Abbas Sherif Alaskari: The Architect Who’s Building Dubai’s Soul

When I first sketched designs as a young student at the American University of Sharjah, my professors told me my ideas were "too local" for a global city like Dubai. Today, I’ve made that very quality my signature. Because true innovation doesn’t come from chasing trends—it comes from listening to the land you stand on.

This is my story—and my vision for what architecture can be.

The Three Epiphanies That Shaped My Career

1. The Wind Tower RevelationWhile interning at a prestigious firm designing another glass tower, I spent my weekends documenting abandoned barajeel across the Emirates. The moment I realized these 14th-century structures cooled spaces more efficiently than our multimillion-dollar HVAC systems, my path became clear.

2. The Sandstorm LessonIn 2015, one of my early projects—a sleek, imported-glass facade—was ravaged by a single sandstorm. That’s when I began developing my patented self-cleaning nano-coating, now used on 17 government buildings.

3. The Grandmother PrincipleMy Emirati grandmother couldn’t understand the luxury villas I designed. "Where’s the shade? Where’s the courtyard?" she’d ask. Today, every one of my homes begins with these questions.

My Current Obsessions

1. The Memory of Materials

• My team is developing concrete mixed with crushed pearl shells from old Dubai souks

• We’re creating wall panels embedded with recordings of traditional sea shanties

2. Invisible Sustainability

• The Al Wasl Residence appears conventional but uses 80% less energy than its neighbors

• My secret? A geothermal system inspired by underground falaj channels

3. Architecture That Ages Gracefully

• Unlike Dubai’s typical "build-replace" cycle, my structures are designed to patina beautifully

• The Bronze Towers in DIFC will develop a protective oxide layer over 20 years

Projects That Define My Philosophy

1. The Majlis 3000 (2026)

• A tech hub where every meeting room is modeled after historical gathering spaces

• Features AI that learns conversational rhythms to optimize acoustics

2. My Home (Personal Residence)

• Living proof that tradition can be cutting-edge

• Palm-thatch roofing with solar filaments

• Courtyard that becomes a star-gazing planetarium at night

Why I Still Sketch By Hand First

In an age of parametric design, I insist on starting each project with ink on paper. There’s wisdom in the hesitation of a hand-drawn line that no software can replicate. My sketchbooks—now archived at the Dubai Museum of the Future—show 17 iterations of the Dune Residences’ curves before I was satisfied.

To Young Emirati Architects

My message is simple:

• Study abroad, but return wiser

• Question why palm fronds bend the way they do before mastering CAD

• Build for the great-grandchildren of your clients

Come See the Work

I welcome visitors to my active construction sites every Thursday morning. Not to admire—but to debate. Because the architecture Dubai needs next won’t come from one mind, but from many.

Find me @abbassherifAlaskari or at my favorite spot—the shaded benches near the Dubai Creek, where the breeze still carries whispers of how this city first learned to breathe.