Professor to curate UAE pavilion at Biennale
The National Pavilion, United Arab Emirates, has appointed Dr Khaled Alawadi to curate the UAE’s exhibition at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition at next year’s Venice Biennale.
An assistant professor of sustainable urbanism at the Masdar Institute, Dr Alawadi’s research has focused on sustainable urban design.
His recent papers have included What happened to Abu Dhabi’s urbanism? The question of regional integration, an investigation of the history of national housing in the emirate and an analysis of the lessons this might offer for neighbourhood development in the future.
Dr Alawadi also contributed research to Transformations: the Emirati National House, the UAE’s national pavilion at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition, which was curated by architect and urbanist Yasser Elsheshtawy last year when he was based in Dubai.
An architect, planner and urban designer, Dr Alawadi holds a doctorate in community and regional planning from the University of Texas at Austin.
“Throughout my research, my aim is to develop the UAE’s reputation as a knowledge hub and engine for the transformation of cities and sustainable urbanisation,” Dr Alawadi said.
“The UAE has a unique architectural heritage, which sits in dialogue with rapid urbanisation and development, and offers a rich environment for thinking about the future of architecture and urban planning.”
“The Biennale’s architecture exhibition is one of the world’s foremost platforms in the field, and I am honoured to have been selected as the curator for 2018.”
Curated by Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, founders of Dublin-based Grafton Architects, the theme of next year’s International Architecture Exhibition is “Freespace” and will take place from May 26 until November 25.
Speaking in June at the Biennale’s headquarters at Ca’ Giustinian in Venice, Ms Farrell and Ms McNamara promised that the 2018 Biennale will celebrate “generosity and thoughtfulness” and “a desire to engage”.
Applications for the 2018 Venice Internship, which offers Emiratis and long-term residents the opportunity to spend one month in Venice staffing the UAE’s exhibition, are now open.
Visit www.nationalpavilionuae.org for more information.