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.
Denne historien er fra June 2022-utgaven av Wallpaper.
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Denne historien er fra June 2022-utgaven av Wallpaper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Guiding Light - Designer Joe Armitage follows his grandfather's footsteps in India, reissuing his elegant midcentury lamp and creating a new chandelier for Nilufar Gallery
For some of us, family inheritances I tend to be burdensome, taking up space, emotionally and physically, in both our minds and attics. For the London-based designer and architect Joe Armitage, however, a family heirloom has taken him somewhere lighter and brighter, across generations and continents, and into the path of Le Corbusier. This is the story of a lamp designed by Edward Armitage in India 72 years ago, which has today been expanded into a collection of lights by his grandson Joe.
POLE POSITION
A compact Melbourne house with a small footprint is big on efficiency and experimentation
URBAN OASIS
At an art-filled Mexico City residence, New York designer Giancarlo Valle has put his own spin on the country's traditional craft heritage
WARM FRONT
Designer Clive Lonstein elevates his carefully curated Manhattan home with rich textures and fabrics
BALCONY SCENE
A Brazilian island hotel offers a unique approach to the alfresco experience
ENSEMBLE CAST
How architect Anne Holtrop is leaving his mark on the Middle East
Survival mode
A new show looks at preparing for a post-apocalyptic landscape (and other catastrophes)
FLASK FORCE
A limited-edition perfume collaboration between two Spanish craft masters says it with flowers
BLOOM SERVICE
A flower-shaped brutalist beauty in Geneva gets a refresh
SECOND NATURE
A remodelled museum in Lisbon, by Kengo Kuma & Associates, meshes Japanese and Portuguese influences to create a space that sits in harmony with its surroundings