50U is a book about the United Arab Emirates, the UAE. It was published on the occasion of the UAE’s golden jubilee: 50 years ago – December 2, 1971 – the confederation of seven Gulf states was officially declared.
50U tells the story of the UAE in 50 portraits of people, plants and places, painting an intimate picture of life in the Emirates, with the memories and expectations of its inhabitants. Over a period of just fifty years, they have witnessed the transformation of a partly nomadic, partly town-based community into a globally active metropolitan society. Interviews with a former minister, a fisherman, an astronaut, a fashion designer, an AI specialist, a female racing driver, a contemporary artist, a conservation expert, a Japanese baker, a tailor and many more tell first-hand what it is like to grow up in the UAE or to spend the better part of one’s life in the region. As one of the interviewees has it:
“In 50 years, the city has transformed from desert to high-rise buildings that pierce the clouds. We have gone from a handful of nationalities to over 250 nationalities. We have jumped from the industrial stage in growth to sector diversification, nuclear power for sustainable solutions, and selling start-ups to big companies. There is almost a story in every sector and industry to tell of the past 50 years.”
Salem Ghanem Al-Marri
An extensive photo essay by Charlie Koolhaas docu- ments the present of ‘where the people are’, while documentation of plant-life shows what an amazing variety of species the desert contains.
352 pages full of surprising content, beautifully designed by Irma Boom Office:
50U is waiting for U!
1U
The Dedication
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
2U
The Draftsman
John Michael Houghton
3U
The Initiator
Yasser Bin Khediya
4U
The Editorial Team
50U
5U
The Analyst
Rem Koolhaas
6U
The Cultural Diplomats
Zaki Nusseibeh & Noura Al Kaabi
7U
The Historian Couple
Frauke Heard-Bey & David Heard
8U
The Sea Expert
Juma Khalifa Bin Thalith
9U
The Conservation Advocate
Maryam Mudhaffar Ahli
10U
The Architect Advisor
Peter Jackson
11U
The Fashion Designer
Fatma Al Fahim
12U
The Urban Development
Satellite Views
13U
The Place-Maker
Dariush Zandi
14U
The Contemporary Observer
Charlie Koolhaas
15U
The Cultural Beacon
Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal
16U
The Art Gallerist
Sunny Rahbar
17U
The Up-and-Coming Artist
Farah Al Qasimi
18U
The Contemporary Artist
Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim
19U
The Singer-Songwriter
Hamdan Al Abri
20U
The Folk Poetry Researcher
Rashid Al Mazrouei
21U
The Wisdom
Glossary: Local Proverbs
22U
The Youthful Historian
Rashid Saif Al Amimi
23U
The Literature Leader
Isobel Abulhoul
24U
The Instagrammer
@jumeira2323
25U
The Media Man
Peter Hellyer
26U
The Award-Winning Filmmaker
Abdulla Al Kaabi
27U
The Royal Photographer
Ramesh Shukla
28U
The Power-Map
Pink Tank
29U
The Largest Permanent Work of Art
The Mastaba (Christo & Jeanne-Claude)
30U
The Trade Magnate
Tony Jashanmal
31U
The Herald of Trade
Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla
32U
The Tailor of Dubai
Mohammed Al Madani
33U
The Footwear Entrepreneur
Mohammed Kazim
34U
The Fashion Collector
Reem el Mutwalli
35U
The Photo-Chronicler
Ammar Al Attar
36U
The Japanese Baker
Suhail Al Maktoum
37U
The Cross-Cultural Engineer
Salem Ghanem Al-Marri
38U
The Pioneer of Photojournalism
Eve Arnold
39U
The Local Flora
Plants of the UAE
40U
The Hero of Organic
Khalid Butti Al Shamsi
41U
The Aviation Trailblazer
Mohi Din BinHendi
42U
The Tech Leader
Khalifa Al Qama
43U
The AI Specialist
Yousef Alhammadi
44U
The First Female Minister
Lubna Al Qasimi
45U
The First Female Astronaut
Nora Al Matrooshi
46U
The First Female Racing Driver
Amna Al Qubaisi
47U
The Mars Mission Director
Omran Sharaf
48U
The First Emirati in Space
Hazzaa al-Mansoori
49U
The Future
Lamya Bin Khediya
50U
The Historical Flags
Seven Emirates
ISBN
9789077966921Title
50UAuthor
Commissioner Yasser: Bin Khediya. Initial Concept: Yasser Bin Khediya, Irma Boom, Roadha Bin KhediyaPublisher
ArchisPublication year
2021Binding
SoftcoverLanguage
English/Arabic
