AUS students win the prestigious Pavilion Prize at Abu Dhabi Art 2025

Two architecture students from the American University of Sharjah’s (AUS) College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD), Sara Alshehhi and Sarvani Pagadala, have won this year’s prestigious Pavilion Prize at Abu Dhabi Art, earning the opportunity to bring their design to life at the main entrance of the 2025 edition of the fair this November.

Launched in 2017, the Abu Dhabi Art Pavilion Prize invites student teams from across the UAE to design a temporary, functional space that serves as a welcome area at the fair’s entrance. The winning proposal is constructed on-site at Manarat Al Saadiyat and seen by over 30,000 visitors. This year’s competition challenged students to design an eco-friendly and sustainable pavilion that accommodates functions such as a waiting area, café, ticketing zone, as well as accessibility features.

Alshehhi and Pagadala’s winning proposal was chosen from teams representing seven universities and over 100 students across the UAE. Titled “Awda - A Return from Remains”, it reimagines the palm tree as both a building material and a symbol of community, sustainability and cultural memory. Designed with traditional materials viewed through a contemporary lens, it transforms what would otherwise have become municipal palm waste into a welcoming public space, inspired by the architecture of traditional Areesh houses, Emirati dwellings historically built with palm fronds.

In their design, open gathering areas surround a central courtyard, inviting people to move freely, connect, and cool off beneath a canopy of woven palm elements that filter sunlight, much like dense palm groves once did. Every detail reflects sustainability, heritage and a sense of belonging, aligning with the 2025 UAE theme of the “Year of Community,” which also inspired the design.

Alshehhi and Pagadala carefully chose the materials featured in their design for their ecological impact and cultural relevance. Palm trunks function as structural columns, while palm wood flooring was sourced from Desert Board, a company specializing in sustainable composites. The modular canopy system is designed to be both breathable and recyclable.

“We wanted to give new life to a material that once formed the backbone of daily life in the Emirates,” said Alshehhi and Pagadala. “By using discarded palms from municipal waste and farms, the pavilion revives the palm tree’s presence in the built environment, not just as a structure but as a symbol.” 

Both students also extended their deep gratitude to their mentor, Roberto Castillo, Assistant Professor at CAAD.

“Competitions like this are invaluable,” said Castillo. “They bridge the gap between academia and the real world, challenging students to create designs that are not just beautiful on paper, but buildable and impactful in reality.”

Once Abu Dhabi Art closes this November, “Awda” will be responsibly dismantled, with materials repurposed for community use, farms, or even furniture, ensuring its story continues beyond the event. 

In addition to seeing their design constructed and displayed at the entrance of this year’s fair, Alshehhi and Pagadala will receive the prize fund of AED 10,000. However, they both said, “The bigger reward is the legacy we have had the opportunity to create before even graduating.”

This latest recognition adds to a string of recent industry accolades for CAAD students and alumni, including student selections for the Cannes Short Film Corner, the Kingdom Photography Prize residency, wins at the World Architecture Awards, and the appointment of CAAD alumna Azza Aboualam as curator of the UAE Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale.

For more information about CAAD’s leading arts and architecture programs, visit: www.aus.edu/caad.