Four architecture students from American University of Sharjah (AUS) were recently recognized for their outstanding design projects at the World Architecture Awards. Competing in teams of two, the students were thrilled to see their projects selected for the “Student Award Winning Architecture Projects” category.
The winning projects, “Weaving Nizwa” and “Reviving Old Cairo,” were conceptualized and designed by Abdul Mateen and Rouqaya Al-Mufti, and Lamya Ahmed and Rawan Khedr, respectively. Developed as part of Professor Igor Peraza’s Architectural Design Studio—a course that challenged fourth-year students to apply their education to complex architectural challenges—the projects demonstrate their ability to integrate design innovation with cultural and environmental sensitivity.
Professor Igor Peraza explained: “These projects were developed in a studio focused on strategies for architectural regeneration. The challenge for the students was to create an architectural project for ArCHIAM, a center dedicated to the study of architecture and cultural heritage from India, Arabia and the Maghreb, serving international researchers across various disciplines. Students were tasked with choosing a geographic location for the center, as well as defining its architecture program and size. Ultimately, their designs explore how human culture and social practices are reflected in space, and how space, in turn, shapes the cultural practices of communities and groups.”
“Weaving Nizwa” designed by Abdul Mateen and Rouqaya Al-Mufti, is a cutting-edge design for the ArCHIAM Research Center. It rethinks current approaches to architectural preservation by cleverly integrating modern elements within existing historical ruins in Nizwa, Oman across a 3,000 sqm site. Footbridges and a stepped garden, inspired by Nizwa’s weaving traditions and the Aflaj irrigation system, link the old and new structures, helping to create a meaningful connection between past and present. The project also incorporates sustainable design strategies, including a fabric shading system to reduce heat, vernacular materials to lower the carbon footprint and a water-efficient irrigation system to enhance cooling and greenery.
The second project, “Reviving Old Cairo,” was designed by Lamya Ahmed and Rawan Khedr. It transforms a neglected 1,620 sqm site in medieval Cairo into a research center and public plaza. Adjacent to the House of Jamal al-Din al-Dahabi, a prominent 17th-century Egyptian merchant who served as the chief of Cairo’s gold merchants’ guild, the design draws visitors inward from Al-Azhar Street through pathways that help draw in people and revitalize the area. Ultimately, the project is not only about restoring a historical site, it is also about creating a new sense of life and identity in a quiet corner of historic Cairo.
“Winning this award is an incredible honor. It has truly highlighted how the lessons I have absorbed over the past three years at CAAD have refined my skills and broadened my perspective, pushing me to innovate and think beyond conventional design limits. It is also incredibly rewarding for both our teams to receive an award that recognizes how our design vision for the ArCHIAM Research Center in Nizwa and Cairo successfully honors both the past and the future,” said Abdul Mateen.
The Dean of CAAD, Dr. Varkki Pallathucheril, said, “Architecture must respond to its social and cultural context. Seeing our students gain recognition from the World Architecture Awards for skillfully and sensitively addressing this relationship is hugely gratifying. At CAAD, we have exceptional teachers and scholars who engage with students striving to excel. I congratulate Professor Peraza and his students on this fantastic achievement.”
The World Architecture Awards began in 2006 and celebrate remarkable projects from around the world with the potential to inspire contemporary architectural discourse. This is the 49th cycle of the awards, which aim to shed light on projects from around the world, and notably those from regions not typically covered in the mainstream architecture press.
AUS is ranked number one in the UAE and among the top 200 universities globally for the subject area of architecture and the built environment (QS World University Rankings 2024).
For more information about CAAD’s architecture program, visit www.aus.edu/caad/department-of-architecture.
