Recently, the population living in urban areas overtook the one living in the countryside. According to Rem Koolhaas, the study of cities and urban analysis has absorbed almost all of the scholarly work while the contemporary countryside as a subject of research, has been largely neglected. This issue, for the peripheral areas of the cities of the Arabian Peninsula, is even truer. Therefore, the need to investigate the contemporary "urban" condition of the "Desert-Side" through the analysis of its peculiar characteristics is very relevant. Thanks for the invitation to present and discuss my research on Dubai’s peri-urbanity.
"THE EXTRA URBAN HOUSE" / 3RD LECTURE @ HERIOT-WATT
Many thanks to Islam El Mashtooly, one of the new generation's most talented architects, for his presentation to the first-year studio /design seminar at Heriot-Watt. The students learned from the sophisticated approach to residential design, and they were impressed by the quality of the work.
"STYLE" / THE INTERVIEW
"....A phenomenon, that of Orientalism, that went beyond the Middle East's borders to absorb the influences of the far east of the world, as in the cases of "Chinoiserie" or "Japonism". Perhaps, we could define this cultural contamination as a formal proto-globalization applied to architecture without sophisticated spatial hybridizations of the more recent critical regionalism as theorized by Kenneth Frampton."
Is there a contemporary Islamic "style"? What are its main characteristics? Can you elaborate on what you think should be the architectural language of the Arab world today?
These are just a few of the questions I asked two protagonists of the Arabian Peninsula's contemporary architecture: Brian Johnson and Wael Al Masri. I am really grateful for their interest and passionate contribution. The full interview will be published in the next issue of Compasses Architecture & Design.
SITE VISIT / DESIGN SEMINAR “THE EXTRA-URBAN HOUSE”
The desert settlement of Al Lisaili will be the area chose to design the house. It is a recently developed local housing community, with some private farm plots. It includes community services: (neighborhood park/ health center/commercial services etc).
Google Location: https://goo.gl/maps/nW222Sua9anT4Pd8A
We visited it to find the best location for the final project of the design seminar. The selected site for the project is a 39x19 meters lot at the intersection of two local roads. More images of the exploration here
DESIGN SEMINAR "EXTRA-URBAN HOUSE" / 2ND LECTURE
We hosted Farah Naz's lecture within the learning activities of my first-year architectural design course at Heriot-Watt. She is leading the innovation and sustainability department at Buro Happold. We are very grateful for the excellent talk that focused on the fundamental theme of a respectful relationship between architecture and the environment. It is never too early in the curriculum to discuss sustainability in an architecture program. For the students, listening to Farah's broad expertise was a great formative experience.
LECTURE @ ABU DHABI UNIVERSITY
I am invited to present my students’ work and my research on affordable housing in the UAE to the students of the ARC584 course led by Prof. Apostolos Kyriazis. It is a great opportunity to discuss new housing typologies and urban regeneration strategies for the suburbs of Arabian cities.
MY PIECE ON ARCHITECTURE CRITICISM IN THE GULF PUBLISHED ON COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGN
"THE EXTRA URBAN HOUSE" / 1ST LECTURE @ HERIOT-WATT
We enjoyed hosting Prof. Attilio Petruccioli, who gave a super exciting lecture on traditional courtyard houses in the Middle East. Prof. Petruccioli, former Professor of Design for Islamic Societies at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT, gave the first lecture of the "Extra-Urban House" design seminar within the first-year course at Heriot-Watt Dubai in Spring 2021. Deep awareness and knowledge of history and traditional typologies are essential to elevating young architectural designers' intellectual development.
"The extra urban house" design seminar featured on CID
Commercial Interior Design published an article with an interview on the design seminar I organized for Heriot Watt
LECTURE @ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
I am very grateful for the invitation to talk about the urban regeneration of Al Nasserya at the University of California San Diego. The course “Designing Urban Ecologies” offered by Prof. Kyong Park is among those participating in the CoolCity project for the Future School / Korean Pavilion at the Architecture Venice Biennale 2021.
The Iranian Palazzina / C34 Compasses Architecture & Design
The new issue of Compasses is finally published after a very difficult period. I curated a 44 page focus on the multi-storey residential buildings in Iran. Here is an excerpt from the editorial text:
“ In the midst of all this, the [focus] on the Iranian Palazzina is like a fulcrum on which the suggestions just recalled leverage, an in-depth study by Cristiano Luchetti, who deals with a recurring residential typology in the metropolis of Tehran and beyond, detecting the legacies of memory. As well illustrated in the introductory essay by Attilio Petruccioli – a great expert in Islamic architecture, and Iranian in particular – the fil rouge is highlighted even here, holding together the nine projects specially selected for this issue, all characterized by high quality architecture, which recovers elements of the Iranian construction tradition by reinterpreting them in a contemporary key. The result is a panorama of emerging and/or already well-established architects (among the latter Hooba design, Keivani Architects, New Wave architecture, White Cube Atelier, NextOffice, Habibeh Madjdabadi Architecture Studio) that certainly makes us reflect also on the Italian tradition of Palazzina, not always equal in quality if compared with the beautiful projects selected here.” C34 editorial by A. Pane
DESIGN SEMINAR / THE EXTRA URBAN HOUSE @ HERIOT-WATT / DUBAI
Even if the current global and local economic conditions have directed the real estate market towards adopting more cautious strategies, the expansion of Arab cities still seems unstoppable. Peri-urban and desert areas seem to be the new frontiers of accelerated urban development. For this reason, a moment of reflection is necessary to identify best practices and suggest sustainable strategies in the design of residential typologies in the extra-urban context. The Architectural Design course 2, I lead at Heriot-Watt University / Dubai, will undertake this research through a series of lectures and workshops offered by some of the protagonists of the regional contemporary architectural scenario.
I am pleased to announce the design seminar: "The extra-urban house. Forms and typologies of desert-side dwellings in the UAE ". With co-tutors: Andrew Shaw, Katarzyna Tracz, Guest lecturers and critics: Farid Esmail, Islam El Mashtooly, Farah Naz, Attilio Petruccioli, Hannes Werner.
URBAN WALK @ HERITAGE AREA OF SHARJAH
Within the Art & Culture Tour initiative organized by Agenzia Malatacca I led an urban walk with a group of 20 art enthusiasts in the heritage area of Sharjah. An opportunity to talk about the historical urban form of Arabian cities, and the relation between contemporary and vernacular architecture.
JURY CRITIC @ INTERIOR DESIGN GRADUATION AJMAN UNIVERSITY
I am delighted by this invitation and looking forward to evaluating the work produced by the Ajman university / College of Architecture Art & Design students.
Art & Culture Tour / Sharjah
Thanks to Michela Spugnini and Agenzia Malatacca for the invitation to lead this walkthrough of Sharjah's heritage area.
It is a great opportunity to talk about my research on the urbanism and architecture of the emirates' cultural capital.
CoolCity for Future School / Korean Pavilion @ Venice Biennale 2021
With the first trans-oceanic meeting we started again the Cool City project that will be part of the Venice Architecture Biennale 2021.
The project statement and research schedule will be available soon.
CID ARTICLE / THE AUGMENTED CREATIVITY OF INTERIOR DESIGN
My article about differences between interior design and architecture was published on Commercial Interior Design
2nd Lecture for Archinet
With more than 300 registered attendees the lecture about the Dubai’s desert side was very successful. Thanks again to Archinet for inviting me to talk about my research again .
Al Nasserya - Winner Architecture Masterprize 2020
My students' project "Urban Sustainable Regeneration of Al Nasserya" is one of the winners in the Urban Design Category Architecture Masterprize 2020. Another important recognition of our research on how urban design and architecture can provide alternative solutions to the re-qualification of Arabian cities' problematic areas.
The project already received the following prizes in 2020:
-Critic's Award / 30th International Seminar and Award for Architecture and Urban Culture / Camerino 2020
-Honorable mention / World Design Awards 2020
-Shortlisted / Future Generation Competition at Middle East Energy 2020
-Selected for presentation / Sharjah Engineering Forum 2020
-Aqua Care Machine Park, one of the projects developed within the Al Nasserya masterplan, won the "Sustainable Architecture Design in Buildings Outstanding Team Award" at the 8th Sharjah Sustainability Awards 2020
LECTURE SERIES / CITIES OF THE WORLD
I am very thankful to Prof. Massimo Angrilli for the invitation to be part of this exciting lecture series and to speak about my research on Dubai. I look forward to hearing about other cities!
