Omran AlOwais

Omran Alowais, an Emirati architect based in Dubai, and the founder of Ardh architecture studio. Whether working on an architecture project, or an art piece, his fascination with the nuances of Emirati culture is evident. His academic training is in architecture and he works professionally in the field. He graduated in 2004 from the American University of Sharjah and, a year before graduating, he had already founded Centimetercube, his first design studio, which is located in Dubai. Since graduating, he has lived abroad, seeking to learn as much as possible through observation and drawing from great world cities like Paris and Melbourne. This peripatetic international experience has granted him a broad perspective and has helped him to acquire architecture and urban design skills as well as honing an international outlook which informs his artistic practice. In 2013, he was awarded his Master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. His work has been presented nationally and he dedicates time to working with the next generation of architects in universities across the country. He was appointed to the advisory board of the The UAE Pavilion at the 2009 Venice Biennale. In keeping with his fascination for the traditions of his country, his long-held dream is to develop Emirati architecture for the future.