It all began with a modest box of blueberries.
One day, Emirati architect Azza Aboualam brought home groceries and her mother, tasting the blueberries, asked where they were from. To her surprise, they had been grown in the UAE. Blueberries thrive in cool and temperate weather, making their presence in the UAE’s arid desert intriguing.
“Where do the desert blueberries come from?” says Aboualam, curator of this year’s National Pavilion UAE. “The question instigated the entire project.”
Greenhouses were, of course, the answer – but the discovery prompted Aboualam to rethink how they are built in the UAE and explore the deeper “back-and-forth relationship between architecture and plants".
This research underpins the National Pavilion UAE exhibition at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, revealing how greenhouse design can strengthen food security in a changing climate.
Greenhouses date back to ancient Rome, where Emperor Tiberius used simple structures to grow cucumbers all year round. Modern variations emerged in the 17th century, gradually evolving through advances in glassmaking and heating.
Today, greenhouses are a central component of agriculture around the world. However, they are still very much a European design, and even the greenhouses found in the UAE have been retrofitted and modified for the local context. In short, the technology was never considered from the ground up for arid environments.
Aboualam sought to revamp the greenhouse specifically for the UAE climate.
Working with her team at Holesum Studio – a practice based between Sharjah and New York that she cofounded – she developed a series of modular greenhouse assemblies or “kits-of-parts”.
Each kit contains the essential components to create a greenhouse – roof, wall, floor, tools and materials – designed to adapt to different crops, climates and site conditions.
The exhibition, Pressure Cooker, presents several assemblies as examples. It transforms the National Pavilion UAE venue into a controlled-environment agricultural site. The first of the greenhouses has a broken arched roof that facilitates airflow.
Basil grows in pots set on rammed-earth platforms, raised slightly above ankle height to shield them from the ground’s heat. Tomato shrubs hang from steel pipes, closer to the arched roof.
“The vertical arch and the way it’s broken, it can be fitted with panels that open and close when the seasons shift from extremes,” Aboualam says. “You can open it up let out heat and hot air, and then in the spring it would do the opposite.”
This kind of assembly, Aboualam adds, works best in urban areas closer to the coast, such as Dubai or Sharjah. “There's a lot of humidity, and this essentially mitigates that by having a lot more air flow,” she says. “Another aspect of this kit of parts is a fan that is positioned across from an evaporative cooling pad and so this cools the space down without the use of air conditioning.”
Blueberry plants are displayed on a rammed-earth platform that, this time, is at knee height. The display is as much a homage to the fruit that inspired the research for the project as it is an example of how platforms can be used to mitigate the heat of the ground.
“Essentially, it shows how [the platform] could be used as geothermal cooling for the greenhouse itself,” Aboualam says. “With that assembly, you could essentially combine geothermal cooling and a green shade net which cools down the space significantly.”
Then comes an assembly that incorporates a recognisable architectural element from the Gulf, and which has long been used to naturally cool spaces: the barjeel, or wind tower.
In the context of the greenhouse, the barjeel is much simpler, featuring angled panels that promote airflow. The structure feeds air towards the tomatoes growing in between corrugated glass fibre panels, which also help keep things cool. The fact they are green is also not a mere aesthetic choice. “The green shade net and the green fibreglass helps reflect a lot of the harmful rays of the sun that can affect the crops,” Aboualam says.
The centre of the exhibition is a gathering space that offers insight into the research behind the project. Maps, illustrations and video elements display the field work and build experimentations that informed the work.
“The gathering table mimics the way the research team always gathered around a table to not just eat, but also work,” Aboualam says. “This invites visitors to come with us on the journey.”
One video highlights the archival research that Aboualam and her team carried out in order to understand the overlap between architecture and food production in UAE history. It shows maps dating back to the turn of the 20th century of palm trees growing along the coast of the Trucial States.
An illustration of Dibba Fort shows how its watchtowers were built to protect orange groves in Fujairah. There are blueprints from the UAE National Library and Archives that show the inflated greenhouses in Saadiyat, as well as how evaporative cooling techniques were used to lower their temperatures.
A map of the UAE shows the 155 sites that Aboualam and her team visited to document agricultural techniques.
A second video shows how the “kits-of-parts” can be arranged in a programme that tests their efficacy in various assemblies and contexts. Walls, floors, shades, roofs and material can be organised in different permutations and shapes, ranging from rectangles and squares to arches, each with a unique set of advantages.
“We took all of the knowledge and all of the kits and then fed them in the digital tool, which was developed by Holesum Studio,” Aboualam says. “It's a digital tool that uses thermal modelling programmes, but also architectural programmes.
“You put the kits together in different combinations and then assign a location in the UAE. It draws from airport data to tell you the predicted temperatures, how much electricity and water you need to operate the greenhouse.”
The final aspect of Pressure Cooker shows an enclosed storage and office space that has been walled using porous polycarbonate panels. The walls feature vertical channels that can be filled with running water, cooling the space within. A video of greenhouses from across the UAE is projected on to one of the walls, but the structure itself offers ideas into how greenhouses can be used in more domestic contexts.
“Hopefully we can take some of these kits and integrate them within a neighbourhood in the UAE,” Aboualam says. “It can be in someone's backyard, in a school park or within a compound.”
While Pressure Cooker positions these greenhouse kits in a UAE context, the design's potential is not limited to within the country’s borders. The project prompts new ways of thinking about food sustainability in the face of rising global temperatures.
This is one conversation that Aboualam hopes Pressure Cooker sparks during the biennale, which runs from May 10 to November 23. There is a poetic element in bringing a revamped greenhouse back to the country that is credited with its invention, and Aboualam hopes that the kit further democratises the technology and promote self-sufficiency.
One clue to that aim lies in the title of the exhibition itself.
“In a pressure cooker, you essentially put ingredients together and it gives you another outcome. That’s how the project was conceived,” Aboualam says. “The goal is that it's approachable enough so people that don't have that much expertise can build these structures and grow their own food.”
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE SQUAD
Omar Abdulrahman (Al Hilal), Ali Khaseif, Ali Mabkhout, Salem Rashed, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Zayed Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Khalid Essa, Ahmed Barman, Ryan Yaslam, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmin (Al Wasl), Adel Al Hosani, Ali Hassan Saleh, Majed Suroor (Sharjah), Ahmed Khalil, Walid Abbas, Majed Hassan, Ismail Al Hammadi (Shabab Al Ahli), Hassan Al Muharrami, Fahad Al Dhahani (Bani Yas), Mohammed Al Shaker (Ajman)
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Supercharged%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20400hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20430Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh450%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
more from Janine di Giovanni
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)
Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)
Hurricanes 31-31 Lions
Wellington Hurricanes:
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett
British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)
'Ashkal'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Youssef%20Chebbi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fatma%20Oussaifi%20and%20Mohamed%20Houcine%20Grayaa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
The specs: 2018 Audi Q5/SQ5
Price, base: Dh183,900 / Dh249,000
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder / 3.0L, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic / Eight-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,000rpm / 354hp @ 5,400rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,600rpm / 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy: combined 7.2L / 100km / 8.3L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Company name: Farmin
Date started: March 2019
Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: AgriTech
Initial investment: None to date
Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
