Centre in Al Ain to preserve clay buildings

The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (Adach) will establish a regional centre for clay buildings in Al Ain city to fill a shortage in the Arab region of training programmes in preserving and constructing the structures. The training centre will provide professional development to experts based in the UAE and the region in preserving existing clay buildings and constructing modern ones. The centre will also provide research facilities to experiment and innovate with clay materials, according to Adach. The authority recently ran a pilot project of the programme's curriculum developed in partnership with experts from the Bauhaus-University Weimar, Germany. Held in Al Ain, the pilot programme was aimed at architects, engineers, archaeologists, restorers, contractors and craftsmen in the middle of their careers. The lectures focused on the material and construction techniques with clay, as well as business strategies for professionals working in this field. One of the elements of this programme was the restoration of historic buildings. The participants, who included employees from various departments in Adach and UAE University students, learned the basic concepts in the field over five days of classroom lectures. Field exercises were held for two days at Bait Ibn Al Hadi Al Darmaki in Hili Oasis, with practical training in mixing materials, preparing bricks, build walls and plastering. The aim of the pilot programme was to assess, develop and fine-tune the curriculum before the start of the centre, which will be dedicated to promoting and revitalising traditions of sustainable construction in the region and developing research capacity in environment-friendly architecture. From / Gulf News