Majlis Al Ghoraifa

Majlis Al Ghoraifa
Built around 1955, the Al Ghuraifa Majlis was a summer retreat for the
late Shaikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, where he
spent his afternoons when the temperatures became moderate and the
humidity was high. The Majlis is situated in the Umm Suqaim area which
was once dotted with date palm groves, and fishermen’s’ huts.
The Majlis, about 100 square meters in area, is on a large site of 3,300
sqm in the centre of a residential area. In the past, it was the only
building constructed of stones and gypsum in the midst of a date farm.
Its ground floor has a large covered area divided by a row of pillars.
Along the north of it is a large storeroom. The first floor is reached
by an open staircase where one enters a long veranda. Behind this is the
summer majlis. A wooden ladder leads to the roof from the veranda. The
entire structure is simple with shuttered wooden windows on the first
floor, set into deep pillars overlooking the garden. The windows are in
two sections, whereby the top and lower halves can be opened separately.
The niches above the windows have perforations for ventilation.
Dubai Municipality has planned the open land as a traditional park to
serve the neighboring residences. The landscaping includes a boundary
wall with gypsum decorative panels. The layout includes a paved pathway,
rows of date palms with a network of ‘falaj’, traditional water
channels, a pool and a covered area of palm thatch with a wind-tower of
rustic design, which has a cafe below. There is a guard room and toilets
at the entrance gate. Dubai Municipality is executing the entire
project through its own work force.