AIA Middle East

AIA Middle East AIA Middle East is the fifth international chapter of the AIA.

23/07/2026

Year after year, AIA Middle East unites architects from across the region in a powerful year‑end conference, a space where ideas evolve, designs inspire, and meaningful conversations spark new possibilities.

This year, our Conference will take place from 11-14 November in the most influential places and architectural anchors in the world.. Egypt! 🇪🇬

For architects globally, Egypt is a Global Classroom, architects visit Egypt to study proportion, geometry, symbolism, urban evolution, and the relationship between architecture and society across thousands of years.

AIA’s commitment to connecting the Middle East and MENA architecture community continues to elevate the profession and celebrate its brightest minds.

Stay tuned for more updates,event agenda and registration to be shared soon.

From today’s lecture to our architecture students at , lecture titled: Designing a Career Through Discovery by .Lecture...
23/02/2026

From today’s lecture to our architecture students at , lecture titled: Designing a Career Through Discovery by .

Lecture discussed Designer careers. In an increasingly global and uncertain profession, waiting for the “right path” is no longer a strategy. Instead, designers must design their careers the way they design buildings, through iteration, experimentation, and discovery.

Rather than pursuing predefined milestones, participants will explore how strategic experimentation—joining professional committees, relocating internationally, contributing to policy, teaching, and initiating new platforms—can expand influence, accelerate growth, and uncover unexpected opportunities.

This lecture invites emerging professionals to treat uncertainty as a laboratory and to prototype their professional identities with intention.

Drawing from experience practicing across the United States and the Middle East, serving in leadership roles within the American Institute of Designers and NCARB, and engaging in global sustainability and licensure initiatives, this session reframes career development as a design process.

Speaker: Li Ren, AIA

Li Ren is an internationally licensed architect, designer and educator whose career spans the United States and the Middle East. His work explores how designers can intentionally design their professional paths through experimentation, global mobility, and institutional engagement.

Beyond designer practice, Li has served in leadership roles within the American Institute of Designers and contributed to global practice and licensure initiatives. His experience ranges from large-scale built projects to professional policy development and cross- border collaboration.

Through teaching, writing, and mentorship, Li encourages emerging professionals to approach their careers as iterative design process testing ideas, expanding contexts, and
redefining what designer practice can become in a global era

A reminder for anyone considering participating in the AIA Middle East 2026 Design Competition: Nature | Eco-Resort Conc...
23/01/2026

A reminder for anyone considering participating in the AIA Middle East 2026

Design Competition:

Nature | Eco-Resort Concept in Al-Shafa, Ta’if, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (developed in collaboration with Alfeir).

Competition package release
The full competition package will be issued to registered participants on:

Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 12:00 PM (GMT+3)

Registration will NOT close
Registration will remain open for the duration of the competition, and teams may join at any time during the competition period.

That said, the sooner you register, the more time you’ll have to work with the materials and any clarifications.

Open international competition
This is an open international competition — participation is not limited to AIA members or to the Middle East.

Students, professionals, and practices from anywhere in the world are welcome (per the published rules).

Looking forward to seeing bold, thoughtful proposals.

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Hello,A friendly reminder that registration for the AIA Middle East 2026 Design Competition remains open.To keep everyon...
19/01/2026

Hello,

A friendly reminder that registration for the AIA Middle East 2026 Design Competition remains open.

To keep everyone aligned, the full competition package will be issued to all registered participants on Sunday, January 25, 2026.

If you’ve been meaning to join, registering now ensures you receive the package the moment it is released, along with the key dates and Q&A process.

Register here: https://www.aiamiddleeast.org/ecoresort-in-taif-ksa

Thank you for helping us share this with colleagues, studios, and students who may be interested.

2025 AIA Middle East Annual President Report:Today, I’m proud to share the highlights of an incredible year for The Amer...
11/12/2025

2025 AIA Middle East Annual President Report:

Today, I’m proud to share the highlights of an incredible year for The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Middle East chapter. In 2025, our vision was clear:

Rebuild AIA ME as a strong, active home for young professionals and new members across the region. Thanks to the dedication of our community, we delivered one of the most impactful years in our chapter’s history.

2025 at a Glance:
- 471 active members (611 total members) with strong growth driven by young professionals.
- 11 university partners, including 6 new collaborations.
- 64 AIA events and 48 CE hours delivered.
- 55 MOUs signed, creating true pipelines between academia and practice.
- 7 sponsors, including 3 new partners joining this year.
- 146 registrations at our Year-End Conference in Amman, with 20 speakers from across the region.

Our Impact:
This year, we restored momentum, reactivated our multi-country network, and rebuilt the sense of belonging that defines the AIA community. The growth we witnessed, across membership, universities, partnerships, and events, signals a new era for AIA ME.

Looking Ahead:
As more architects move to the Middle East, our chapter is becoming a critical platform for professional development, regional leadership, and global connection.

We are excited to carry this energy forward into 2026, as the AIA ME community continues to rise, together. Thank you to every member, partner, university, sponsor, and volunteer who made this year possible.

Leadership is not about being in front, it’s about creating the conditions for others to rise.

Li Ren, AIA
2025 AIA Middle East President

Appreciate to all our members, supporters and friends.

Jotun Middle East, TECHNAL Middle East, WICONA Middle East, ZWSOFT, dormakaba, The American Institute of Architects (AIA), AIA International, AUD-Architecture Department, Manipal Academy of Higher Education - MAHE, Dubai, American University of Sharjah, The American University in the Emirates (AUE) De Montfort University Dubai

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Amman

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