Over 350 species of bird have made their home at this wetland centre, built by local firm X Architects on a former rubbish dump in the United Arab Emirates (+ slideshow).

Open since November, the Wasit Natural Reserve features a mix of sand dunes, salt flats and lagoons, framed by three slender building volumes and a network of woven canopies.

It invites visitors to observe a variety of different birds in a natural habitat, but also helps to educate them about these species. Additionally, it provides facilities for researchers and accommodates a veterinary team.

Located in the Emriate of Sharjah, north of Dubai, the 4.5-square-kilometre site was originally a dump for both rubbish and waste water. The project to rehabilitate the area started back in 2005, and involved removing over 40,000 square metres of rubbish.
Dubai-based X Architects was charged with designing buildings for the site without compromising its functionality as a nature reserve.

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To achieve this, the team divided the programme up into three areas, and created long slender volumes for each. Each volume overlaps its neighbour, creating a huge H-shaped plan that frames different zones.

Aviaries slot in between the building, creating dedicated areas for birds including herons, ibises and seedeaters.
"The architecture of the centre blends with its surroundings and uses the existing topography...