With the rapid urbanisation of Abu Dhabi Island, many older buildings have gradually disappeared from the city’s visual memory. However, in areas of greater Abu Dhabi such as Al Shahama, structures dating back to the 1980s continue to define the urban landscape, suggesting a slower and more layered pace of change. This series focuses on a recurring building type originally developed by the now-defunct Department of Social Services and Commercial Buildings. Conceived as a unified architectural expression, these structures were initially painted in blue and white, establishing a consistent visual identity along the commercial strip parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road (E10). Over time, individual interventions such as repainting, signage, maintenance, and decay introduced subtle variations, transforming what was once uniform into a collection of differentiated facades.

Photographed systematically, the buildings reveal a quiet dialogue between repetition and change. While their architectural framework remains consistent, their surfaces carry traces of time, use, and individual adaptation. Some of these structures have already been demolished, while others await the same fate, positioning this work as both documentation and reflection. As Facade to Facade continues to evolve, this project marks an early exploration into neighbourhood-based typologies where patterns are identified within non-identical buildings, and framing them as collective markers of the UAE’s urban identity.