5 Influential Arab Architects

Arabic design has always been a major influence on architecture across the world. Arab architects are continuing this trend with new styles that draw inspiration from the culture, merge with nature, or go somewhere completely new. Check out these contemporary architects who are keeping Arabic architecture in the spotlight:

1. Bernard Khoury (Lebanon)

Born on August 19, 1968, Bernard Khoury hails from Beirut, Lebanon and is known for his work designing new buildings from old, abandoned locations, which works well with the war-torn buildings of Beirut. One of his most notable works is the B 018 nightclub, which was built at the site of a former refugee camp, and which earned Khoury the reputation of “the bad boy” of architecture in the Middle East.

2. Rasem Badran (Jordan/Palestine)

Born in 1945, Jordanian Palestinian Rasem Badran graduated in Architecture from Germany in the late sixties. Badran is known for his futuristic design approach and is considered one of the leading symbols of contemporary Islamic architecture, having won several awards and competitions across the Arab world.

3. Shahira Fahmy (Egypt)

Born in 1974, Shahira Fahmy is a graduate of Cairo University, and is the founder of Shahira H. Fahmy Architects, a leading architecture firm that is paving the way for Arab designs to flourish. Through her company, Shahira has collaborated on several prominent projects both regional and global, including the new campus for the American University in Cairo.

4. Ammar Khammash (Jordan)

Born and raised in Amman, Jordan, Ammar Khammash studied in Jordan and the United States. His works tend to emphasize on integrating architecture with nature, as can be seen in his prominent works, which include the Feynan Eco-Lodge in Jordan’s Dana Nature Reserve, and Darat Al-Funun art gallery in Amman.

5. Zaha Hadid (Iraq)

No Arab Architect list would be complete without mentioning Zaha Hadid. Born in Baghdad on 31 October, 1950, Hadid studied architecture at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. Her work, known for its neofuturistic design, spans the globe, and includes the BMW Central Building in Germany, the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in the USA, and one of the FIFA 2022 World Cup stadiums in Qatar. In 2008, she was ranked 69^th on Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 most powerful women, and is the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize. To read more about Zaha Hadid, check out this dedicated Artsy page, which chronicles stunning pieces of her work with further information and inspirations.

Do you love the architects on the list? Who did we miss? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.