Wael Al Awar

Wael Al Awar (born 1977 in Lebanon)[1] is a Lebanese architect and co-founder of the architecture studio waiwai, based in Dubai and Tokyo. Al Awar’s practice spans architecture, research and design, with projects across the Middle East and Asia.[2][3] Known for his experimental use of materials and engagement with natural phenomena, his work often explores sustainability, light, landscape, and regionally specific construction methods.[4][5] In 2021, he co-curated the United Arab Emirates Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale, where the project Wetland was awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation.[6][7] He is the Creative Director of Architecture for the Bukhara Biennial 2025.[8]

Biography

Al Awar studied at the American University of Beirut and began his career as an architect in Japan, working with Coelacanth and Associates in Tokyo. He founded ibda design in Dubai in 2009. In 2018, ibda design merged with Tokyo-based office Gingrich, led by Kazuma Yamao, to form waiwai. The firm was recognized as one of the top 17 architects and top 50 influential designers of the year by Nikkei Magazine in 2019, as well as one of the top 10 emerging firms in the world by Architectural Record's 2018 Design Vanguard issue. Waiwai was also recognized as one of the top 50 offices in the Middle East by Architectural Digest in 2022.[9][10]

Work

In 2021, Al Awar co-curated, alongside Kenichi Teramoto, the National Pavilion of the UAE at the Venice Architecture Biennale, which received the Golden Lion.[11] Their project, Wetland, presented a prototype of an environmentally friendly salt-based cement alternative from recycled industrial waste brine, which could reduce the impact the construction industry has on the environment.[12][13]

In 2024, he presented the installation Barzakh at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Architecture Biennial, a pavilion composed of many intricate and interlocked modules of plastic, palm fiber, and wastewater brine. The project used solidified brine from desalination processes to create an ephemeral structure that addressed environmental cycles and local resources.[14]

Other significant works include: Mosque of Reflection in Dubai, which reframes the spaces to encourage community use alongside its purpose as a sacred space of worship;[15] Hayy Jameel in Jedah, a creative complex intended to host cultural and artistic programs, which won multiple accolades including Gold in the Hong Kong Design Awards; Silver in the New York Design Awards; and the Honor Award for Exceptional Design by the American Institute of Architects (Middle East chapter);[16] and the Bukhara Cultural District project, launched in 2025, which involves the restoration of dozens of Bukhara’s most important historic buildings, its mosques, madrassas [Islamic schools] and caravansaries [roadside inns].[17]

References

  1. ^"CV at waiwai"(PDF (206KB)). Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  2. ^Wheeler, Ben. "Wael Al Awar on the Future Vernacular". EastEast.
  3. ^"Wael Al Awar and Kenichi Teramoto. Curators of the National Pavilion of the UAE". Worlds of Art. Universes in Universe.
  4. ^Farrow, Boyd (January 8, 2022). "This Dubai-based architecture firm could clean up the building industry". Fast Company Middle East.
  5. ^Khan, Ravail (December 20, 2024). "Wael Al Awar on reclaiming brine for a new sustainable vernacular at public art Abu Dhabi". Designboom.
  6. ^Harrouk, Christele (August 30, 2021). "UAE / Wetland Wins the Golden Lion for Best National Participation at the 2021 Venice Biennale". ArchDaily.
  7. ^"UAE National Pavilion wins Golden Lion Award at Venice Architecture Biennale". Arab News. August 31, 2021.
  8. ^"Bukhara Biennial 2025: Recipes for Broken Hearts". e‑flux. September 11, 2024.
  9. ^"Award winning architect and entrepreneur – inside look at Wael Al Awar's journey to success". American University of Beirut News. April 5, 2023.
  10. ^Imanova, Aidan (April 27, 2022). "id50 reveals top design and architecture talents in the Middle East". Identity.ae.
  11. ^Sarkis, Hashim (2021). How will we live together?: Biennale Architettura 2021. Milan: Silvana Editoriale. ISBN 9788836648597.
  12. ^Hickman, Matt (August 30, 2021). "The UAE wins Golden Lion for best pavilion at the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale". The Architect's Newspaper.
  13. ^Luchetti, Cristiano (2024). "Material: An Interview with Wael Al Awar". Compasses: Architecture & Interior Design from Middle-East.
  14. ^Khan, Ravail (November 28, 2024). "First public art abu dhabi biennial opens with works by henrique oliveira, wael al awar & more". Designboom.
  15. ^"Waiwai design wraps a mosque in Dubai, reimagining the role of the mosque in the city". Global Design News. June 2025.
  16. ^"Art Jameel's Creative Hub wins multiple international awards". Saudi Gazette. December 11, 2018.
  17. ^Williams, Gisela (March 21, 2025). "Finding This Party Was Half the Fun". The New York Times (T Magazine).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wael_Al_Awar&oldid=1328201440"