Reclaim, Bahrain's national pavillion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2010, is a study on the impact of the evolving coastlines of the Island of Bahrain. It sheds light on the social implications of the extensive land reclamation that has been reshaping much of the urban coast of the Arabian Gulf—an issue that is seldom talked about. It provides an international platform to the often neglected voices of the Bahraini fishermen that have witnessed a tremendous change in their relation to the sea; fishermen, who grew up in coastal villages where the sea would brush the doorsteps of their homes and today find themselves stranded a few kilometers inland.

In a bid to reconquer a more immediate relation with the sea, people have started constructing huts along the lines of the temporary coastlines. Conceived as informal gathering spaces, they are an attempt to re-introduce leisurely, non-commercial gathering spaces along the coast. Transported to the grounds of the exhibition, they are a stark reminder of the fragility of the vernacular culture and the importance of secular public spaces in societies where modernization has been happening at a dramatic pace.

The design is an example of how exhibitions can help draw attention to significant social issues. Reclaim has launched a much needed debate that has raised awareness toward the fragile cultures that are at risk of disappearing in Bahrain, in the Gulf and elsewhere where urban development continues to dramatically reshape our landscapes.

Designed by
Noura Al Sayeh and Dr. Fuad Al Ansari - Bahrain