the displaced Emirati population without displacing the existing population 2- Providing employment to the less well-off 3- Providing walk-able and safe zones of leisure and recreation to remediate the dilapidated urban fabric.
After a careful site study and a thorough understanding of the socio-economic infrastructure of Al Nassereya, Al Nassereya Urban Incubator was proposed as the ultimate solution to Al Nassereya’s stagnant economy.

Project description

The Urban Incubator is part of a larger scheme of Al Nassereya’s Live, Work & Play District. As part of a three-legged solution to Al Nassereya’s socio-economic challenges, the Incubator is a prototype of a mixed-use living and working spaces to combat the issue of long travel distances between houses and workplaces in Sharjah. This reduces the overall carbon footprint of the neighborhood by fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of the residents.
The Incubator provides an array of functions ranging from residential, sports, retail and co-working spaces integrated within a hierarchy of public realms such as parks, multi-functional sports fields, cycling and running tracks. This amalgamation of amenities emphasizes sustainability, by encouraging socio-economic diversity by offering property that would appeal to the displaced Emiratis withing the same complex thereby ensuring the longevity of the community.
The residential block is elevated on pilotis to lighten the impact of its scale. The block contains apartments for the residents of Al Nassereya as well as high-end villas with roof gardens to attract the Emirati population back to Al Nassereya. The co-working spaces allow the residents of Al Nassereya allows its residents to live and work at the same place thereby ensuring the longevity and sustainability of the newly created neighborhood.
The L-shape massing strategy of the sports complex and the residential block ensures safety of the block as there are always “eyes on the street” due to the lightened feel of the building, the multifaceted facades as well as the myriad of open spaces provided by the Incubator.

Technical information

As a prototype of an urban device, it is vital to ensure the efficiency and repetitiveness of Al Nassereya’s Urban Incubator. Opting for pre-fabricated concrete elements, the Incubator utilities the cheapest and the most conventional method of construction in the United Arab Emirates. The elements are assembled on site according to requirements.
The Incubator blends in seamlessly with the architecture of Sharjah as it takes down the vital elements of Sharjah’ residential typology and strips it down to the essentials. This can be seen in the textured white of the deep-facade of the residential block, the playful faceted co-working blocks as well as the earth-toned sports facility.
The Incubator links to the Urban Park behind it and they work symbiotically to alleviate the safety of the neighborhood. Together they create clear axis that orchestrate pedestrian movement in the heart of Al Nassereya.