Old DM headquarters offers glimpses of the civic body's history
Hussein Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, formally opened on Wednesday the renovated old house of Dubai Municipality, as a museum which offers glimpses of the history of the Dubai emirate in general and the civic body in particular.
"The old building of Dubai Municipality is not only a witness to the past but it also represents an architectural gift that embodies the rich heritage of our forefathers. We are now opening it for the public after renovating it using traditional materials and restoring its former glory," said Mr. Lootah. The two story building is located near the Deira Old Souk overlooking the Creek.
The building was originally built in mid-Fifties with three shops in the ground floor. Later, another floor was added as a residence for the traders. Dubai Municipality, which was formerly a part of the Customs Department, moved to the building's first floor in 1957 after it was made an independent entity. At the customs headquarters, the civic body was operating from a single room. The municipality's offices were later shifted to another building in Al Maktoum Street in 1964 before moving to the present building in Bani Yas Street in 1980.
The old building, aesthetically set along the narrow streets of the traditional Old Souk, extended on an area of 166 square meters, consisting of a ground floor with three shops, while the upper floor consisted of four rectangular rooms with traditional wooden window on the sides. The rooms were separated with shaded corridors used for sitting and waiting.
"The location of this building at that time was very important because of the significant role played by Dubai Municipality in the trading and administrative activities of the emirate," said Lootah.
Rashad Bukhash, Director of General Projects Department at the municipality, said the building was renovated in 1999. He noted that three shops in the ground floor of the building have six traditional doors.
"The building has a unique style of Islamic architecture which is known as 'wakala' or 'khan'. We have used as much traditional materials as possible to restore the building into its former glory," said Mr. Bukhash.
The museum showcases the history of Dubai Municipality with the focus being on stages of its development over the past decades. It contains several rare manuscripts like some of the royal decrees issued by the late rulers as well as copies of old administrative decrees and orders of the former and present officials. These include an order of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum appointing members of the municipal council.
Some rare photographs at the museum show one of the meetings of the first municipal council, the public library in 1962, the clock-tower round-about in 1963, the flame (Al Shola) round about in 1969, works of the Shindagha Tunnel in 1975, health services, and drainage projects.
-Ends-
Thajudeen V. Aliar
Journalist, Media Section
Public Relations & Organisations Dept.
Dubai Municipality
PO Box: 67
Dubai
UAE
T:+971 4 2064609 +971 4 2232188
M: +971 50 5881278
E: tvaliar@dm.gov.ae
© Press Release 2006
