They claim there are always hugs and cookies available at a grandma’s house. When Khalid and Gaith Abdulla, two Emirati brothers, returned from their excursions, weekends, or holiday celebrations, they would often go to their own grandmother’s house, House No. 2, in the quiet neighbourhood of Al Mamzar, Dubai. Therefore, the brothers decided to transform their grandmother’s home, known as the Bayt of their Yado (grandmother’s home), into a centre for art and culture, renaming it Bayt Al Mamzar, after their grandmother relocated to a new neighbourhood in 2018.
The one-story building near the picturesque Mamzar beach opened in November 2021 and serves as a gallery, artist studio, co-working space, and library. The one constant in our life, according to 36-year-old independent curator Khalid, who previously worked at the Louvre, Abu Dhabi, has been our house. “During our formative years, we resided here. I returned after finishing college and converted one of the rooms into an art studio. Our large family would congregate here during Eid. In order to give back to the community, we decided against renting the property and instead transformed it into a welcoming creative space that offered the same caring environment as when we had visited our grandmother.
The mansion was initially constructed in 1983 by Dr. Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, the father of Khalid and Gaith. He was a political science professor who wanted to move his family out of their old house in the Naif neighbourhood in ancient Dubai. The original Bayt included a majlis, living room, garage, garden, laundry room, and even a goat pen. It also had four bedrooms.
The brothers actively participated in the house’s remodelling since they were excited about the possibility of establishing this creative hub. It also helped that many of their close friends are architects and painters, both of whom contributed significantly to the creation of the Bayt. “We faced financial limitations, but there was no shortage of ideas. Many of the small adjustments that had a significant impact came from our pals.
Evidently, the brothers are quite serious about using their passion project to give musicians in the Emirates a platform. They used almost all of their personal savings to pay for the house’s remodelling and upkeep. They frequently went above and beyond to push their Dirham. Gaith, for instance, scouted markets and conducted months of study to find a set of inexpensive track lights. “When I went to art galleries, I used to enquire about the lighting. Finally, I discovered them in Dragon Mart in Dubai for roughly half the cost, said Gaith.
It took more than six months to convert this home area into a dynamic centre fostering the UAE’s creative community. Its current manifestation is prepared to inspire experimentation and creative partnerships because it is infused with the cosiness of a house full of memories and celebrations. Older residents frequently feel a twinge of grief when a former home is renovated because they have lost a hallowed location that was filled with their most treasured memories. However, in the case of Bayt Al Mamzar, the reaction was completely the opposite. My father remarked that “the house appears more alive than ever before” on our opening night, recalls Gaith.