CRISTIANO LUCHETTI

Instructor: Prof. Arch. Cristiano Luchetti

Students: Linda Ibrahim, Mustafa Mohmedalhassn

Course: Architectural Design Studio VII, American university of Ras Al Khaimah.

Farmlands in the UAE challenge the very notion of a desert by existing as successful models of human settlement amongst the dominance of the desert landscape. The practice of “Desert Farming’’ incorporates a juxtaposition of two extreme natural landscape conditions. Due to its adjacency to the city, farmland development is a pre-dominant peri-urban condition. Each farmland development is supported by several functions and residential areas in close proximity, making it a self-sufficient model independent from the city.

While emerging as the ‘’otherness’’ to the city, the farmland expansion is viable compared to the city’s rapid urban growth, which is more and more economically and sustainably unfeasible. Therefore, the peri-urban condition of farmlands provides a promising new antagonist to the existing urban centers and the apparently, unstoppable sprawl.

In this context, however, the design research supporting the sustainable expansion of the desert suburban villages is not yet defined. The same urban plan seems to be applied as a general rule for these desert communities. Even the urban strategies used until now by government agencies do not seem to address the specificity of each area. For this reason, the Architectural Design VII course held at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah tried to contribute to developing urban and architectural solutions that could inform the spatial development of such settlements.

The chosen site for the mixed-used project designed by the students was the area called Margham. It is located along the highway connecting Dubai to Al Ain and adjacent to an oasis and source of water, a common condition among all the villages in the desert. This natural infrastructure has allowed the settlement of agricultural activities and, as often happens, of a small village inhabited exclusively by the local population owning the farmland and their immigrant helpers.

Students: Aysha Elsharif, Salam BayadCourse: ARCH 222, American University of Ras Al Khaimah
Instructor: Prof. Arch. Cristiano Luchetti

Al Rams, the small gulf communicating with the sea that hosts the fishing activity of Ras Al Khaimah is located in the city's northern area. It accommodates several dozen immigrant fishermen who operate and live in prefabricated buildings overlooking the docks where their boats dock. Recently, a large portion of artificial land has been created for a future prestigious real estate development overlooking the sea.
This planned development will change the nature and urban role of the small "village" of fishermen. It will be located at the entrance of the development area. This new configuration will enhance its functional potential, thus requiring a redevelopment project to expand the possibilities of public use of the area.

A new fish market and a restaurant are the scope of the brief. Partial redevelopment of adjacent public spaces is also required, along with constructing a plaza on the gulf that can become a recreational destination for city residents. The project aims not only at the functional revaluation of the area but also at better integration with the rest of the local community, the social microcosm composed of foreign immigrant workers who live and work in the village.

Three main volumes constitute a functional cluster creating interstitial public use spaces. Their strategic position has been designed to make the most of the breathtaking views of the gulf and the majestic backdrop of the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah. A series of canopies provide shading for the common areas, symbolically evoking the coral formations present in the Arabian Sea, adding a touch of natural beauty to the urban landscape.

Instructors: Cristiano Luchetti, Tawfiq Abu Hantash

Student: Mustafa Mohmedalhassn

For many years the shopping mall was the solely possible pedestrian-only "public" space in the Gulf cities. It may be time to reconsider such a typological model. In recent times the success of some alternative projects has shown that commercial functions placed in open "public" spaces can be feasible even in local hot and arid climates. Therefore, there is a need to study new typological categories to define contemporary "public" areas, especially when such zones have the potential to redevelop the city's relationship with existing natural infrastructure, such as the seashore.

Traditional markets in the middle east and the United Arab Emirates suffered from a loss of identity when they no longer became a destination for all sectors of society. These places, in the past, were not just limited to commercial activities; markets were a major social catalyst in communities that created a bond between the whole society. In current times, markets transformed into malls. Their purpose is limited to commercial and retail activities with a complete disregard for the social aspects causing the progressive disappearance of the identity of the traditional market. Even the souqs that survived and continued to operate lost this trait. Al Kuwaity market is one of them. It is a traditional market in the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, built in the 1970s around the Alkuwaity Hospital built by the Kuwaiti government. The market since then has yet to witness a significant update. The regeneration of the al Kuwaiti market aims to restore and adapt the lost identity of traditional markets considering the local context and factors. The project creates a modernized district based on the principles of the tradition. A prominent central path with shops and functions on both sides is created as the project's spine, while secondary routes connect the redesigned seashore. This element reminisces the way the users experienced markets decades ago. The layout of open spaces along the main path encourages social interaction, with each space catered towards a sector of society. The masterplan is concluded with a main outdoor event area which becomes the catalyzer of social interaction.

Students: Ramlat Abubakar & Amina Usman

Course: ARCH 222, American University of Ras Al Khaimah
Instructor: Prof. Arch. Cristiano Luchetti

Situated in Al Rams, the coastal enclave where Ras Al Khaimah's fishing industry thrives, lies in the northern reaches of the city. Here, immigrant fishermen reside and operate from prefabricated structures overlooking the bustling docks where their vessels moor. Notably, recent efforts have seen the expansion of artificial land, earmarked for a forthcoming upscale real estate venture overlooking the ocean.

This impending development signals a transformation for the traditional fishing "village," poised at the development's threshold. This shift prompts a reassessment of its function and urban significance, necessitating a redevelopment initiative to broaden its public utility.

Central to this endeavor is the establishment of a new fish market and dining establishment. Additionally, the project entails a partial revamp of adjacent public areas and the creation of a waterfront plaza, envisioned as a recreational hub for city dwellers. Beyond functional enhancement, the project aims to foster greater cohesion with the broader local community, including the immigrant labor force integral to the village's fabric.

The structure comprises two distinct levels, each serving a specific purpose in the redevelopment plan. Upstairs, a restaurant offers diners a scenic view of the gulf, serving as both a dining spot and a public gathering space. Meanwhile, downstairs, the bustling fish market continues to thrive, preserving the village's cultural heritage while facilitating commercial activity. This integration of functions maximizes space and embodies a blend of tradition and modernity, emphasizing the project's commitment to sustainability and community inclusivity.

Urban design / Students Category 2020 Architecture MasterPrize. WINNER

WORLD DESIGN AWARD 2020 / HONORABLE MENTION

XXX International Seminar and Award for Architecture and Urban Culture - Camerino 2020 / CRITICS’ AWARD

URBAN ANALYSIS + URBAN DESIGN STAGE

Instructor: Prof. Arch. Cristiano Luchetti
Course Advisor: Arch. Ahmed Khadier
Students: Al Kalouti Shaden, AlSuwaidi Rashid,Besiso Saba, Drak Sibai Rim, George Rachel, Girijavallaban Velloorkunju Akila, Kah Mariama, Khamis Ibrahim, Mohamed Rania, Pirbabaie Navaz, Samara Mohammad
Sebastian Alina, Shaaban Rewan, Shibu Ashika, Suresh Samrakshana

Project Brief:
The Sharjah Department of Planning and Survey and Sharjah Urban Planning Council have recently started independent initiatives to explore and propose ways by which deteriorated neighborhoods can be enhanced. The mandate is to maintain the existing housing stock (structurally intact ones) and propose enhancements to the public realm and social infrastructure of those areas based on the needs and specificity of each neighborhood. One of the mandates is to find ways to attract Emirati families back to these neighborhoods without necessarily displacing the existing population.
The Urban and Architectural Design Studio ARC501 Section 3 at the American University of Sharjah, first investigated through mapping, surveys, and fieldwork the existing conditions of Al Nasserya, thereafter proposed innovative solutions grounded on the findings of the research. We looked for alternative means of intervention other than conventional approaches with a focus on sustainability. Students had the freedom to identify the scale and brief of their proposals - whether it would be a block or the whole neighborhood, or a single building along with the surrounding affected public realm.

Student: Mariama Kah

The main aim of the project is to remove the restrictions from the existing original neighborhood Park and to provide an accessible zone of public interaction. By offering a space where the meaningful connection between residents is possible, the ambition of the Urban Park is to create a location where the bonds of a strong community fabric can be established. Through bioclimatic architectural interventions, the park will create a favorable microclimatic for the neighborhood and thus encourage gathering via thermal comfortability. In addition, through attractive and sustainably devised landscape interventions, the project will boost the overall appeal of the neighborhood and encourage respite and play. Flexibility in spatial configuration also allows for the Urban Park to dawn a multitude of functions for the community, and to facilitate a range of meetings, celebrations, and events.

Students: Alina Sebastian, Samrakshana Suresh, Rania Mohamed, Rachel George

This project introduces the typology of a shared medical facility in which individual clinics operate co-dependently to minimize the redundancy of amenities such as laboratories and surgery centers that can be shared. The communal aspect of this typology ensures the sustenance of the project.

Shortlisted / Visualization '20
International Architecture Design Awards

Students: Alina Sebastian, Samrakshana Suresh, Rania Mohamed, Rachel George

This project proposes a mixed-use urban incubator combining living and working spaces to combat the issue of long travel distances between houses and workplaces in Sharjah thereby reducing the overall carbon footprint of the neighborhood. The Incubator provides an array of functions ranging from residential, sports, retail and co-working spaces integrated within a hierarchy of public realms such as parks, multi-functional sports fields, cycling, and running tracks. This amalgamation of amenities within proximity extends the principles of sustainability, by bringing a variety of social and economic groups within the same complex thereby ensuring the longevity of the community.

Students: Saba Besiso, Navaz Pirbabaie

The project acts as a major anchor point at the periphery of the Al Nasserya neighborhood adjacent to Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al Qassimi Street. It will connect Nasserya to Maysaloon through a clear pedestrian pathway as well as an elevated infrastructure that aims to overcome the obstacles of vehicular road. As a mixed use project, including residential, commercial, and governmental functions that include a visa center, professional development center, offices and counseling services.

Students: Al Kalouti Shaden, Drak Sibai Rim, Khamis Ibrahim

The proposal seeks to solve specific problems related to the northeastern district of the site such as overcrowded housing, lack of public spaces, and the lack of pedestrian sidewalks and bike lanes, etc. The scheme consists of 3 projects, 2 of which are the short-term accommodation center and the community center. Both serve as anchors that brings people into the site. The community center responds to the mosque that is next to it by bringing in religious related functions. The short-term accommodation incorporates micro apartments that provide temporary residence to incoming workers. The rest of the site consists of a series of buildings that are arranged around open space, which are connected by Sikkas. The first half of the site consists of affordable housing, along with a retail ground level. The second half includes civic related functions, such as a women center, elders’ center, youth center, and a nursery.

Winner: Sharjah Sustainability Award 2020

Students: Akhila Girijan, Aashika Shibu

The design is part of the revitalization of an urban design project located in Al Nassirya in Sharjah. It focuses on addressing the social issues and weaknesses in typical sites of Sharjah’s community areas that include the lack of gathering spaces, shaded walkways, playgrounds, and designed pedestrian road network. In addressing these issues, the project aims at being a self-sustaining machine that not only introduces sustainability measures for itself but also aims at making its community greener. We aim to build a sustainable machine that can be used as a prototype that can be inserted in every neighborhood in Sharjah to make the entire community energy efficient and enhance waste-water management. To begin with, we approached the site by zoning the site to create a commercial frontage. Either edge of the site is strong bars of residential blocks comprising of a bachelor as well as family housing. These buildings, nevertheless, are permeable, bringing people into the public park designed at the center. Additionally, we introduced pedestrian pathways in the site to connect different regions of the community. These paths create hierarchies for the spaces within and thereby are allocated with different functions. The green approach for this site starts as a gradient from the commercial strip all the way until the end of the site. The sustainability approaches are as follows:

1. Reed bed system
2. Aquaponics
3. Vertical Farming
4. Solar Panels and reduction of solar gain
5. Creating a series of microclimate

The machine consists of a loop that implements two strategies: Filtration of Greywater using Reed bed strips and reusing the filtered water through an underground aquaponic and vertical farming system.
To achieve the system efficiently, we have introduced topographical variations to the site that helps with the natural flow of water. The café strip emerges from the ground and the roof steps down into the ground gradually. Each of these steps turns into a reed bed strip and some of these also act as a seating device for public use. The greywater from the residential units is collected into a storage tank underground which is then pumped up onto the rooftops of the café. The greywater then flows underneath the reed bed strips, thereby passing through numerous filtration stages. The filtered water is then collected into another tank from which the water branches out to be reused for different purposes such as landscaping, irrigation, cleaning and cooling down the solar panels, etc. It also passes onto the underground aquaponic system consisting of fish farming and organic farming.

In the future, this prototype can lead to functional developments such as a farmers’ market and an Agricultural Educational Centre on-site to promote the sustainable measure that can be implemented via architecture in the future. As the machine adapts to each site, efficiency and productivity can be manipulated through its scale.

In conclusion, this machine aims at being a resource-efficient prototype that reciprocates the growing need for the UAE in being a greener country that gives back to its people

Student: Rashid Al Suwaidi

The aim of this intervention is to form a gateway to the central portion of Al Nasserya. By extending the existing commercial strip functions of the neighborhood into a designed public space; the project thus creates a collection point and landmark destination along that route. Through incorporating vernacular typologies of commercial and Souq architecture of the UAE region, the project possesses meandering pathways that connect three major public zones and boosts their existing functions on an economic and architectural scale. Moreover, the project also provides provisions for a new industry to develop in Al Nasserrya via a work Incubator to encourage economic diversity within the neighborhood.

Instructors: Cristiano Luchetti, Tawfiq Abu Hantash

Student: Linda Ibrahim

“اقْرَأْ” Read was the first word in the Quran. The holy verses, and Hadith from the sunnah entails the urgency for people to read or acquire knowledge. Knowledge is the element that makes mankind unique from all the other creations and it is the tool needed for them to evolve. Hence, Allah the Glorious, ensures that people who are given knowledge will be elevated in status. Islam can be the stimulation needed to for mankind to evolve and prosper, creating a place that will provoke them spiritually and mentally was needed. The project proposes the addition of cultural functions such library, seminars room, gallery, and research spaces, as an extension to a mosque. Open spaces provide gathering functions, landscaped areas and an open auditorium. The goal is to create a center that, with the support of Islam, would educate individuals thriving for development. The Khalifa bin Zayed mosque in the city of Ras Al Khaimah was chosen to host such extension. The site is located on a developing city area visible from the E311 road at the southern arrival to RAK. The design proposes to insert volumes within the grid of the existing Islamic Garden surrounding the Mosque. The concept of the master plan aims to defining a uniting and connecting element between the two main functional entities. The new volumes are partially sunken to create a new sectional datum connected with the ground floor by stairs, ramps and terraces. Only the chopped pyramids are visible above the ground line. Their various inclination and sloops visually recall the background of the Jais Mountains.

Organized by Fondazione Inarcassa, Italian Pavilion Expo 2020, and Associazione Italiana di Architettura e Critica in collaboration with Emaar

Team: Cristiano Luchetti, Elena Biason, Hamsa Al Juboori, Letizia Vanelli, Farah Abou Hamza, farah Hamdan, Marco De Petris.

Assistant: Chiara Marchionni

(Extract from the press release)

The workshop "Urban Renaissance" was held from 4 to 6 November at the Italian Pavilion of Expo 2020. Conceived and promoted by Inarcassa Foundation in collaboration with the General Commissioner for the Participation of Italy at Expo 2020 Dubai. Planned during the Urban & Rural Development week, the initiative saw 15 young Italian professionals - engineers and architects - working alongside 15 colleagues from the United Arab Emirates for a professional comparison of great value, with the aim of carrying out a project of "Urban Renaissance" in the area of Downtown Boulevard in Dubai.

Our project, developed in the two days of the workshop, proposes densification of the boulevard by adding functions that are currently missing from the area. The different sectors are designed to portray specific urban identities and typological solutions while being recognized as a single intervention (the circle of the astrolabe)

The over functional zoning of Sharjah’s areas is not immutable. Some parts are changing identity and require appropriate solutions for a sustainable re-conversion that can raise the level of their urban quality. At the same time, in the Emirates, there is a demand for low-cost housing that cannot be satisfied due to both a lack of investment and lack of an appropriate architectural strategy. The course will examine the area of Abu Shagara. It is a strategic portion of the city that is positioned in the central areas close to the most important public spaces. In recent years, it suffered from a pervasive mono-functionality that prevented adequate living quality. Since the used cars Souq has been moved, the area now needs ideas and projects. In the first part of the semester, students will propose a global urban redesign that will define the guidelines for the transformation of the context. In the second phase, the design will scale down and will address a mixed program of housing, public spaces, and retail. The course aims to propose a possible model of the redevelopment of areas subject to this kind of functional and typological transformations while considering the different scales of urban and architectural design.

Shortlisted Award XXXI edition of Seminario Internazionale e Premio di Architettura e Cultura Urbana di Camerino

Students: Mariam Elashwal / Fatma Hassan

The concept behind the project is to provide an internal pedestrian street that hosts all public and retail activities in the complex. All retail is located on the ground floor level and the apartments in the upper levels. The building facing the entrance plaza is a mixed use building with offices, apartments and retail. All blocks have a vertical internal courtyard that overlooks the internal street. In addition, all apartment blocks have shared and private roof terraces. Light color facades wrap around the block edges while a dominant color marks the facades on the internal street and the courtyards.

Students: Omaima Alansari / Thsushini Amarasiri

Students:

Yasmine Fahmy / Marina Nassif / Abanob Zhory

Student’ Website LINK

Students:

Hussein Hijazi / Pankhuri Malhotra

The aim of this project was to build a critical re-densification of vacant lots in the center of Sharjah. In order to define the volumetric and functional definition of new buildings and possible demolitions in the urban fabric, it was important to have a thorough understanding of the site.

The approach carried out in designing the plot was to create an incubator that acted as the central node of the site and created a commercial as well as a housing zone. The introduction of the crevice allowed the creation of an axis linking the two ends of the project, ie, the main road to the parkside. The main method employed was subtraction and excavation from the initial massing.

Students:

Yara Rheiim

GFA 74000 SQM

The center for the Sharjah Media Headquarters is located at the edge of the “institutional” and the “industrial” city of Sharjah in front of the most successful public space, Al Majaz. The brief asks for a mixed use complex of buildings which will house offices, retail, ancillary facilities, and public spaces.

Student:

Adelunga Odulana

Students:

Saad Boujane / Mark Philip

Archinect LINK

Students;

Hamsa Khalid / Randa Abdelkarim

Student:

Amine El Kaddouri

Students:

Sultan Al-Mutairi/ Tigran Kostandyan

Student:

GHANEM MOHAMED

Student:

Nadia Al Barwani

Students:

Raha Milani / Narges Rz

Students:

Reem Yousuf / Farah Al Khoury

The Metropolitan city of Dubai with it’s rapid development, generates for itself a symptom of ‘a lack of identity’ through its urban sprawl and constant growth. Even though the urban landscape of Dubai consists of vast empty spaces, these spaces cannot be percieved or used as public spaces. This is because of the monumentality and sculptural quality of the buildings within the city which produces a ‘disconnect’ between the scale of the urban landscape and the scale of its users. Ergo, this project is proposed as a tool to generate a successful and functional public space within one of Dubai’s new districts - The Dubai Design District [d3]. The plot is located adjacent to a water body - which plays an important role within the masterplan of Dubai, where waterbodies will be connected and allowed to extend towards the Arabian Gulf in the near future.

To accentuate the element of the waterfront further, the museum is elevated from the ground to create a canopy of shade underneath, whilst allowing for an uninterrupted view of the waterfront. The now-floating structure is then pinched at the entrance point and towards the waterfront to generate the perception of a ‘paper thin’ cantilevered structure. This occupiable roof is then pierced by pillars called ‘protrusions’ that
perform as light wells and part of the structure. Due to the transparency of it’s cladding material, the protrusions also function as media walls and possible exhibition spaces where design and art pieces can be housed and seen from the public space below. The underbelly of the cantilevered structure is clad in a reflective material to further activate the public space. Schematically, this project divides the gallery and exhibition spaces at the upper level, and the lobby, workshop, classrooms and cafe at the lower level.

Student:

Amer Al Hussaini

The project is looking for an architectural solution that will provide a “house for the cars”. L’Habiter pur la machine. Scope of the investigation is to create a building that will both function as used cars shopping mall as well as retail/commercial hub for the inhabitants of the area, and, finally as one the most important public space / urban park of the city. Due to the peculiar functional program, architecture and landscape must be conceived as one design. The building will be a hybrid functional organism inserted into a regular built grid of anonymous blocks where the open space / public park will be the key feature.

The preliminary urban analysis/mapping of the proposed site was conducted by groups of students using a wide variety of analytical and representational strategies and methods.

Mapping (Map-Making)

Conceptual mapping can be described as tool used to represent ideas and topics through a pictorial form. It requires a great level of personal involvement. You should not only look at the site as portion of the urban fabric through its merely tectonic properties. Urban areas are first of all "places" where life takes place. Social behaviors explicit themselves in a continuous evolving process that mentally and physically shape the built environment. Through a holistic perceptual approach you are required to interpret its sublime aesthetic and comprehensively represent it.

Goal of the assignment is the production of a "Conceptual Map" using different media (Videos, Installations, Performances).

Students:

Ali Al-Sammarraie / Rami Abdelhamid / Muhammad Al Jbori

Project Description:

The site lies in a city, which historically, primarily relied on fishing as a means of trade while morphologically surrounded by desert. Also a religious/formal approach informed the design. A drive through the city would unveil a kaleidoscope of elements borrowed from Islamic architecture such as domes. Finally, we identified the main architectural dilemma in Abu Shaghara, where the clash between two organisms [cars + people] generated a holistic architectural proposal. The proposal to the existing urban problem is to elevate the car mall up and away from the city and give the landscape back to the people. In order to achieve this goal we thought to design a mega structure that will house all the programmatic needs of machine trading. The resultant area beneath is human focused, further more this landscape that mimics the sand dunes has retail and F&B submerged within the landscape.

The project “Arkan 5” creates opportunities beyond its internal use and benefits; it fosters potential for economic growth in the neighborhood and provides opportunities to boost the infrastructure of the city and neighborhood.

https://www.commercialinteriordesign.com/thoughts/aus-students-presented-car-mall

MIXE USED PROJECT IN AL KHAN LAGOON 100000 SQM

This unique site requires a specific integration among architecture and landscape. In this case the most important landscape component is water. The challenge is to conceive an urban solution for the residential and retail program which will make the best use of this local specific yet full of potential condition.

Students:

Raha Milani / Narges Rz

Published on Compasses world Issue # 32 / 2020

Student: Tigran Kostandyan
Advisor: Prof. Cristiano Luchetti
American University of Sharjah

"Green Lagoon" is a project for a mixed-use development in Al Khor Lagoon, Sharjah, and is designed to improve the environmental conditions of the site. Al Khor lagoon is located at the heart of Sharjah city contemporary development, surrounded by a series of high rise residential towers. Although the lagoon is a distinct and relatively static feature of Sharjah city, this has not always been the case, old aerial photos of Al Khan Lagoon shows that the ground condition contained what is known to be "Sabkha" (Arabic: سبخة‎). "Sabkha" is a coastal supratidal mudflat that is gradational between land and intertidal zones just above normal high-tide levels. While the nearby Khalid lagoon has been drenched and stabilized by around 1980, the Al Khan Lagoon stayed as "Sabkha" until the early 1990s.

In 2000 the al Al Qasba Canal was built, connecting the two Lagons, Al Khan and Al Khor. This project had a positive environmental impact on the site. Connecting the two lagoons improved the water quality by allowing tidal flow from one water body to another. Although Qasba channel improved the water quality, in certain areas of Al Khan Lagoon still had flushing issues. The Green lagoon project is designed to address this problem by proposing a strategy of improving the water quality by the introduction of Mangrove Biome.

Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees that grow in tidal planes. There are several mangrove forests in UAE along the coasts of Umm al Quwain, Abu Dhabi, and Fujairah. The dense root structures of the mangrove trees allow them to function as natural filters by capturing fine sediments.

The Green Lagoon project consists of two platforms that start from the Al Qasba channel. The two "floating" avenues are surrounded by mangrove forests that will help improve the water quality of the lagoon. The project is not accessible by car; it deploys small-scale self-driving electric transportation system connecting the various buildings. Unlike many artificial islands built in the region, Green Lagoon does not use dredging. Instead, the project is elevated above the water by a grid of stilts, allowing water to flow under it. The project is designed according to the environmental conditions of the country. It provides public spaces with an ample amount of shading. Furthermore, mangroves are not considered landscape features. The adopted sustainable design strategy considers the new sustainable "eco-system" as the fundamental element of the architecture proposed for the Lagoon.

Students:

Vahid Farbod / Haia Machfij

“The ideal place for me is the one in which it is most natural to live as a foreigner.” ― Italo Calvino

 “This City is what it is because our citizens are what they are.”― Plato

 “I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth.”― Steve McQueen

Paradigm

After the “compact city” of the XIV-XIX century built upon the urban relationship among historical “places” and the transformation of its own fabric, the traditional European town has seen an amazingly fast evolution occurring during the XX century. The power of the industrial revolution and the blooming of urbanization substantially changed the way cities used to expand and develop. The “Cite’ Industrielle” (1917) imagined by Tony Garnier was a very efficient city, rationally shaped to accommodate the growing needs of a mechanized society. Although such theorization, together with many others (Le Corbusier 1931, Jacob Bakema 1956, etc.) has remained on paper, cities have kept expanding. Thus, colonization of the territory begun and a new concept of “urban sprawl” dominated by the importance of mobility was at the base of all contemporary cities growth in the western world. There would be no urban sprawl without roads and transportation infrastructures. A new paradigm was created. Cities are now shaped by roads, railways, subways, rivers, and channels. As Japanese Metabolists in the ‘60s would have described, infrastructures can be meant as the skeleton of an urban body while their different “meta-regions” would be muscles and organs.

Sharjah is a prime example of a city built on (and because of its road) infrastructures. The sudden need for a town where, just a few years ago, there was (basically) only desert has pushed toward wild urbanization that has been focusing on building main roads and buildings but leaving behind many necessary facilities. Neighborhoods are formed by the intersections of the central axis, and their success in terms of livability relies on the capability for inhabitants to be able to quickly reach their destinations (school, work, mall, etc.). The “modern” relationship center-suburbs is abolished. As a matter of fact, in Sharjah, one cannot identify a “center”; only “functional axis” and “iconic nodes.” Functional axes are placed along with main circulation infrastructures. The nature of provided functions (optics, car body parts, used cars, clothing, etc.) set the identity of peculiar areas. Iconic nodes are mainly placed along the coast or near most desirable portions of the city to celebrate the authority and the government of its territory through mostly neo-classic conceived interventions. Everything else is an undefined volumetric carpet, usually lacking the most essential urban facilities.

Challenge

The course task is to design a hybrid building located within a quite problematic area of Sharjah named Muwailih near the University City area. It is a very recent residential development mostly inhabited by newcomer immigrants that dramatically lack essential infrastructures and services. The area is next to an industrial compound, and it is nestled between high-traffic roads, making it one of the cheapest neighborhoods to live in the entire region. At the moment, Muwailih can be considered one of the immigrants’ ghetto of Sharjah. Although not an urban planning project per se, the design studio will challenge the idea of trying to revitalize the neighborhood through the design of a single building: A community center. It will be a hybrid building that will include community,commercial, and other public functions together with an indoor/outdoor public space and a landscape component.

Course: Architectural Design for the Enhancement and Conservation of the Architectural Heritage

Universita’ Politecnica delle Marche

Instructors: Gianluigi Mondaini, Cristiano Luchetti

Students: Francesca Carletta, Beatrice Pilota

Barcode is a project born from the study of the port area of Mina Zayed, where the project area is located. Following this analysis, a repetitiveness and homogeneity of the existing warehouses emerged. The alternation between solids and voids generated the suggestion of a bar code and cutting operations, which allowed to create greater permeability in the area, ensuring further pedestrian paths and shaded areas. The buildings subject to intervention host three macro functions: coworking, art, and retail, while the newly built volumes, located in the wide strip facing the sea, host a new museum complex and sports functions. The public space is characterized by two extensive pedestrian paths: the first located horizontally between the two bands of existing buildings which is characterized by large pools of water and roofs that allow shelter from the sun, and the other, instead, which is located facing the sea and constitutes a "green corridor" between the buildings and the water. The connection between these two paths occurs thanks to the presence of a large square located in front of the new museum complex, designed to relate to the sea through a series of cuts that allow the water to emerge between the volumes. A re-development was imagined through a system of symbols and colors painted on the external facades that generate compelling graphics designed to characterize every structure.

Course: Architectural Design for the Enhancement and Conservation of the Architectural Heritage

Universita’ Politecnica delle Marche

Instructors: Gianluigi Mondaini, Cristiano Luchetti

Students: Emma Foresti, Elisa Santarelli

The idea for re-qualifying the industrial site of Mina Zayed consists of a design solution that adapts to the existing area, helping to increase the awareness of the place while proposing multiple functional opportunities.
The infrastructure of the project consists of the insertion of a new functional layer of cylindrical volumes. They cross and cut the existing warehouses defining more dynamic interactions with the public space.
The new functionally specialized parasites of different sizes and heights differ in type according to the location in which they are inserted. In some cases, the existing warehouses absorb them entirely. Others connect two separate entities, most of them invade the central avenue. These volumes are also crucial to link outer and internal spaces, creating a relation between parts that determines a new way to experience outdoor spaces.
The interposition makes the pedestrian path fluid of circular green oases and ponds, which certainly help mitigate the high temperature of summer, improving the fruition of open spaces.
The planning strategy is focused on maximizing the event area.
Inside, the space is versatile and suitable for a wide range of functions: from concerts to conventions, from art exhibitions to coworking.
The project addresses and provides a solution to the growing need to transform disused industrial areas into multi-functional public facilities. They can become new urban centralities in the Arabian metropolitan territories.

Architecture Masterprize 2021 - Mixed Use category winner

Course: Architectural Design for the Enhancement and Conservation of the Architectural Heritage

Universita’ Politecnica delle Marche

Instructors: Gianluigi Mondaini, Cristiano Luchetti

Students: Lorenzo Del Bello, Alessandro Lucchetti, Francesco Palumbo

The site is located in the North-Est area of Abu Dhabi, specifically in Mina Zayed, a large former industrial area with little receptive and tourist vocation.
The re-qualification project provides the dismissed industrial area with many innovative functions creating a significant new urban centrality.
The area's transformation takes place without altering the pre-existent and current industrial context through minimal removals and the addition of a new layer of designed elements.
The central road is the generator of the redevelopment. It divides the two strands of warehouses. A series of new volumes define the wide pedestrianized axis creating new urban fronts.
The added volumes provide mainly F&B functions to the reclaimed street. Their particular and differentiated shapes stand out on the central boulevard creating a perceptual dynamism. This functional buffer is placed between the central public axis and the new functions located in the renovated existing warehouses. The new Auditorium is a telescope-shaped element that joins four sheds. Like the new galleries, the spaces dedicated to co-working and laboratories are versatile and suitable for a wide range of functions. Retail functions are strategically located on the main pedestrian paths, while some are dedicated to outdoor sports (soccer, skateboarding, and climbing). The new volumes influence the entire area's landscaping design. Their geometries overlap the linear paving pattern creating Green regions and water bodies that enhance users' environmental comfort. The road network's connection is solved by locating drop-off spaces and car parks near the project's primary nodes.

Student:

RAMI ABDELHAMID

Student:

Nasser Alzayani

Student:

Hafez Koohestani

Student:

Sawsan Al Bahar

(From the syllabus written by the course coordinator Prof. G. Watson)

The project is located on a landfill connected to a coastal
wetland, part of the Al Zorah Wildlife Refuge in Ajman. The UAE has a small number of surviving, protected, coastal saltwater wetlands and mangrove forests - the largest is the Mangrove National Park in Abu Dhabi. These remaining tidal wetlands serve an important role as spawning grounds for marine species critical to the health of the larger Arabian Gulf and its coastal environments. They are also rookeries for native bird species and provide important stopover habitats for migratory birds. These landscapes are also extraordinarily delicate. Development and climate change have reduced the number, area, and health of these wetlands creating significant threats to the survival of these habitats and the animal and plant life they support.
The project is to design the institute that supports research and public education on the critical role of coastal ecosystems in the health of larger marine and terrestrial environments.

Total Area 2000 m2

(all pictures are by students)

Student: Nadine El Shirbini

The project is for an institute that supports research and public education on the critical role of coastal ecosystems in the health of larger marine and terrestrial environments. During the site visit, there was a strong division between the sand, water, and mangroves. The concept of this project suggests the building as the threshold between the three different landscape entities. The extension of the pedestrian path drives the planimetric development of the building allowing for sand, water, and mangroves to coexist as an integral natural system.

Highly Commended Entrant in the Architecture & Design category /The Global Undergraduate Awards 2020 Programme.

Student: Malak Al Hawamdeh

This project responds to a mixed-use brief with an organically clustered typology. As an institute that supports research and public education of the marine wildlife, the project aims to mimic the atmospheric qualities of 'barnacles' and utilize them as a source of natural light, creating an integrated feel with the coastal wetland. The orientation of the separate buildings allows visitors to enjoy multiple views of the site (mangroves, creek, and landscape). The nature of the forms is partially cantilevered creating shaded exterior spaces, that allow for an interior-exterior use.

Student: Ezzeldin El Samanoudy

Located near Al Zorah wild refuge in Ajman, this project was inspired by the Idea of the Burj as an Icon to the people of the United Arab Emirates. The formal unity of the tower begins to break down its defensive nature by spreading its functional volumetry. Such clustered typology, allows for enclosed, framed encounters with nature while blocking away the sun’s heat from the south.

Student: Rose Alomair

AlZorah Coastal Wetland Institute of Ajman is a project that spreads awareness to the public about the protected wetlands of Ajman, while providing an on-site location for scientists to work on conservation and research. Conceptually, this project functions as an observatory for the public. Rather than being a destination, it is a linear journey of and through the elements of nature. It is located on an inflection point on the site where water, earth, and mangroves come together. Although this is largely a center for science and education, it is equally a place for the public to spend time connecting with mother nature, which is highly uncommon occurrence in the urban societies of the UAE.

Student: Irine Aju

The project, located near a part of the Al Zorah wild refuge in Ajman, was inspired by the mangrove forests located around it. The landfill connected to the wetland divides the water body into one that is populated with mangroves and another that is a polluted still water zone. With the goal of improving water quality and expanding the shoreline for mangroves, a waterway is constructed such that the project becomes an inhabited bridge to connect two parts of the landfill. The facade is made of linear discrete elements to enhance the organic mangroves and express the function of the spaces.

3rd Place 5th Inspireli Awards

Student: Layan Hashem

The AlZorah Coastal Institute is a project that raises awareness to the general public about the protected wetlands, coastal ecosystems, and marine life of Ajman. Conceptually, the project was derived from two existing shells that were found on site. The initial idea was to physicalize these shells and allow them to contain research facilities, as well as public observatories and programs within. In order to relate to the urban context, the shell mimicked the nature of the fishnet or gargoor, which is essentially a dome-shaped fishing net that reflects the ancestral heritage of the UAE. From that, the notion of architecture as a micro-city preserving the past, present, and future of Emirati tradition occurred.

Student: Maitha Alhammadi

Al Zorah Coastal Wetland Institute of Ajman is both a public spot to learn about the significant role of the UAE’s mangrove coastal ecosystems as well as a private space for scientists to conduct research in. The design of the institute reminisces traditional methods of dwelling and spatial definition in the region; the village and the tent, creating a field of clustered anchored masses and tents blown by the wind blending with the interstitial conditions of the wetland. Views to nature are celebrated by framing them with the masses as one loses oneself walking in between. Harsh environmental forces are mitigated by orienting the masses in a direction that will maximize air flow and using contemporary tensile structures to provide shelter to the building envelope and the liminal spaces.

Student: Zainab Bak

Al-Zorah Coastal Wetland Institute is a project that supports environmental research and public education regarding coastal ecosystems in Ajman. During the site visit, a piece of trash was found laying on the flat sand. Intrigued by the curved surface and the space created underneath, the found trash was transformed into an environmental research center. A continuous curved surface with unobstructed views to the creek, where the main façade of the building opens up, and a hinged entry was created to join the public and private volumes.

Student: Hind Abusnana

Student:

Rania Mohamed

Student:

Alina Sebastian

Student:

Ibrahim Khamis

Student:

Student:

Raquel George

Student:

Mira Almazrooei

Student: Ayushi Gupta

Student:

Nourhan Najem

Student:

Raneem Haykal

Student:

Nawaal Saksouk

Student:

Fatma Hassan

Student:

Mohamed Rowaizak

Student:

Raya Al Shamayleh

Student:

Saad Boujane

Student:

Muhammad Baru

Student:

Dania Darra

Student:

Jad Moura

Student:

Gbadebo

Student:

Sherine Khafagy

Student: Batoul Samer Mustafa Abbad
Instructor: Cristiano Luchetti

Brief:
Anne Hathaway, my hypothetical client, is a renowned American actress. Balancing a demanding schedule, she strives for excellence in her roles. Juggling a hectic schedule, she is always busy and works hard to perfect all her roles. A sea-view house in Ras Al Khaimah would be the perfect getaway for her to unwind and take a break from work. Staying in shape is a priority for her, so I made sure there's a gym and outdoor yoga areas. Her primary residence in Manhattan's Upper West Side has tall ceilings, so I incorporated a high ceiling in her bedroom. To cater to her diverse career, I added two studios—one for acting and one for voice acting. Taking inspiration from her love for the outdoors, I created outdoor sitting areas, just like her Manhattan residence. They are overlooking a pool to create a beautiful and functional space.

Design Concept:
My design concept aims to emulate a local village aesthetic, where each element maintains its unique identity while seamlessly integrating into the overall narrative. The interplay of curves and rectangles serves as the artistic medium, crafting a visual symphony that celebrates diversity. Each segment tells its own story, yet a cohesive thread unites them into a harmonious whole.

Site Details:
Situated in Dafan Al-Khor suburb of RAK overlooking the Arabian Sea, the site enjoys proximity to various amenities due to its location near the main road. The surrounding residential area offers easy access to supermarkets, schools, furniture stores, and more, enriching the site's appeal with abundant facilities.

Student: Ramlat Ummi Abubakar

Instructor: Cristiano Luchetti

“In this project, I've created a residence situated on a 625sqm seaside plot of land, tailored for the specific needs of Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc. The 25-year-old Monegasque is affiliated with Scuderia Ferrari, and due to his frequent travels for Formula 1 races, he doesn't spend much time at home except during the off-season when he embarks on global vacations. Given Charles's preference for privacy and his limited disclosure about his personal life, I've designed and customized his house to authentically reflect his character and accommodate his lifestyle. With this understanding, the construction will include a spacious parking space, a swimming pool, a gaming room, and a gym.”

Student: Amina Usman

Instructor: Cristiano Luchetti

Student: Lina Kassem

Instructor: Cristiano Luchetti

Project Overview: The challenge was to design a home for a historical figure on a 25 by 25-meter lot, harmonizing modern aesthetics with practical living spaces.
With a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 320 sqm across three floors, the design seamlessly integrates a car park, kitchen, dining and living areas, storage spaces, a maid's room with a toilet, three bedrooms, four toilets, and a unique room
tailored to the client's specific needs.

Client: Magdy Yacoub, 87 year old heart surgeon, operated on the first successful open heart surgery. He founded a heart foundation with a view of the pyramids to “give hope to the patients”
Inspiration: “I do not want to die before passing everything I have learnt to my colleagues”
House components: Lecture room, swimming pool, garden to fulfill his hobby of growing orchids, and multiple terraces

Student: Adham Mahmoud Abdelnaby Bayoumi Elnomany

Instructor: Cristiano Luchetti

Heriot-Watt Dubai

Student Neha Suresh

Heriot-Watt Dubai

Student: Hamza Daabooul

Designing the Extra-Urban House depended primarily on the reflections of its context, the historical, cultural, and traditional ones. Having the main approach being the blend between traditional Emirati architecture and modern aesthetics, it was important to know features that were vital and what could be improved upon. For example, the incorporation of static, mostly squares and rectangles, are definitive features that couldn’t be let down. Privacy is another imperative element that was incorporated through creating a structure that separates the home from the hospitality element. The defining clean-cut, cantilevered edges and choice of materials are the components which the traditional into a new and sensible piece of architecture.

Course: Architectural Design 1 - First semester / First year at Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus
Instructors: Cristiano Luchetti (Lead), Raha Milani
Student: Ohireme Uanzekin

Course: Architectural Design 1 - First semester / First year at Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus
Instructors: Cristiano Luchetti (Lead), Raha Milani
Student: Janae Jordan

Tasked with collecting a relic from Lake Qudra, in my search my eyes were drawn to what at the time appeared to be a black rock as it stood out against the earthy tones of the sandy environment. I was even more intrigued when the black mass was light, contained a very geometric pattern and turned out to be charcoal which was perfect for concept generation. For further analysis of the relic, I sketched and dissected the basic shapes then separated them into positive and negative. Additionally, I experimented with the geometric pattern through rotation and shifting of the dissected shapes into different positions in order to reach my final design. An island was the perfect location for pod since it allows privacy whilst not being completely isolated from the lively activity in Qudra. Half of the pod is on land and the other half is on water in order to maximize the optimal water views of the site as it would further influence the window placement of the structure. The final design layout was generated with the inspiration of skin where the outer walls act as a protective layer yet the internal walls do not meet them to produce an open plan concept. The supports for the ceiling are recessed to give the illusion of that the ceiling is not touching the wall which illustrates a box inside of a box. The facade is constructed of Corten steel in a burnt umber shade as it stands out the from the environment the same way the relic did, it’s extremely weather resistant and requires very little maintenance.

Project title: CASA DI PIETRA
Course: Architectural Design 1 - First semester / First year at Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus
Instructors: Cristiano Luchetti (Lead), Raha Milani
Student: Sarah Monti
Published on Identity.ae

Description:

“Casa di Pietra” is a holiday pod immersed in the picturesque landscape of Qudra Lakes in Dubai.
The whole concept behind the structure was to create an escape to run away from the fast and hectic city life towards an up-close experience with nature in a sustainable way. Particular attention was given to the construction techniques and selected sustainable materials to integrate the structure into the external environment better as if it was always a part of it. The choice of implementing high-density materials also responds to a necessity to cope with the high summer temperatures. Due to its thermal capacity, stone masonry can be exposed to insolation for an extended period to reduce the heating effect, helping the building to be thermally insulated and more sheltered. The pod is oriented North West with a pitched inclined roof for the sun path not to hit directly onto the indoor living spaces. Additional thought was put into designing and implementing a passive ventilation system. The holiday retreat was designed to take advantage of the fresh breeze of the lakes to bring out a considerable part of the summer heat created in the structure by the local environment. This process is created by channelling the breeze into the northwest windows, which then flows into the semi-elliptical space and, through strategically positioned windows, exits from the internal patio. The building spaces and the choices of materials have also been thought with maximum attention to detail to provide a delightful and relaxing atmosphere enjoying the unforgettable scenery within the nature of a beautiful United Arab Emirates desert oasis.

The “relic” is a design analysis of an organic object found during the site visit for the final project of Architectural Design Studio 1: A pod/cabin by the Al Qudra lakes in Dubai. Students were asked to collect items that were representative of the site they were visiting and bring them back to studio. The design analysis started by studying the organic structure of each item through a series of sketches and preliminary models. The consequent geometrical abstraction of each relic led to the definition of a 3D structure which constitutes the design concept and beginning of the final project design development

Architecture Design Studio 1

Heriot-Watt University / Dubai

Student: Neah Suresh

Architectural Design Studio 1 / Design Analysis of a Pavilion

Heriot-Watt University / Dubai

Student: Zaki Hassan

Architectural Design Studio 1 / Design Analysis of a Pavilion

Heriot-Watt University / Dubai

Student: Neha Suresh

Architectural Design Studio 1 / Design Analysis of a Pavilion

Heriot-Watt University / Dubai

Student: Hamza Daaboul

Samples from first year student’s sketchbook @ Heriot Watt / Dubai

ADS1 - Architecture Design Studio 1 Fall_2020

Student: Neah Suresh

Instructors:

Cristiano Luchetti, Andrew Shaw, Katarzyna Tracz

Drawing is one of the most effective tools to convey designers' ideas. It is a language on its own. Any design is made explicit before its construction through graphic elaborations that describe necessary technical information. To achieve this knowledge students undertake an educational path that begins with their visual education and continues in learning the rules of descriptive geometry.

The digital technologies, now available, allow a representation derived from three-dimensional models bypassing the fundamental two-dimensional exploration, especially of building sections and elevations. This is a practice, unfortunately too much adopted, and should be avoided. It keeps students from developing the knowledge of designing and controlling the project through the fundamental tools of two/three -dimensional exploration and representation. These exercises are designed to teach students necessary fundamental drawing skills in design and architecture.

University of Waterloo Rome Program

Penn State University Rome Program

Facolta’ di Architettura di Pescara