DOHA: Qatar University (QU) and Dohaland yesterday announced the appointment to the Dohaland Chair in Architecture.
Dohaland set up 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.
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 programme 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 programme 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.
Tim Makower 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 is an architect, scholar and Professor of Architecture and Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning at Qatar University. He is a recognised 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."
© The Peninsula 2010
