The Al Zorah Pavilion in Ajman, designed by Lebanese architect Annabel Karim Kassar and completed in 2014, is a multifunctional cultural and administrative hub. Covering 4,500 sqm, it is situated within the Al Zorah coastal development (a master-planned community of mangroves, waterfronts, and dunes) and sets a tone of architectural sophistication for the entire development.
The pavilion’s form emerges from a deep engagement with its environment. Kassar envisioned it as “a landscape within another,” a sculptural volume that shelters and frames the natural surroundings. Its most distinctive feature is the folded zinc roof, whose angular planes evoke geological strata and dunes while responding to the sun’s trajectory. The roof folds down toward the mangroves, creating shaded terraces and an elevated belvedere. This interplay of geometry, light, and horizon gives the pavilion a fluid quality that blurs the boundary between architecture and landscape.
Orientation and materiality are central to the building’s design. The south façade, which faces the desert and highway, is shielded with zinc shingles that act as solar protection and an acoustic barrier. The north façade opens toward the mangroves with dark-tinted glass that filters glare and heat. Beneath the structure, an underground parking area reduces surface impact and mitigates heat buildup. Inside, a restrained palette of fair-faced concrete, glass, and black granite enhances the sense of calm and precision.
The pavilion features an exhibition space, a 150-seat auditorium that can extend outdoors for public events, a café with terraces overlooking the water, and administrative offices for the development’s management. The building also includes a rooftop guest suite and viewing terrace, offering elevated perspectives over the mangroves and sea.
The Al Zorah Pavilion’s design embodies a climate-aware, material-led approach. A recipient of the German Design Award in 2016, the pavilion demonstrates how contemporary architecture in the Gulf can embrace modern construction techniques while remaining deeply attuned to landscape, climate, and atmosphere.
To get more information about the Al Zorah Pavilion, please visit the official web page of the project.
In addition, you might be interested in reading our articles about the Al Bahar Towers in Abu Dhabi and Aljada Central Hub in Sharjah.
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