Department of Architecture | American University of Sharjah
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College of Architecture, Art and Design Department of Architecture

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Department head's message

This is an ideal time to study architecture and interior design. The 21st Century challenges us to look for new alternatives to shape our environment.
George Katodrytis

The Department of Architecture is dedicated to educate talented designers to serve as leaders in their fields of architecture and interior design. In doing so we are shaping the architectural and design education and the profession of the UAE and the region. We emphasize design education through diverse experiences which include critical thinking, design processes and learning through making and we offer an exciting setting for interaction and the discussion of ideas.

Our curriculum is vigorous and diverse based on an educational model of learning in an open-plan design studio culture. Through this atelier system and array of design studios, ideas of architecture and interior design are nurtured. Specialized and focused additional courses enhance further the skills of our students in history and theory, technology and digital tools, representation and making / fabrication.

From drawing plans to rendering perspectives, from material details to complex fabrications architectural education is a journey of discoveries. We present, we debate, we exhibit and we publish our work. We put our drawings on the wall and we discuss them. We think through various media that includes drawing and making. Our multicultural body of students is instructed by a diverse and dynamic team of faculty. High-end equipment and digital fabrication facilities enhance further the process to achieve our pedagogical goals. Our extensive series of lectures and exhibitions makes us as a regional hub for the development of architectural and its discourse.

This is an ideal time to study architecture and interior design. The 21st century challenges us to look for new alternatives to shape our environment. The region is full of talent and it needs accomplished designers to shape the future. The complexities of contemporary global issues and the environment, the impact of rapid urbanization and migrating cultures require design skills that are both inventive and well-informed. At a time when both technology and cities develop very fast there is a greater need for thoughtful, committed and imaginative designers in the discipline. The Department of Architecture provides a unique context in which to do so.

I hope you will join the talented, energetic and creative students and faculty at the Department of Architecture.

George Katodrytis
Head of Department

News

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The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) awarded 31 students with partial scholarships at a special ceremony held recently...
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Maryam Mudhaffar

Masters of Architectural History,from the Bartlett UCL

Ever since I joined AUS in 2007, architecture and design have become an integral part of my life both as an academic and a professional.  My undergraduate education has allowed me to explore and engage with the socio-cultural, political and economic factors that shape the contextual frameworks in which conceptual and tangible manifestations are materialized in the Gulf – it fundamentally developed my creativity as a designer and my curiosity as a researcher.

Bachelor of Architecture
College of Architecture, Art and Design

Khalda El Jack

There's so much I've learned from AUS that has helped facilitate my growth and set the stepping stones for everything I've learned after. Post graduation, I've learned that there's so much more to learn and experience outside of comfort zones and realms in which we are used to occupying. Make it a point to continuously search and experiment with experiences to find where it is your heart will settle.

Bachelor of Architecture
College of Architecture, Art and Design

Dunia Abu Shanab

MArch II - UC Berkeley

The architecture program at AUS gave me the opportunity to be mentored by successful professionals while developing my skill set and preparing me for the industry. Being at AUS has not only taught me how to excel at my career but also taught me to love what I do and discover myself through it. The contacts I have made and experiences I have had will serve as valuable resources throughout my professional and academic career.

Bachelor of Architecture
College of Architecture, Art and Design

Naji Mahmoud

The generous support from faculty, and the solid design foundation we were equipped with at AUS  prepared us to be global designers who are ready to work for the world's leading design practices. The confidence and determination I developed while studying at AUS helped me to get closer to my aspirations and led me to run my own architectural practice. Although I graduated a number of years ago, I know this will not be the last of my association with this outstanding school.

Bachelor of Architecture
College of Architecture, Art and Design

Amin Alsaden

PhD Candidate, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University

The lasting impact of AUS stems from the fact that, for me, it was a place and period of exploration, which perhaps reflected the early experience of the young institution. Guided while expected to go astray, we were inspired by instructors who combined the rigor of higher education and specificity of the discipline with the open-endedness and vast exposure afforded by liberal education. Aside from the theoretical and practical tools we acquired, this was a time of immense personal transformation and growth that impressed upon students the imperative of expecting more from ourselves, and from the world.

Bachelor of Architecture
College of Architecture, Art and Design

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