ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN STRATEGIES
Our experts have been involved in a variety of complex architectural and urban design projects. We bring that expertise in helping clients (from the public and private sectors) to develop clear visions for their projects. We also help in negotiating and developing local codes, guidelines, and regulatory instruments for the urban built environment. Our experts have been invited to review and contribute to different competition’ juries and awards, including the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
Our services in this field include:
Research & Analysis
We research local contexts of projects to help stakeholder better understand their sites’ history, social and economic environment, and their political sensitivities.
We use a variety of digital tools to produce maps of urban areas where cadasters are unreliable.
We produce historic mapping of sites to trace their transformations and development to learn the deep patterns of the urban contexts.
Scenario Development
LUGARIT offers various visioning exercises to help different stakeholders visualize the outcome of proposed projects from an end user’s perspective.
We provide social and economic impact analysis, and we integrate findings into feasibility studies to determine best options.
Advice
We advise clients on projects in historically sensitive sites, informed by best practices in the field.
We support the preparation of architectural and urban design competitions, and we contribute to juries on major projects.
We provide stakeholders involved in urban projects with tools to ensure that their projects meet their needs and expectations in terms of economic impact.
Stakeholder Engagement
LUGARIT’s experts advise clients on engagement with the project’s stakeholders from the local communities.
Our team helps owners of cultural and social services’ projects to set up institutional and administrative processes to ensure the well-functioning of their projects after completion.
We help negotiate problems that emerge during the implementation of urban projects in historic areas, and to set up alternatives to litigations.
Capacity Building
Our team provides a variety of training modules for urban managers to set up regulatory frameworks for the design, implementation and sustainability of urban design regulations.
We support a variety of alternative educational modules to work with young designers to understand the local contexts, work with communities and develop practical approaches for working in culturally sensitive zones.
Monitoring & Evaluation
LUGARIT develops post-occupancy reviews for the social and economic impacts of projects.
Our experts provide assessments and reviews of the institutional structures responsible for the implementation of urban design projects. We study the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of these institutions and assess their ability to adhere to the agreed standards.
Related Works
Date: 2015
Publisher: Routledge
A Chapter in the book "Urban Design in the Arab World" critiques post-colonial urban design in Arab-Muslim societies, focusing on the role of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. It highlights the struggle between national, ethno-religious identities and local needs in urban planning, emphasizing a trend towards symbolic, idealized representations over community-focused, replicable designs.
Year: 2011 - 2014
Client: Municipality of Saida , MedCities
A participatory project aimed at strategic urban planning in Saida, Lebanon. It involved community engagement, data collection, and analysis to develop a Strategic Framework and 27 Action Plans, focusing on socio-economic, environmental, and infrastructural improvement in alignment with the city's vision.
Year: 2013 - 2014
Client: Ministry of Housing , Omrania
A project with the Ministry of Housing in Saudi Arabia to plan new residential communities across the western region of the Kingdom. The goal is to create livable, service-rich, sustainable communities where residents can build standard or bespoke homes with government support.
Date: 2011
Publisher: Aga Khan Award for Architecture, Lars Muller Publishers
2 Essays in the book "Implicate & Explicate" discuss the Aga Khan Award for Architecture’s influence in advocating ethical architecture and broadening the understanding of Muslim cultural practices. The essays emphasize the need for broader ethical debates in the field, showcasing the Award's role in highlighting diverse, innovative architectural solutions in the Muslim world.
Year: 2008 - 2011
Client: GIZ - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
A participatory city vision project for Aleppo, Syria, by 2025. Co-funded by various organizations including GIZ and the World Bank. We join stakeholders in planning for a city with multiple centers, modern transportation, diverse neighborhoods, and green, compact urban spaces. Additionally, we offer comprehensive communication services, involving community participation, branding, and promoting the project's vision through various media and events.