A Tower of Her Own: Sharjah’s Gift to the Women of Kalba

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah unveils a thoughtfully designed women's tower in Kalba, a serene space conceived with privacy and grace at its heart, whilst reflecting on the enduring power of cherished memories and cultural heritage.

There is something particularly moving about a gift conceived not from obligation but from genuine understanding. In Kalba, near the University of Kalba, a new women’s tower is taking shape, born from His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi’s reflection on community spaces and the particular needs of those who inhabit them. The structure rises opposite an existing clock tower, its design already complete, its foundations already underway.

Speaking on the Direct Line programme, His Highness explained the genesis of the project with clarity and thoughtfulness. The clock tower at the entrance to the university, he noted, was designed as a shared gathering place. Yet such spaces, when occupied by men, women and children simultaneously, can compromise the comfort and privacy that community members seek. The solution is elegantly simple: a second tower, positioned at the far end of the university grounds, created specifically for women, offering them sanctuary and panorama in equal measure. To the west lies the university; to the east, the cooperative society, Kalba Creek and the island beyond. The tower’s location respects the privacy of neighbouring homes whilst opening towards a generous landscape.

Complementing this initiative is a substantial public park, air-conditioned and covered, filled with diverse recreational facilities. This park, the first of its kind in Kalba, represents His Highness’s vision for how communities might gather and enjoy themselves safely and comfortably. He noted his intention to replicate this model across other areas, embedding the principle that new projects bring genuine joy to the people they serve.

The Ruler of Sharjah interwove the announcement with reflection on memory and cultural continuity. He recalled his first days at school in 1947, when Al-Islah Al-Qasimia school opened, and the children heard older voices singing a poem composed by Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi. That poem, fourteen verses in total, represented a poetic exchange between the Ruler of Sharjah and an Omani poet, dating to 1855. His Highness spoke of spending years searching for the complete text, moving only recently to recover it. Such memories, he reflected, contain details that time cannot diminish: the feel of mats beneath them that would cling to clothing as children stood; the sound of edges curling as they peeled away; the crush at the classroom door as older children pushed past on the opening day.

His Highness’s words revealed something essential about leadership in the Emirates. Development is not merely structural; it springs from an intimate knowledge of how people live, what they need, and what enriches their days. The women’s tower in Kalba, and the park beside it, emerge from this philosophy. They are offerings born of understanding, expressions of a conviction that community spaces should be designed with genuine consideration for those who will inhabit them. The architectural vision is attractive; the vantage point magnificent. But the true gift lies in the thought behind it: a space where women might enjoy their time in complete privacy, surrounded by the natural beauty and cultural heritage that defines their home.

Source: WAM