Hilly Evergreen: Dubai Creek Harbour Iconic Residential Tower
Building Fact Invited Design Competition Hosted by EMAAR Hilly Evergreen signifies our exclusive entry into the international competition for the iconic residential tower, Dubai Creek Harbor, led by the esteemed developer Emaar in the UAE. A Harmonious Urban Oasis in Dubai Creek Harbour At the core of our design philosophy lies a simple yet profound […]
‘Lotte Hotel Saigon’ Standard & Suite room
Interior Fact Elevating High-Rise Living: Redefining Urban Hospitality for Guests from Seoul, Tokyo, and Beyond In urban environments, high-rise apartment living has become an increasingly common lifestyle choice. This trend is particularly pronounced in cities such as Seoul and Tokyo, where apartment complexes dominate the architectural landscape. These cities have essentially transformed into havens for […]
HIL-LACMA : LACMA Museum
Building Fact Building Connections: Transforming LACMA into a Dynamic Cultural Platform for the Community Communities are a rich tapestry of diverse individuals, each with their unique backgrounds and experiences. The built environment we present is more than just a structure; it’s a vibrant stage where these communities can converge, fostering a profound sense of belonging […]
Writing on Landscape
Building Fact Museum of World Writing: An Architectural Tribute to Global Language and Cultural Heritage Writing serves as a unique medium for human communication, allowing us to convey language and emotions through a rich tapestry of signs and symbols. In most languages, writing complements spoken communication. It is not a language itself but a remarkable […]
Trianglmnant : Ryde Civic Center
Building Fact Revitalizing Ryde: A Modern Civic Center Honoring Tradition and Community Spirit Nestled on the outskirts of Sydney, the city of Ryde, with its population of around 103,000, offers the best of both worlds. Residents enjoy the tranquility of rural living while being just a short drive away from the vibrant, big-city atmosphere of […]
Floral Solar Tree
Building Fact Kaunas Cultural and Science Center: Bridging Ideas, Innovation, and Nature on Science Island The City of Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city, boasts a thriving cultural and academic scene. With eight prestigious universities and a community of curious students, educators, entrepreneurs, technologists, scientists, and naturalists, Kaunas is a hub of intellectual exchange and creative energy. […]
Why Walking Might Be the Most Powerful Idea We Forgot — And How It Can Change Dubai
Have you ever heard of a walking meeting?At first, it sounds too simple to be meaningful — just walk and talk. But Steve Jobs didn’t think so. He held his most important conversations on long walks, not in boardrooms.Years later, Stanford researchers discovered why: Walking boosts creative thinking by nearly 60%. It wakes up the […]
Rethinking Traffic and Walkability – Masari Walk
I’ve experienced traffic congestion in many cities, but one memory stands out vividly—my trip to Mumbai in 2007 for the Mumbai airport project. The traffic there was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was overwhelming, and that experience has stayed with me for 18 years. Even today, traffic remains a major challenge in […]
The New Airport Design Approach That Changes Everything
Do you remember those airport seats with the metal bars — the ones that make sure you can’t lie down? I believe many of us have had that experience. I once spent five hours half-asleep, half-awake in a transit zone that felt more like a punishment than part of a journey. So, earlier this year, […]
Why ‘Look & Feel’ Is the Wrong Way to Design
“Look & feel.” We hear this phrase all the time in architecture and design meetings. It sounds harmless — even creative — but it’s one of the most misleading ideas in our profession. Because if design is only about look and feel, then what separates us from AI? AI can already generate stunning visuals — […]
World Trade Centre to Pearl Ferry
Being an architect, I feel Dubai’s pulse like no one else—those jammed streets near Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) screamed for a fix during the 2024 expos, a cry that still lingers in my mind. Weekdays, reports say drivers lose 35 hours a year to Sheikh Zayed Road, with 12-minute delays. But during expos like […]
Are Architects Lying to Us?
If I called architects “liars,” how would you react?Some of you might reject it immediately. Others might pause and think. When I began writing Design Beyond Form, it came from a troubling realization: our world is flooded with meticulously crafted visuals—polished images, cinematic renderings, seductive forms—pushed into our feeds every single day. They’re uploaded, shared, […]
What is Design Beyond Form
Most architecture starts with a shape, a concept, or a striking image.That’s how we’re taught. That’s how we often begin. But over the years, I started asking—what if we began somewhere else? In this video, I share the heart of Design Beyond Form—a philosophy I’ve been shaping for over two decades, through projects across different […]
Walkability
Walkability isn’t just about designing a path—it’s about designing a life people want to live. Masari Walk was never just a project to me. It was a question:How do we make cities feel like they belong to the people again? In this video, I want to share what walkability really means.It’s not just movement—it’s memory.It’s […]
Masari Walk — A Path Shaped by Context
Dubai—a city of ambition, vision, and relentless transformation. But beyond the speed and spectacle, I found myself asking:Where does its soul live? Design Beyond Form isn’t just a philosophy—it’s how I design.It’s about paying attention to context, to culture, to how people truly live and feel.And when you design with that mindset, something unexpected happens:You […]
The Cost of Flammable Façades
I watched the fire climb the façade—flames shooting upward and even downward as burning debris fell, setting off new fires on the floors below. It wasn’t random. Fires like this follow a path. That path is built into the materials themselves. As architects, we know that when fire behaves like this, it’s usually because the […]
Architecture Language: Riyadh Saudi Arabia
What is the Architectural Language for Riyadh City in Saudi Arabia? This is a fundamental question that architects designing in Riyadh must answer. But what responses typically emerge? Is it merely mimicking rocky mountain forms, reinterpreting historical facade elements, or replicating traditional urban footprints? Or perhaps simply copying the shapes of sand dunes? While these […]
Design Beyond Form: Airport, the Destination
Book 2 – In Progress After publishing my first book, I again realized something: design doesn’t stop once the drawings are done. It evolves, it travels, it lands in places we sometimes forget to look. That’s what brought me here—back to the airport. This next book began as a presentation I once gave at the […]
Two Towers, Two Messages: What Makes Architecture Truly Public
Image of HSBC Headquarter, HK
What Is an Aerotropolis—and Why It’s Not Just Another City
Image for Dubai New Airport Terminal
Size Really Matters — But So Does the Experience
Image Courtesy of Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia.
The Rise of Transit Travel: Why Airports Should Become Destinations
Transit Travel Is the Future—Are Our Airports Ready? Every time I plan a trip, I find myself chasing the best deals—which often means choosing flights with layovers because they’re more affordable. I don’t mind them. In fact, I’d even welcome them—if the airport offered more than just seating and signage. Global travel is growing at […]
One Za’abeel: A Bold Statement, But a Missed Opportunity
When I pass by One Za’abeel near the World Trade Centre Metro Station, I can’t help but feel something is off. The towers stand boldly, connected by an awe-inspiring cantilever—an engineering marvel that demands attention. Yet, despite its grandeur, the space feels… empty. Why? Because it’s isolated from the city around it. Wide roads cut […]
Would you prefer to work in a space that feels as cozy as home, or a typical office where shoes and formality dominate?
This question came to mind when I learned about resimercial design—a trend that blends residential comfort with commercial practicality. The idea is simple: a better environment boosts productivity. But as compelling as it sounds, is it practical for every workplace? Here’s why this concept is gaining traction:Remote and hybrid work have redefined how we view […]