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Firas Hnoosh to Head Growing Dubai-based Architectural Team, Expand Studio's Portfolio
Architecture and design firm Perkins+Will announced today the appointment of a new design director for its Dubai office. Firas Hnoosh has joined the firm to oversee all architecture work originating from the Dubai practice, helping to grow its multidisciplinary architectural design portfolio.
"Firas' international leadership experience will help take our burgeoning architecture practice to a whole new level, nurturing a culture of design excellence among our growing staff and complementing our already robust corporate interiors practice," says Dubai office Managing Director Steven Charlton. "His multicultural background, ability to speak several languages, and comprehensive understanding of the markets in EMEA, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, will also ensure stronger relationships with our clients."
Hnoosh has over 17 years of professional design experience, and has held design director roles for the Abu Dhabi practices of two large international architectural firms. He has also served as the head of a studio for the London practice of a renowned global design firm. His strong commercial and institutional building portfolio includes projects such as The National Bank of Abu Dhabi Global Headquarters on Al Maryah Island; the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal in Mina Zayed for the Abu Dhabi Port Company; a large mixed-use development in Dubai for Majid Al-Futtaim Group; Manhattan Loft Gardens, a 42-story mixed-use residential and hotel tower in east London at the Olympic Village; and a large retail center in Bahrain Bay in Manama. Other high-rise residential, commercial, and mixed-use buildings designed by Hnoosh have been proposed, built, or are currently under construction in the UK, UAE, Ireland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Italy, Qatar, and Egypt.
In his role as design director for Perkins+Will's Dubai office, Hnoosh will guide a growing team of 30 architects through all stages of design for mixed-use developments, high-rise office buildings, hotels, universities, and cultural centers. With a strong background in digital design, he will introduce new tools and production software, building information management (BIM) platforms, and environmental and parametric applications to the Dubai studio. Hnoosh will also work closely with London-based EMEA Regional Design Director Jo Palma, who joined Perkins+Will in September 2015, and with whom he has already collaborated on a number of design projects in the past.
"My interest lies in exploring the boundaries of marrying architecture and engineering, with their often conflicting demands, to create a timeless design," Hnoosh says. "I am proud to be part of a firm with such an outstanding reputation for design excellence, innovation, and sustainability, and am eager to contribute to its successes from our Dubai studio."
Hnoosh is a chartered member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, an ARB Registered Architect, a LEED Accredited Professional, and a member of the Swedish Association of Architects. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (U.S.), and a professional architecture degree from the Lund Institute of Technology in Sweden. He speaks fluent Arabic, English and Swedish and has basic working knowledge of French and German.
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About Perkins+Will
Perkins+Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm established in 1935 and founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance communities. Each of the firm's 24 offices focuses on local, regional, and global work in a variety of practice areas. With hundreds of award-winning projects annually, Perkins+Will is highly ranked among top global design firms. Perkins+Will is recognized as one of the industry's preeminent sustainable design firms due to its innovative research, design tools, and expertise. The firm's 2,000 professionals are thought leaders in developing 21st century solutions to inspire the creation of spaces in which clients and their communities work, heal, live, and learn. Social responsibility is a fundamental aspect of Perkins+Will's culture and every year the company donates 1% of its design services to pro bono initiatives. In 2015, Fast Company ranked Perkins+Will among "The World's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Architecture."
Perkins+Will's Dubai office was established in 2010 and has since become the firm's fastest-growing office globally. With 100 architects, interior designers, and planners, the office's work spans a diverse range of sectors, including mixed-use, commercial, corporate interiors, aviation, and healthcare. The Dubai office focuses on projects with regional impact and resonance, on meeting the unique needs of emerging and diversifying economies, and on developing local talent. Recognized by Middle East Architect magazine as the Best Large Architect in the Middle East in 2015 and by Commercial Interior Design Middle East magazine for its top talent and design, the Dubai office of Perkins+Will is setting new standards for creativity and project delivery in the region.
For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.
Press Contacts
Omar Farook
Perkins+Will
Tel:+971.4.346.6550 ext. 503
E-mail: omar.farook@perkinswill.com
Steven Jones
Managing Director
PO Box 502701
Office 106, Arjaan Office Tower
Dubai Media City
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel: +9714 365 2711
Mobile: +971 50 455 9769
E-mail: steven@smc-pr.com
Website: www.smc-pr.com
© Press Release 2016