When I think of iconic Kuwaiti architecture, I picture the spheres of Kuwait Towers or the clusters of angular water towers around the capital. But those were all built in the 1970s! What new buildings are famous in Kuwait? What innovative architecture exists in the country today? There has been a boom in local construction in Kuwait, particularly from 2010 onwards. The downtown skyline, waterfront, and city neighborhoods now feature a wealth of skyscrapers, large cultural centers and museums, and expansive malls and markets. This post chronicles some of these innovative buildings, places that stand out for their creative design and modern beauty.
Many thanks to architect Sheikha Al-Ibrahim in Kuwait for her help! I couldn’t have finished this piece without her great suggestions and ideas.
Back to the Beginning: A System of Water Towers
Let’s start in the 1970s, with the towers mentioned above. This collection of buildings remains an iconic symbol of Kuwait, and is an ever-present image across the city. In fact, a total of thirty-three such towers dot the urban environment of Kuwait City, grouped in small clusters.
These towers are a creative blend of artistic form and utilitarian function. Function: the city’s desalinization plants pump fresh water into the towers for storage. Artistic form: most of the towers look like tall, angular mushrooms painted in bold vertical stripes. Kuwait Towers is the exception with three white spikes pierced by large glistening spheres. A trip up to the viewing platform inside one of these spheres is a must for any visitor, as it offers stunning views along the waterfront and into the Gulf.
The water towers received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1980, as one of the 15 inaugural recipients.
Al Hamra Tower
CC license BY 2.0
Another example of innovative architecture is the Al Hamra Tower, the tallest building in Kuwait. Completed in 2011, it stands at 1,354 ft in height (or 412.6 m) and is the 34th tallest building in the world.
But height alone does not set it apart. Its curving walls of glass seem to spiral upward, creating a unique spire on the city’s skyline. As the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat notes, “The form of the building appears to be cut from a prism, a void taken from the center, with each floor plate rotating counter-clockwise around the core.”
The design is visually stunning, but also environmentally conscious, taking note of the building’s position and the local climate. While three sides are adorned in glass, the flat side on the south, which receives the most sun, features cooler limestone and is dotted with smaller windows.
Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre
Completed in 2016, this cultural hub is known informally as the Kuwait Opera House. Yet it includes much more — not just theaters and concert halls, but also cinemas, libraries, a public park, and space for conferences and exhibitions.
The modern design of this cultural centre brilliantly combines strong angular shapes with the geometric patterns of Islamic art. The four buildings resemble a set of cut jewels, with a series of flat sides covered in titanium and glass. This outer shell, a beautiful metallic gray, is etched with a pattern of stars, octagons, and other geometric forms.
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Wafra Wind Tower
This apartment building, finished in 2017, was shortlisted for the 2020-22 Aga Khan Award for Architecture due to its innovative style. The 13-story structure rises vertically around a central courtyard. Large openings on the ground level and other floors direct air flow, providing natural ventilation to the apartments.
The granite facade is a work of art itself. As design firm AGi architects explains, the material was chosen “to give the tower an aspect of a monolithic sculpture that is carved by the wind.” It’s true — the lines, angles, and narrow windows remind me of a work by M.C. Escher, resembling a set of intertwining ribbons and pathways that snake up the walls.
The Avenues
We can’t discuss architecture in Kuwait without mentioning The Avenues. This palatial shopping mall, the largest in Kuwait, first opened in 2007. But construction continued, with Phase II finishing in 2009, Phase III finishing in 2013, and Phase IV finishing in 2018. The Avenues now hold over 1,100 stores covering an area of more than 360,000 square meters.
The mall features 12 districts that differ in their architectural style and the shopping and dining experiences they offer. In Souk, for example, the matte brown walls are a modern take on the mud-brick neighborhood of a small town market. The Grand Avenue, lined with trees and paved in stone, feels like a wide pedestrian boulevard you’d find outdoors.
What Next?
Join our discussion — what did you think about these examples of architecture in Kuwait? What surprised or intrigued you about these buildings? I particularly enjoy how the architects have melded form and function, designing buildings that are purposeful and user-friendly, but also stunningly beautiful.
By all means, visit these places for yourself if you can. Or travel virtually through the links above and the great work of Archnet, an architecture site which focuses on societies and places where Muslims are or have been a significant cultural presence. Check them out for more pictures and descriptions of these impressive buildings. There’s really so much to explore.
This blog can help as well! We publish a lot about Middle Eastern history and culture here are Other Things. Recently we’ve examined famous buildings in Marrakesh and visited the island of Bahrain to study a set of historic sites. If you like music, our piece about four Saudi musicians was particularly popular. And, if you’re looking for great books, make sure to read our full list of posts about Middle Eastern literature.
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