The Gulf

This accordion-fold booklet contains a series of analytical views of the Arabian coast of the Persian Gulf by AMO-OMA and colleagues from the American University of Sharjah, UAE. In a "futurized present,” these views seek to depict the current and unprecedented state of the region, which invites one to contemplate the design of a new version of urbanism. Like a pristine and untouched canvas, the sand and sea of the Persian Gulf coast constitute a tabula rasa, waiting to receive the imprint of new identities. The West is guilty of a double negligence vis-à-vis this land of possibilities – something that actually has its origins in the West is not being taken seriously, and as a result we are unable to seize upon a burgeoning global phenomenon. This accordion-fold booklet is published to coincide with the 10th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale.