Everyday Icons / Hiding In Plain Sight (Abu Dhabi) No.0010

Everyday Icons / Hiding In Plain Sight (Abu Dhabi)
No.0010 - Former ADNOC Headquarters, Corniche Street, Abu Dhabi

This little fella is, for me, one of Abu Dhabi’s finest.

Despite being totally overshadowed by the shiny new headquarters next to it, this building has stood the test of time. Its crisp, clean facade is a great lesson in the modernist reinterpretation of traditional architecture of the region. Constructed in the 1970’s, it is believed to be the work of architect Constantine Kapsambelis - the same designer responsible for the now demolished ADNOC residential buildings (thanks to kathmanduandbeyond for this information).

Although the new headquarters, designed by HOK, might be perceived as totally out of scale with it’s adjacent older neighbor, it could equally be considered a representation of the huge growth and development that the city has undergone in the past 50+ years.