AUS hosts exhibition on Spanish architecture in the Arab world

The College of Architecture, Arts and Design (CAAD) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) opened the exhibition On a Journey: Spanish Architecture in the Arab World on Thursday, October 29, 2015. The exhibition was followed by a lecture, which was organized and curated by Casa Arabe (Arab Culture's Liaison of the Spanish Foreign Office) with the cooperation of the Spanish Architects Council, and the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

The exhibition showcased a selection of projects and built works developed by Spanish offices during the last six years. First launched in Madrid at AGi Architects' main headquarters in September 2013, the exhibition has since travelled to Valencia, Beirut, Granada, Casablanca, Tetouan, Fez, Tangier and Kuwait. The exhibition will be on view at AUS until November 12, 2015 in AD1-123, CAAD.

In an accompanying lecture, guest speakers Joaquín Pérez-Goicoechea and Dr. Nasser Abulhasan, principals/partners of AGi architects based in Madrid and Kuwait, spoke about the contemporary architectural systems that are the work of the firm, and the strategies behind their work. In addition, the lecture addressed how the city, society, culture and politics are reflected in architecture. A selection of projects was presented during the lecture, such as single-family houses and high-rise buildings built in Kuwait, where the design firm is the leader in this sector.

Joaquín Pérez-Goicoechea has worked on several major international projects and carried out different roles in projects as diverse as the Spanish Pavilion of EXPO 2000, where he acted as chief architect, then became the director of the Amsterdam office at Cruz y Ortiz Arquitectos. He has also held teaching positions at Harvard University, Boston Architectural Center and the College of Architecture at Kuwait University.

Dr. Nasser Abulhasan has extensive experience in the design and implementation of new communities and has worked on numerous high-profile master planning projects in Europe and the Middle East. Prior to founding AGi architects with Pérez-Goicoechea, Dr. Abulhasan worked on several major international projects for offices including SOM and Hashim Sarkis Architects. He also held teaching positions at the Boston Architectural Center and Kuwait University.