UAE projects are among the winners of the first Royal Institute of British Architects' Middle East Awards, recognised for innovation in design, sustainability and cultural relevance.
Announced before a ceremony on Friday, during Dubai Design Week, the RIBA awards highlight nine projects across the Middle East.
Al Wasl Plaza in Dubai, by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, received the Design for Living award. The central feature of Expo 2020 Dubai, the domed structure has evolved into a year-round community hub at Expo City, hosting light shows, concerts and cultural events beneath its 360-degree trellis.
The Jafar Centre at Dubai College, designed by Godwin Austen Johnson, was recognised in the Sustainability and Resilience category. The purpose-built Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) facility replaces underused space on the school’s Al Sufouh campus and is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, which recognises excellence in sustainable design and operation. Prioritising natural light, acoustics and energy efficiency, the compact vertical building aims to support collaborative and inclusive learning.
Two more UAE projects were honoured in the RIBA Member category. The Buhais Geology Park Interpretive Centre in Al Madam, Sharjah, designed by Hopkins Architects, uses fossil-inspired, shell-like forms that blend into the desert terrain, guiding visitors through the region’s geological history. Hopkins Architects also won for the Expo 2020 Thematic Districts, which transformed the desert site into a walkable, human-scaled city inspired by traditional Arab urbanism and designed for adaptive reuse.
In Sharjah, The Serai Wing by ANARCHITECT won the Adaptive Reuse award. The project converted two 1950s pearl merchant homes into a boutique hotel, balancing the restoration of the original structures with contemporary design to revive part of the emirate’s historic fabric.
Across the wider region, other winners reflected similar ambitions in social and environmental transformation. In Doha, Al-Mujadilah Centre and Mosque for Women, conceived by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, received the Social Architecture award. The world’s first purpose-built women’s mosque combines spaces for prayer, education and community engagement under an undulating roof illuminated by more than 5,000 light wells.
In Saudi Arabia, King Salman Park in Riyadh won the Future Project award. Designed by Gerber Architekten in collaboration with Buro Happold and Setec, the redevelopment of a former airport into the world’s largest urban park is part of Saudi Vision 2030, introducing a major green space to the city.
Two projects were recognised in Temporary Architecture: the Singapore Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai by WOHA, which achieved net-zero energy and water use, and World Food Waste Teahouse: Arabi-an by Mitsubishi Jisho Design, a biodegradable structure made from tea leaves and dried fruit that explores circular design.
Kerem Cengiz, jury chair for the Middle East Awards, said the winners reflected “an architectural language deeply rooted in the region’s evolving identity”.
Chris Williamson, RIBA president, added: “They celebrate progress, not only in design and technology, but in how buildings can create opportunity, inclusivity and lasting cultural value.”
The winning projects will be celebrated at a public event on Friday evening at Atrium 6, Dubai Design District (d3).
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Match info
Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)
Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The five pillars of Islam
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
THURSDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 10am:
Lucrezia Stefanini v Elena Rybakina (6)
Aryna Sabalenka (4) v Polona Hercog
Sofia Kenin (1) v Zhaoxuan Yan
Kristina Mladenovic v Garbine Muguruza (5)
Sorana Cirstea v Karolina Pliskova (3)
Jessica Pegula v Elina Svitolina (2)
Court 1
Starting at 10am:
Sara Sorribes Tormo v Nadia Podoroska
Marketa Vondrousova v Su-Wei Hsieh
Elise Mertens (7) v Alize Cornet
Tamara Zidansek v Jennifer Brady (11)
Heather Watson v Jodie Burrage
Vera Zvonareva v Amandine Hesse
Court 2
Starting at 10am:
Arantxa Rus v Xiyu Wang
Maria Kostyuk v Lucie Hradecka
Karolina Muchova v Danka Kovinic
Cori Gauff v Ulrikke Eikeri
Mona Barthel v Anastasia Gasanova
Court 3
Starting at 10am:
Kateryna Bondarenko v Yafan Wang
Aliaksandra Sasnovich v Anna Bondar
Bianca Turati v Yaroslava Shvedova
