Majlis Ghorfat Umm-Al Sheif

Long before the modern city of Dubai was founded and developed into what it is today, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum designed a summer retreat near Jumeirah Beach that is today called Majlis Umm Al Sheif Room. Built in 1955 on the site of a former palm plantation near a fishing village, this two-storey house is made of plaster and coral in a traditional style. The structure was planned to incorporate natural ventilation to catch the summer breeze. The roof terrace was first used for drying dates and sleeping in the open air. The open rooms and spacious balconies were restored in 1994, decorated with carpets, cushions and lanterns. Its interior decoration now shows what the leisure life of a ruling family was like in Dubai.