For Research, or for Practical Construction, or Monitoring
Beirut International Train Station, Jury
We are privileged to have these Distinguished Architects, Academics, Researchers, Sustainable Environmental Designers, making up our Jury
Alphonse Kai
Senior Lecturer, Design Instructor, USEK
Founder/Principal Alphonse Kai Architecture
Alphonse graduated from the School of Architecture, Holy Spirit University, Kaslik (USEK) in 1992, where he started teaching since 1997 as a design instructor and Senior lecturer. In that same year he Founder of JCI- Architects in partnership with Dar Aljazera Consultants, Kuwait. In 2019 he Founded Alphonse Kai Architecture.
Alphonse is a winner of more than 40 national and regional competitions. Three times winner in the International Property Awards for Best Single Family House in the arab world, for his Amchit Beach House. Best Office building in Kuwait for his KWMC Headquarters and Best residential complex in Lebanon for the Mont Mema project. Further to these, House K was nominated for building of the year 2020 in Archdaily. Alphonse was also a Jury member of the Czech Inspirelli Award for three consecutive years, 2018, 2019 & 2020
Anis Abou Zaki
Partner, Environmental Design and Sustainability, Foster+Partners, UK
Anis is Partner at Foster+Partners, he is an expert in integrated sustainable designs with more than twenty year experience in architecture, sustainable environmental engineering and masterplannig. He worked on international projects, leading a team of environmental designers and engineers delivering projects in different cities and climates. Anis is a LEED AP and GSAS-CGP with extensive knowledge in the application of sustainability and health and wellbeing strategies. He has presented at conferences and participated in several panel discussions. Anis is a guest lecturer and design reviewer at different renowned universities, and an advisory board member for Masters courses and research projects.
Georges Hakim
Founder, GJH architecture
Georges J Hakim (GJH) graduated from Universite du Saint Esprit de Kaslik, U.S.E.K- Faculte des Beaux Arts, Lebanon, in July 1989 (major de promotion). He is a member of the Project Management Institute PMI, Lebanon Chapter since 2006. Since his graduation he participated in local design architecture competitions and International Architecture lectures. He worked with main national architecture design firms such as Raoul Verney Architecte (1991-1994) and Pierre Neema et Associes (1994-2001) before joining “Nabil Gholam architects” in 2001. GJH followed several international workshops and Seminars on Façade Design and acquired a large experience in various types of Curtain walls and double skin Facades. He is a part time professor at both , The Holy Spirit University, Kaslik USEK and the Lebanese American University LAU. GJH founded GJH architecture (www.gjharchitecture.com) , an architecture and design firm in 2007. It is handling different type of projects, such as social, residential and interior design
Habib Melki
Dean, RC FAAD, NDU, Lebanon
After having pursued his undergraduate studies in the U.S., Habib earned a Master of Architecture in Historic Preservation from the Ball State University in June 1985. He held the positions of Chairman of the Visual Art Department in the Faculty of Humanities (FH) from 1999 to 2000 and Chairman of the Design Department in the Faculty of Architecture, Art and Design (FAAD) from 2000 to 2004. October 2007 to 2012, he was assigned the position of Acting Dean of the Faculty of Architecture Art and Design. Habib is an Associate Member of PLEA International (Passive Low Energy Architecture), He was appointed Chairman of the PLEA 22nd International Conference in 2005, which was hosted and organized by NDU in conjunction with PLEA International. He served as a member on the Technical Committee for PLEA 2007, 2008 and 2012. In September 2014, he completed his Ph.D. in History of Art at the Faculty of History: University of the Holy Spirit Kaslik (USEK) titled, “Development of ‘Openings’ and their Ornamentation in Relation to the Environmental Aspects of Lebanese Traditional Architecture Between the 18th and 20th Centuries.”. From October 2014 till August 2016, Habib served as the Architecture Department Chairperson; and between 2019 and 2021 as interim Dean; currently he holds the position of Dean of RC FAAD.
Halah Abi Haydar
Acting Dean, Azm University
Halah is an AUB graduate with more than 28 years of professional and academic experience of which 14 years are spent in the academic domain. Her professional experience mainly in Beirut working on the design of public buildings, schools and universities before starting her career in the academic domain and teaching both theoretical and design studio courses in a number of local universities. Halah has been teaching History of Architecture and charting a new pedagogical discourse in both design studio courses and history of architecture. Her research and teaching are focusing on the expression of the local and the interdisciplinary nature of architecture and its capacity in making this world a better world of inclusion, environmental sustainability and reconnection with mother Nature.
Hana Alamuddin
Principal, Almimariya Architect and Designers for sustainable Development, Lebanon
Hana is a R.I.B.A. architect with Master’s degree from MIT, LEED AP ND. Her practice (established 1999) involves projects in Lebanon and all over the MENA region. She is a senior lecturer at AUB for more than 26 years. Executive committee member of APSAD (Association pour la Protection des Sites et Anciennes Demeures) 19989-2008. Technical reviewer for the Agha khan award for Architecture for three consecutive cycles 1998, 2001 2004). elected Board member of the LGBC 2014.
Joseph Rustom
Director of Research, ALBA, University of Balamand, Lebanon
Joseph is a conservation architect, higher education manager, scholar, and educator, currently serving as director of research at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (Alba) – University of Balamand. Joseph studied in Beirut, Paris, and Berlin where he earned a doctoral degree in urban planning. He was research fellow of prestigious institutions like the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Berlin Forum Transregional Studies, and the German Research Foundation (DFG). Jospeh works in higher education management investigates higher education preparedness for crisis management, higher education strategies of retrenchment in times of economic crisis, and service-learning and engaged scholarship. As conservation architect, Joseph collaborated with Youssef Haidar Architects and Dagher, Hanna, and Partners Architects on several conservation and rehabilitation projects, among them the American University Archaeological Museum in Beirut and the Soap Museum in Saida.
Karen Boujaoude
PhD, Associate professor, Chairperson Architecture Department , NDU
Dr. Boujaoude, is an Architect with a Doctorate in Project Management and a Master’s degree in Business Administration and International Business. The learning diversity that Dr. Boujaoude chose to get hold of opens a variety of teaching dimensions which makes her able to teach design, planning, cost control, as well as construction courses. Her main areas of expertise are in Sustainable design planning and management. She has been involved in several local projects from design to construction, experiencing the current fragmentation of architecture practice while focusing on the importance of communication between all involved parties of a project to achieve a successful result. Her research study is in the fields of design and construction management, team organization, sustainable strategies and ethics in architecture. She has several publications in International Peer-reviewed Journals
Kartikeya Rajput
Associate, PRP Architects, UK. Visiting Lecturer, University of Westminster , UK
With a formal background in Architecture, Kartikeya has worked for leading practices in the UK and India. His professional experience ranges from developing large scale master plans to off-grid temporary shelter with architectural practices including RSH+P, Hopkins, RPBW, Santiago Calatrava, Fosters+Partners, Grafton’s, Wilkinson Eyre Architects, and Nordic Architects. He contributed to the development of prominent design schemes in the UK and abroad such as the LSE Centre building, Music School – King’s College, Shard Place, Dubai Observation tower, Whiteleys, Kingston University, and Battersea Power Station Redevelopment. He has an interest in expanding the realm of integrated passive design and is experienced in a variety of environmental simulation techniques. He has also created be-spoke Environmental analysis tools and his work has been shortlisted for CIBSE Building Simulation Group prize for the last two consecutive years. Kartikeya also holds strong academic ties and is a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Westminster for the MSc program in Architecture and Environmental Design. He also contributes as a technical consultant for BSc Architecture unit 5 at Bartlett School of Architecture.
Rohit Garg
Principal at GRAS, India
Gras is a holistic architecture and design practice. He is an architect by profession, with over 10 years of experience. He studied Masters in Sustainable Environmental Design (M Arch SED) from the prestigious Architectural Association, London. An experienced Senior Architect in sports, entertainment and convention exhibition venue projects, he has worked on various international projects in the UK, Australia, China, South East Asia and India including marquee projects in India like the Motera Cricket Stadium, the International Convention cum Trade zone in Bhubaneswar, the new Pragati Maidan Masterplan redevelopment, New Delhi and an upcoming 25,000 seater Indoor Arena. He has been the Design Project Manager, for then architects of the world’s largest cricket stadium at Motera, Ahmedabad with a total seating capacity of 1,10,000. Most recently, he is at the forefront of the upcoming 75,000 seater International Cricket Stadium in Rajasthan, India. He is also into creating sustainable homes and offices and is currently working with clients in the Middle East and in India.
Ruggero Bruno Chialastri
Senior Architect, Zaha Hadid Architects, London, UK
Bruno gained his degree in Architecture at the ‘Sapienza’ University of Rome. Following that, he enrolled in the Sustainable Environmental Design Programme at the Architectural Association of London, where in 2011 he graduated with a Masters degree. His passion for Architecture brought him to various roles in Italy, the Netherlands and finally London were he gained experience in several organisations including Heatherwick Studio and Foster + Partners. Over the years he has had the opportunity to be involved in various international projects such as the Google HQ in London designed together with Bjarke Ingels Group, the MOCAA in Cape Town, the Forestias, a residential neighbourhood in Bangkok, and many others mainly in Europe and Asia. Nowadays, his main interest is in parametric and complex geometries. He currently works as a Senior Architect for ZHA.
Therezia Sloet tot Everlo
Director, Studio 3A, Portugal
Therezia is a registered Architect in both Portugal OA (Ordem dos arquitectos) and the UK ARB, and a R.I.B.A architect. She has a M.Arch in sustainable Environmental design from the Architecture Association, AA, London, 2012. For more than 6 years (2014) she heads her own practice working on a variety of projects between the UK and Portugal. One of her latest project “Cabanas in Comporta" is nominated for best project by Archdaily