Behind the now brightly painted facade of this building is a unique structure which has stood proudly in the centre of the city since 1985. Designed by Spectrum Engineering*, the Madinat Zayed Vegetable, Meat and Fish Market remains a popular haunt for those looking for a huge selection of local and regional produce.

Its external form is dominated by the flared concrete columns of varying heights. Internally, these height variations allow daylight to filter into the space through clerestory windows, diffused by the sloping underside of the columns flared capitals. More recently, the exterior was adorned with colorful artwork by Emirati artist Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim.

*I’d love to know if this is the same Spectrum Engineering based out of Lebanon as I couldn’t confirm when researching this building.