Al Manakh 2

When it was first published at the height of the boom in 2007, Al-Manakh arrived with little fanfare. But the title an innovative mix of history, photography, statistics and design quickly became invaluable to historians and other observers of the Arab Gulf. Now the compendium is back in a second edition that, over 500 pages, seeks to chronicle the Gulf states urban experience amid the global financial crisis. In a world buzzing with satellite aerials, news flashes and status updates, this second Al Manakh a special issue of Volume Magazine provides an essential and comprehensive guide to the Gulf region during turbulent times: the worldwide financial crisis. The credit crunch is a stress test for the different development models in the region as nations prepare for a post-oil economy. This transition provides several challenges: economic re-profiling, food security, environmental exposure, multiculturalism and demographic growth. Al Manakh delves into these challenges by profiling six cities in five countries bordering the Gulf (UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia). From this common ground, Al Manakh builds an inside-out perspective with local authors reflecting on their own situation and expectations. Guiding voices include editors Rem Koolhaas and Todd Reisz (OMA), Lilet Breddels and Arjen Oosterman (Archis/Volume), Daniel Camara and Mitra Khoubrou (Pink Tank), Ole Bouman (NAi). Al Manakh is for those seeking an alternating viewpoint on the growth of the Gulf not one just from the air, but one also on the ground. Al Manakh Gulf Continued will offer the public once again its overview of the Gulf cities, this time focusing on how, amid a quickly changing economic landscape, these cities are reexamining their methods and their relationships with the rest of the world. Tempered by economic slow-down but equipped with financial and development know-how, these cities are reaching out beyond their borders to export development and urbanization to parts of the world not yet participating in global urban investment. Al Manakh Gulf Continued will cover the geopolitical, technological, environmental and financial aspects of this ongoing transformation. Cities of Saudi Arabia and Iran are also added to the scope.