The aForm Show

This week we are joined by Kerem Cengiz. With close to three decades of project experience across multiple market sectors, Kerem brings a wealth of knowledge as an architect, urban planner & business leader. He has been part of and led, award-winning projects across Europe, Australia, APAC & the MENA region.  Undoubtedly, this has helped Kerem bring a truly diverse & holistic outl...

This week we are joined by the dynamic duo of Bass Ackermann & Alistair Mac Bean. They are here to talk about a truly unique project within a 'blue ocean' market sector in the region. As a relatively, young developer, HIVE Coliv have already managed to break ground on thier first venture & they aim to deliver a residential product that this market has not seen yet. With well over a decade...

This week we are joined by Jennie Binchy of Binchy & Binchy! As design director, Jennie has led the way, in achieving design excellence across a variety of market sectors. Binchy and Binchy have carved a niche for themselves in the region across complex interior projects & contemporary architecture! Never satisfied with the status quo, Binchy & Binchy are known more pushing the envelop...

On todays show, we are joined by Indu Varanasi, Founder & Design director of IR DESIGN. With well over two decades of professional experience, Indu is known for her holistic approach to design & all its facets. She has been part of many award-winning projects in the region across various market sectors. Indu has been an active participant in both the design & business community. She is...

This week we are joined by Drew Gilbert. With a passion for pushing the envelope, Drew has made a big splash into the architecture and design scene of the region. His architectural career started off in the US where in, he nurtured his curiosity and honed his skills. Since then, he has leap frogged to the middle-east & has been part of many projects that have gone on to win international award...

On todays show, we have Mohannad Altabbal from BIMES. As an architect by profession, Mohannad has spent long time in the middle-east & seen the design/delivery process evolve in the region. With over a decade in the field of BIM, Mohannad joins us today to talk about how we as designers, can improve our workflow & process. Being part of many iconic projects in the region, Mohannad has...

On todays show, we have Agnes Koltay from Koltay Facades & Karim Maalouli from Guardian Glass. Agnes is an architect by profession & has now transitioned into a facade specialist. She has worked with award-winning architects and international engineering offices. In 2011, Agnes began her own studio focusing on façade engineering consultancy. Since then Koltay facades have gone on to create...

On todays show, we have Haya Arafa! She is an interior designer running her own boutique studio, right here out of Dubai. Having been part large scale projects  in both the Middle-east & GCC region, Haya now focuses her talents on delivering boutique, client-centric designs! She specializes in curating spaces that improve social interaction, cognitive performance &...

On this weeks episode, we have Kristina Zanic. Having been the founder and co-owner of Design Worldwide Partnership (dwp) Kristina spent over 20 years based in Thailand, and worked with numerous international brands, multinationals, and prominent companies. Through her cutting edge designs and dedication to her clients Kristina led ‘dwp’ to global recognition within the industry, establishing over...

On todays show, we are going to talk about 'Future proofing architects'. A topic which has many facets, but for today, we are going to focus on two key areas. Education and mid-career professionals. These are the two critical points where architects tend to have pivoting moments that determine their thinking, design approach & career path.  To discuss this, we have a double-header! We are...

This week we are joined by Esther Echerverria. She comes with a vast knowledge of architecture and engineering recruitment across both Europe and the GCC. Esther has sourced candidates from varying skill levels & experience levels. She is known for her hands on approach, professional attitude & going the extra mile! Currently she is the managing director at L&C recruitment & they p...

Our guest today is Yahya Kaddoura. He has spent close to three decades within the UAE. As a graduate from the University of Sharjah, he brings a unique perspective to his architectural design, as he has quite literally seen the urban fabric of the UAE grow, before his eyes.  Yahya currently works with Atkins where in, he as been involved with multiple award winning projects. Specializing in h...

On this weeks episode we have Hayley Dyer, all the way from London. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she is here to share her insights on a rather taboo topic, Architectural Recruitment. As Director and Founder of AE recruitment, Hayley has sourced candidates of various skill levels & experience for some of the most sought after firms in the middle-east! As such she has a weal...

Todays guest is Douglas Sum. He comes with a wealth of knowledge within the facade, or 'building skin' space. With an education from the University of Hong Kong, Douglas has gone on to work with international design firms all across the pacific rim & MENA region and currently is an Associate, Façade Service Group Leader for Aurecon, a global engineering, design and advisory company. A few...

This episode was quite a debate for us internally. We did not want to contribute to the mass-hysteria, but it seems the matter is now inevitable. This episode is a stripped back, raw, monologue on the current situation of our design ecosystem. Covid-19 has changed the way we as architects and designers operate. Love it, or hate it, this is our new reality. This episode aims to highlight a few step...

Todays guest is Mornay Schoeman. As an educator, Mornay brings close to 3 decades of design education practices all the way from South Africa. As an Interior Designer by profession, she is able to integrate professional practice into the theory of the classroom. This has enabled her students to grasp the nuances of the profession. Besides running a campus in Dubai, she is also the owner of Baroque...

Todays guest is Rahul Sudheer. With strong roots in Dubai, Rahul currently practices as a designer with the world renowned developer, Emaar. During his journey he has been part of both mega projects and niche, boutique work. He truly believes that architecture can shape the way we live and as such, spends a lot of time figuring out how we as humans, live/interact within our spaces. As an avid sket...

Todays guest is Devanshi Jakhiya. As an interior designer, Devanshi has constantly challenged the status quo. Never satisfied with the 'mediocre', she is known to push boundaries in her designs. She has been part of projects that have truly created an identity for their clients. Currently practising out of an award-winning firm, Brand Creative, she has been exposed to interior design, brand creati...

Todays guest is Christine Reyes Espinosa-Erlanda. With meticulous attention to detail & a keen eye for design, Christine has spent over a decade at the award winning practice, Godwin Austen Johnson. With projects all over the world, Christine has had vast exposure to multiple cultural contexts, making her designs truly responsive & niche.  At an Associate level, Christine pushes green...

Todays guest is Anique Ahmed. Anique is an architect & an award-winning architectural photographer. With projects like the UAQ martyrs memorial under his belt, Anique now focuses on capturing moments created by architectural & interior design. His architectural photography has been recognized by several international photography competitions and has been featured across various media platf...

Our guest today truly pushes the boundary of architectural design, to infinity and beyond. We are super stoked to have Hatem Al Khafaji join us today! With a relatively ,conventional foundation to his architectural journey, Hatem completed his undergrad in architectural engineering from the University of Sharjah. Whilst in professional practice, Hatem maintained a healthy conne...

With Irish & Syrian Roots, Hana was raised between Northern Ireland & the UAE, specifically Abu Dhabi. She currently practices - Out of Dabbagh Architects & during that time, has been part of multiple award winning projects! From copper roofs to restoration work, Hana's work is truly diverse in across the region here. In todays episode, we talk about the up's and down's of architecture...