October 19th, 2016: Canadian University Dubai (CUD) graduate, Mohamed Fayed, is among a team of graduates that has taken first place in a challenging design competition to conceptualize a sustainable community development in the UAE.
The competition, part of the AECOM UAE Professional Development Program, provided young professionals starting out in the industry with the opportunity to apply their learning to a real-world project. Mohamed and his team were tasked with creating an integrated, practical and innovative pre-concept level solution for Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City development, a project within the AECOM portfolio.
Coordinating with four other team members representing different roles within the design process, Mohamed took on the challenge of master planning the project, which was required to push the boundaries in social, economic and environmental development, while providing infrastructure to support 50,000 residents, 40,000 employees and 45,000 visitors.
In just three hours, each team had to develop a presentation to showcase their vision for the site, as well as their strategy for implementation. The teams also had to consider connectivity, both across the community and to other public transport hubs, as well as demonstrate how sustainability goals would be achieved.
Mohamed and his team drew upon traditional architectural features such as the wind tower and the courtyard system, using natural environmental elements to help promote sustainable living. Their design also took account of the climatic challenges and opportunities, proposing shading for streets and buildings, while capturing the sun’s natural energy through a solar park.
The team was awarded first place based on their innovation and attention to the brief, as well as the collaboration they demonstrated as a multi-disciplinary group in what was a challenging yet rewarding experience for the 2014 Bachelor of Architecture graduate.
Mohamed said, “The competition was a great learning experience, coordinating and collaborating with different disciplines, managing how we distributed the responsibilities and working out how to present a concept to judges from different disciplines.”
He continued, “Overall, the AECOM UAE Professional Development Program has proved to be an invaluable learning experience, with a world-leading firm. I have gained exposure to different areas such as landscape architecture, and benefited from a range of professional courses and mentoring that have improved my skills in both technical and business-related disciplines.”
Mohamed credits his CUD experience with preparing him for the challenges he has taken on and the successes he has achieved. He concluded, “My education at CUD was unique and provided me with a well-established architecture syllabus that consisted of a wide range of project experiences, from urban planning to landscape design, which gave me a great foundation on which to build my professional knowledge.
“My professors were instrumental in directing my learning and I particularly thank Dr. Hazim Al-Nijaidi, Dean of the School of Architecture & Design for supporting me through my post-graduate, as well as my educational years.”
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