Bahrain is a small archipelago in the Persian Gulf next to Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The country was mainly known for its Formula 1 circuit and related events but recently an effort to increase the tourism industry in the country has led to major changes in the country´s old capital city Al-Muharraq.
Bahrain seeks to assert its position within the Gulf region by highlighting its rich history as a center of pearl trade and production. By emphasizing this heritage, the country aims to compete with Qatar’s cultural prominence and Dubai’s reputation for recreation and shopping.
The Pearling Path is the result of these efforts—a scenic route through Muharraq’s historic district, featuring the restoration of traditional houses where pearl production once thrived, alongside the addition of new buildings that serve essential functions for the path.
This new architecture has been commissioned to prominent architects such as Valerio Olgiati, Anne Holtrop, Christian Kerez, and OFFICE kgdvs amongst others.
This collection of photographs, taken in December 2024, showcases the new architecture in relation to its surroundings, as well as other notable historic sites, such as the Dilmun burial mounds, which remain outside the country’s typical tourist circuit.
