With Mona El Mousfy and Mona El Chaar
Ages 15+
In English
How can design sensitivity and sustainable conservation methods extend the life of a building yet preserve its architectural integrity?
Taking The Flying Saucer as both site and subject, this conversational session will explore how Sharjah Art Foundation’s restoration and adaptive reuse of the building returned it to its original character while reactivating it for contemporary use.
Built in the 1970s, The Flying Saucer has served many purposes, reinforcing its place in the city and the collective memory of its inhabitants. It began as a one-stop destination combining a French pâtisserie, restaurant, gift shop, newsstand and tobacconist; later it housed two supermarkets and a fast food restaurant.
In 2015, the Foundation gradually reversed previous alterations to the building, revealing its original form and remarkable dome structure. This restoration was complemented by the creation of a lower-ground community space designed to support the institution’s cultural and social activities. The space includes a café and a library overlooking a circular green courtyard as well as activity rooms that help revitalize both the building and its surrounding site.
This session is ideal for architects, designers, conservators and cultural practitioners interested in adaptive reuse, sustainable preservation and the evolving relationship between architecture and collective memory.
The Foundation is committed to making its programmes inclusive and accessible. You can arrange for any support needed through the registration form.
For more information, email learning@sharjahart.org, or call (06) 544 4113.
About the instructors
Architect Mona El Mousfy is founder of the research-based practice SpaceContinuum and an advisor to Sharjah Architecture Triennial, which she was instrumental in establishing in 2018. Her work with Sharjah Art Foundation includes key adaptive reuse projects such as The Flying Saucer (2020) and Al Mureijah Art Spaces (2013), both shortlisted for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. El Mousfy has contributed to multiple editions of the Sharjah Biennial and serves on the UAE Modern Heritage Technical Committee.
Mona El Chaar is a Senior Architect and Production Coordinator at Sharjah Art Foundation. Originally from Beirut, she holds a master’s degree in architectural conservation from the University of Edinburgh, and for over 12 years, she has contributed to a variety of adaptive reuse and restoration projects in Beirut, London and Sharjah. El Chaar’s architectural design portfolio integrates work in both museums and the wider cultural sector while also responding to heritage preservation through adaptive reuse projects.