Well, there is the quite profane answer related to RL, that thieves guild as dlc got more detailed architecture as it would've been possible with any zone within base game. Selling strategies are of course also part of this considerations.

Then you can go for the lore: Although little is known about Abah's landing except prince hubalajad founded it around 1E 808. After that it was reigned by his successors for a few generations. So the origins of the city are clearly yokudan as can also be seen by looking at the citadel of no shira directly south of it. But the Abah's landing we explore in eso isn't simply a redguard settlement anymore, as at some date in the past the town went almost forgotten to the establishment of the redguards and is since then controlled by a variety of traders, pirates and other lucky knights from various races.

That's why my personal explanation for the town's unique (and rather beautiful) architecture is it's foundation in just this meltpot of various cultures working and living together far away from any normative rule.

Sp3d_scout wrote: »

One day I decided to check out Hew's Bane, because I had recently bought a subscription and my character was a wood elf nightblade. However, when I arrived, I noticed something off about the wayshrine, and soon I realized the entire city of Abah's Landing had different architecture than the rest of Hammerfell! I, being the geek I was, decided to check reddit for answers, but only found the explanation for the architecture differences of Vvardenfell, certain dwemer ruins, and Summerset, the third of which I still don't quite believe. I know the architecture isn't different because of crown-forbear differences, because neither faction existed in Abah's Landing after the mid second era. I also know it's not a neutral-covenant difference, because Belkarth is neutral and It still has the same architecture. Did Zenimax just want to make money by giving Abah's Landing blue domes? Please let me know your theories.

i wonder if this page would answer some of your questions https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Hew's_Bane

Hoghorn wrote: »

Sp3d_scout wrote: »

One day I decided to check out Hew's Bane, because I had recently bought a subscription and my character was a wood elf nightblade. However, when I arrived, I noticed something off about the wayshrine, and soon I realized the entire city of Abah's Landing had different architecture than the rest of Hammerfell! I, being the geek I was, decided to check reddit for answers, but only found the explanation for the architecture differences of Vvardenfell, certain dwemer ruins, and Summerset, the third of which I still don't quite believe. I know the architecture isn't different because of crown-forbear differences, because neither faction existed in Abah's Landing after the mid second era. I also know it's not a neutral-covenant difference, because Belkarth is neutral and It still has the same architecture. Did Zenimax just want to make money by giving Abah's Landing blue domes? Please let me know your theories.

i wonder if this page would answer some of your questions https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Hew's_Bane

That was my main resource for this matter.

Given that it's so far from Alik'r, I'd be much more surprised if it had the same architectural style. Why would redguard settlements look the same? I think this is a good example of how differences in visual style can suggest a lot about two places with different histories, environments, and people. Making them stand out gives them character.

To me, it always made Hew's Bane seem like an opulent city that's seen a lot of change, with multiple layers of construction (stone beneath new stone beneath wood, paint, and tiles). It also felt related to its history as a city-state. Just a vibe I got.