The Kalba Ice Factory, located in the city of Sharjah, on the coast of the UAE, has been renovated by the Sharjah Art Foundation and designed by Peru studio 51-1 Arquitectos, creating a space that seamlessly blends industrial aesthetics with natural surroundings. The transformation of this abandoned fish feed mill and ice storage facility into an art space is a testament to the power of adaptive reuse and preservation. In time for the Sharjah Biennial 15, the Kalba Ice Factory was opened to the public on 8 February 2023 as a venue for the Biennial.
The Ice Factory is located on the Kalba Creek, in the middle of the Al Qurm mangrove swamp reserve. The 20,000 sqm building underwent a series of changes, turning it into the cultural heart of the city of Kalba. The renovation entailed a minimal level of design interventions to maintain its powerful spatial qualities as an industrial ruin. The structure now serves Sharjah Art Foundation as a site for various activities including social and interactive community spaces. The factory is known for its corrugated metal roof, which sits on the structure like a saw tooth.
As its main function, the project adapts the factory to feature large-scale temporary art to be installed in its naves. Additionally, a 200 sqm pavilion sits in front of the factory, refurbished to accommodate workshop spaces for artists. On the creek side of the building, an additional volume was designed to host residencies, an information kiosk, toilets, and stands and platforms to host events. On the back side of the factory, a shaded walkway is built to connect the site to the creek, with an elevated restaurant framing the view of the mangroves.
Kalba is a critically important part of Sharjah’s cultural and ecological makeup, and we are enlivening this abandoned site by turning it into a multifaceted gathering space for residents of this region as well as visitors from across the Emirate and around the world - Hoor Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah Art Foundation.
The Sharjah Foundation has launched numerous significant conservation projects to protect the Emirate’s built environment, one of which is the factory's transformation. In 2022, the second edition of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial hosted “The Beauty of Impermanence”, promoting a culture of reuse and sustainability in an inherently scarce environment. The foundation has focused heavily on reviving the arts and culture scene, and becoming a hub for it within the region at large. On a similar note, in 2021, David Adjaye revealed his design of the Africa Institute in Sharjah, dedicated to advancing the research around the African diaspora in the Arab World.
