UAE > Wind tower

Wind tower

A late addition to the fort, the wind tower room has been constructed from sand bricks, a modern building material originating from the 1950s. Today, it is the only remaining wind tower inside the fort while in the past, several were connected to the living units of the ruling Quwasimfamily. lt also symbolizes oneof the very few surviving and still working wind towers in the United Arab Emirates. Especially during the hot and humid summer months, the wind tower room served as a well aired reception room fmajlis’) and living room. Its architecture is provided with sophisticated installations to channel outside air movement into the room, thus enhancing its ventilation. Before the introduction of electricity, these installations represented the traditional form of air conditioning in the Arabian Gulf.

Two different types of architectural constructions channel the wind or any breeze into the room while keeping the sun out: A row of concealed slits in specially designed wall niches dominates the southern wail. They represent indigenous Emirati wind catchers (‘barjeel’). Avoiding direct sunshine, these concealed openings allow air to enter the room, a process, which is further intensified by a row of opposite windows along the northern wall. The airflow is travelling between the slits and windows along the floor, where people would sit.

The second version of traditional air conditioning is represented by a tower like construction above the room ('barjeel’). Its open sides are designed to catch the wind or breeze from any direction, while a crossshaped interior division wall forces it down into the room. The draft was likewise enhanced by the wall openings and windows, and could further be cooled with wet cloth hanging from the wind tower’s interior wooden beams.