Mohamed Al Assam waxes nostalgic about changes in UAE architecture and dividing Dewan A&E.
How did your architecture career begin in the UAE?
I'm of Iraqi origin and graduated from the Baghdad University School of Architecture, which, at that time, was considered one of the most prominent and respected schools of architecture in the Middle East.
Then, I moved to the UAE in 1976. It's incredible when I look at all the pictures of Dubai and compare what it was then to what it is now. It's a bit like seeing your child growing; you don't feel it because it grows with you, but one day you realise, it's become very big.
I started my practice in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah in 1976, then, I took on the Dewan name in 1984 and moved to Abu Dhabi. In just a few years, we managed to become one of the five major architecture firms in Abu Dhabi.
We grew from there and now, in Abu Dhabi, we're considered #2 in volume of projects, but maybe #1 in reputation for professionalism and quality of work.
In 1998, we decided to expand our operation and return to Dubai. Again, in a very short amount of time, we've become one of the most reputable firms in Dubai. Right now, we have around 270 employees and around US $20 billion in volume of work.
How has architecture changed since you've been in the UAE?
Well, the quality [of buildings] is improving. If I think back to 30 years ago, the country used to be much less modern than it is now. It took time for clients and the leadership to understand the importance of quality in the built environment.
The UAE used to be a much poorer country than it is now. It's always had the oil but other resources weren't as accessible or plentiful as they are now.
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