SUPER OMAN

How Muscat's creative scene is helping the picture-perfect sultanate show its true colours

- TF CHAN

Over the past few decades, while the capitals of other Gulf states welcomed a slew of skyscrapers in a bid to showcase their newfound, often oil-derived wealth, Muscat has resolutely charted its own course. That the Omani capital's skyline remains distinguished by the magnificent Hajar Mountains rather than soaring concrete towers is not for a lack of prosperity, but the result of deliberate policy, and a reflection of how its maritime history has given Oman a unique character compared to its desert-dominated neighbours. As intended by the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who ruled Oman from 1970-2020, Muscat's modern architecture honours the traditional Omani way of life. Most though not all - buildings are designed at human scale, with a light footprint and deferring to the natural landscape.

The seaside Al Alam Palace in Old Muscat is a case in point - dating back two centuries and rebuilt as a royal residence in 1972, it is low-key as far as palaces go, but notable for its joyful, postmodern take on Islamic architecture. Particularly memorable are the blue and gold columns on the central building, like upturned trumpets supporting the overhanging flat roof.

On the other end of the spectrum, and an antithesis to Al Alam, is the opulent Al Bustan Palace, commissioned for the 1985 Gulf Cooperation Council summit to host the sultan's fellow heads of state. The fortress-like sandstone structure on the outskirts of Muscat is capped with a golden dome, and contains a 38m-high atrium with a 5.5-tonne crystal chandelier. Today, only the top floor is reserved for the royal family and their guests: the rest of the building and its pristine grounds are run as a RitzCarlton hotel, offering luxurious if slightly cookie-cutter accommodation to well-heeled international visitors.