Saturday, October 30, 2010

Dohaland Chair in Architecture at Qatar University Announced

Qatar University (QU) and Dohaland today announced the appointment of the Dohaland Chair in Architecture. Dohaland established the Chair in Architecture to support QU in developing qualified architects who can own and further Dohaland's new architectural language, balancing environmental and cultural sustainability with the needs of a modern metropolis; thus ensuring architectural sustainability in Qatar's future development.

Dohaland spent three years researching the new architectural language for its signature project Musheireb, the world's first sustainable downtown regeneration project. The Chair position will enhance the teaching and learning processes in architecture and urbanism, establish links between academic and professional practice, and develop a research program in the fields of architecture and urban design which will address the dialectical relationship between tradition, modernity, and identity.


QU Head of Architecture and Urban Planning Prof Ashraf Salama and Allies and Morrison architect Prof Tim Makower, one of the main architects in Dohaland's Musheireb project, will act as co-chairs in the position for one year. Both bring extensive experience to the position, and their professional and academic backgrounds will foster the development of responsive perspectives for architecture in Qatar. They will contribute to an overall program of societal awareness relating to the value of architecture and design by conducting public lectures and workshops while engaging various stakeholders in the local professional community as well as the public.


Prof Makower's primary focus will be on knowledge sharing and dealing with Design as the process of putting Theory into Practice, while Prof Salama's role will encompass academic research, specifically teaching and community-related activities. Both academics will lead the field of sustainable regeneration both for Qatar and the wider region, in particular with Dohaland's flagship project, Musheireb.
 
The Appointed Chairs


Tim Makower MA Cambridge University, RIBA, is a partner at Allies and Morrison, one of the UK's foremost practices in Architecture and Urban Design. He has had extensive experience in the UK and the GCC, including major projects both of urban design and architecture. He is the architect of the Diwan Amiri Quarter, including the Qatar National Archives and the National Eid Ground as well as numerous residential projects in Doha.

Ashraf M Salama, M.Arch., PhD, is an architect, scholar and Professor of Architecture and Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning at Qatar University. He is a recognized Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the Royal Society of the Arts. His appointment included serving as an International Jury member for United Nations Competition, UNESCO, and the International Union of Architects-UIA. His books on architectural pedagogy and design studio teaching practices are widely- acknowledged. He is chief editor of International Journal of Architectural Research at MIT, USA, and associate editor of Open House International Journal, UK.

Commenting on the appointments, QU President Prof Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad said: "We are happy with these appointments which integrate education and research into the process of teaching and learning. This move marks the emphasis the professional sector places on the vision and mission of Qatar University and its support of our commitment to ensuring that our programs and educational processes reflect the societal and cultural needs of the community."

Chief Executive Officer of Dohaland Eng. Issa M. Al Mohannadi stated: "Dohaland has been actively engaged in the forward-thinking vision for Qatar, and has developed a new progressive architectural language that evolves without losing its ethnicity. Through our support of the Chair at Qatar University we shall ensure the sustainability of the new architectural language for the future generations, by developing local architects who can understand, practice and own Dohaland's new architectural language."

Dean of QU College of Engineering Dr Mazen Hasna said: "This is a remarkable start to our newest department, Architecture and Urban Planning. Through this partnership with Dohaland, our students will have the opportunity to be part of the design of the Musheireb project under the supervision of a leading architect and a leading academic."
Architecture-Urbanism is dedicated to a) those who are interested in creating livable and sustainable environments and buildings that meet socio-cultural and socio-behavioral needs of people, environments that are responsive to historical, traditional and physical constraints, b) to those who are interested in finding panacea for the ills of our globalized world, and c) to those who are interested in regaining what cultures and societies have lost by the acts of architects. ____________________________________________________________________________