Ministry of Culture adds Dubai Union House to federal heritage register

The Ministry of Culture added Union House (Dar Al Ittihad) in Dubai to the UAE’s National Register of Modern Architectural Heritage on Thursday, 16 July. The designation provides the historic site with formal federal protection, ensuring the preservation of the location where the UAE’s founding document was signed in 1971. Located within the Etihad Museum complex in Jumeirah, the circular building served as the meeting place for the rulers of the emirates during the formation of the federation. The inclusion in the register follows a technical evaluation of the site’s structural integrity and its role in the country's political history. This registration mandate requires that any future maintenance or structural work on the site must adhere to strict heritage preservation standards set by the UAE government. Integration with Etihad Museum The site remains a central component of the 25,000-square-metre Etihad Museum, which was inaugurated in 2017 to document the UAE’s formative years. Union House is joined on the register by other mid-20th-century structures across the country, as the Ministry of Culture expands its efforts to document buildings that define the UAE’s pre-and post-union development phases. The registration is timely as it coincides with a broader federal initiative to inventory and safeguard 20th-century landmarks that are increasingly at risk of urban redevelopment. By formalising the status of Union House, the Ministry secures its position as a primary…