The Kingdom of Bahrain is being widely acknowledged recently through their worldwide architectural contributions at the Expo 2025 in Osaka, with their Anatomy of a Dhow pavilion by Lina Ghotmeh; or at the Venice Biennale, where the Heatwave exhibition was awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation. However, for the past few years Bahraini cities like Muharraq have been lending the stage for regional and international architects to discover their typical Persian Gulf architecture and add their own touches to the local sites. It's through the works of Leopold Banchini, Anne Holtrop, or Valerio Olgiati that the old has been brought back to life, along with the efforts of the local authorities and cultural figures.
The city that has been experiencing many consecutive restoration and innovative projects, that delve into its narrow alleyways and tackle its heritage sites, influenced by centuries of passing rules from Portuguese and Persian to the Khalifah dynasty that settled at the end of the 18th century. In 2019, the works on the renowned Pearling Path made it a laureate for the Aga Khan award. This area of the old city joins together some local landmarks via a promenade linked through pocket parks, courtyards, and lit up by guiding lamps. This endeavor was successful in saving many decaying buildings that were on the verge of demolition and, through the injection of some contemporary projects and cultural programs, revived the area's priceless history.
Explore Muharraq's traditional and contemporary architectural interventions through this curated project selection, which will grow as the city's revival works persist.
Related Article
Visiting 2019 Aga Khan Award LaureatesHistorical Architecture
Beit Sheikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa
Kurar House
Siyadi Mosque
Fakhro House
Contemporary Projects
Archaeologies of Green Pavilion / Anne Holtrop
Khalifeyah Library / SeARCH
House for Architectural Heritage / Noura Al Sayeh + Leopold Banchini Architects
Pearling Site Museum and Entrance / Valerio Olgiati
35 Green Corner Building / Studio Anne Holtrop
Four Car Parks / Christian Kerez
We invite you to visit our list of Architecture City Guides.
.jpeg){kind=avatar}
