The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of the Year - The Mohamed Makiya Prize for Architecture
Given to organisations and individuals who have contributed to the advancement of architecture
Eligibility
The award is named after Dr Mohamed Saleh Makiya, a great Iraqi architect whose influence and importance continues to impact the field of architecture today. The prize was announced in 2014, in celebration of Dr Makiya's 100th birthday.
The Mohamed Makiya Prize is open to both individuals and organisations who promoted, encouraged, campaigned or influenced directly or indirectly the advancement of architecture in the Middle East and North Africa.
The nomination is open to:
1- Organisation of any type: governmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, cultural centres, unions and architectural or non-architectural companies.
2- Individuals of any occupation that have direct or indirect influence, achievement or contribution to the advancement of architecture, including: architects, designers, clients, engineers, educators, journalists, government employees, activists, planners, civil servants, conservation specialists, students, curators and organisation owners/directors.
Aim
The Mohamed Makiya Prize aims to promote the advancement of architecture in the Middle East and North Africa.
Objectives
– Recognise and celebrate contributions made towards the advancement of architecture in the Middle East and North Africa.
– Encourage individuals and organisations to contribute towards the transformation of the built environment and local communities.
– Annually celebrate the work and ideas of Dr Mohamed Saleh Makiya through the prize
Selection criteria
The winner will be selected by the Mohamed Makiya Prize judging panel. The selection will be based on the achievements or contributions made towards architecture between January 2018 and June 2022. Achievements or contributions include (but are not limited to): the promotion of architectural excellence; research with impact; publication; built projects; winning design competitions; and activity in a certain field, such as conservation, planning, campaigning, building regulations, services to the built environment, education, services/contribution to the community, and institutional excellence for organisations.
The winner receives the Mohamed Makiya Medal, which was designed by Dr Makiya himself. This medal is given during Tamayouz’s annual ceremony. The winner’s flights and accommodation for attending the ceremony are covered by Tamayouz Award. The host city of the ceremony will be announced later during the year.
Key Dates
Registration Period: TBC
Judging period: TBC
Winner Announcement: TBC
Winners of the Mohamed Makiya Prize
The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of the year award
The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of 2020

Ali Jaffar Al-Lawati
Ali Jaffar Al-Lawati - Oman
Ali Jaffar Al-Lawati is a UK-based Omani architect and radio show host. His radio shows, which air on Oman Radio Channel, include the ‘Architecture of Oman’, ‘Religious Architecture of Oman’ (which aired during the month of Ramadan in 2016), ‘Sustainable architecture of Oman’, ‘Islamic Architecture’, ‘Building Stories’, and more. And while his radio shows are predominantly in Arabic, in 2019, he launched an English-language show called ‘Voice of Architecture’.
– Ahmad Sukkar – Syria/USA
– Arabesque – UAE
– Cairo Heritage School – Egypt
– Film My Design – Egypt
– Hanaa Dahy – Egypt
– IWLab – Syria/UK
– Jalal B. Mejel Algaood – Iraq
– Mazen Alali – Jordan
- Radwa Rostom – Egypt
– Reparametrize Studio – Syria
– ZAV Architects – Iran
The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of 2019

The cover of the International Journal for Islamic Architecture’s January 2019 issue.
The International Journal of Islamic Architecture - USA
Architecture publication
Since its establishment in 2012, the International Journal of Islamic Architecture has been a purveyor of innovative and progressive research on architecture in the Middle East, and parts of Africa and Asia. The journal, which features various sections including Design in Theory, Design in Practice, Architectural Spotlight and Reviews, encourages the exchange of ideas across borders and disciplines – a vital ethos in today’s society. Its content explores important topics, such as heritage, cultural destruction, curation, expertise and immigrant architecture, as well as provides a resource of current publications, exhibitions and conferences. This year, its position in the academic world was cemented by its acceptance into the highly competitive and rigorous Web of Science: Art and Humanities Citation Index.
IJIA was founded by Mohammad Gharipour, and its first issue was released in January 2012. It produces two issues per year: once in January and once in July. In the nearly eight years since its launch, 19 scholars have participated on IJIA’s editorial team, approximately 200 authors and reviewers have written for it, and more than 400 scholars and practitioners have served as reviewers for papers.
The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of 2019 - The Finalists:
– Ali Jaffar Al Lawati – Oman
– Arabesque – UAE
– Benaa Habitat – Egypt
– Eric Broug – UK
– Syrbanism – Austria
– Taghlib Abdulhadi Al Waily – Iraq
– Waleed Arafa – Egypt
– World Monuments Fund Britain – UK
The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of 2018

Dr Michael Toler receiveing the prize on behlaf of the Aga Khan Documentation Center @ MIT at the 2018 Tamayouz Excellence Award’s Annual Ceremony. Presenting the prize; Mr Akram Ogaily, member of the Tamayouz Excellence Award judging panel and chairman of the Mohamed Makiya Committee in Baghdad.
The Aga Khan Documentation Center @ MIT - USA
Documentation Center
For their role in supporting teaching of, and scholarship on, the history and theory of architecture, urbanism, environmental and landscape design, visual culture, and conservation, as well as the practice of architecture, in Muslim societies, with focus on the research and teaching activities of the faculty, students, and post-doctoral fellows at AKPIA. Situated within the MIT Libraries, AKDC@MIT, a part of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA) at MIT and Harvard, was established in 1979 by a gift from His Highness the Aga Khan. AKDC@MIT is also responsible for the curation of the intellectual and content core of Archnet, a globally-accessible, intellectual resource focused on architecture, urbanism, environmental and landscape design, visual culture, and conservation issues with a focus on Muslim cultures and civilizations.
Dr Michael Toler acceptance speech on behlaf of the Aga Khan Documentation Center @ MIT at the 2018 Tamayouz Excellence Award’s Annual Ceremony.
Aga Khan Documentation Center team at MIT, comprises of: Dr Michael Toler (Interim Program Head), Betsy Baldwin, Dr Matt Saba and Dr Sharon Smith (Founding Head of the Program who left the AKDC in August 2018) who had a key role in the Aga Khan Documentation Center’s growth and success.
The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of 2018 - The finalists:
– Arab Center for Architecture – Beirut
– Michael Rakowitz – Chicago
– Rana Beiruti – Amman
The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of 2014

Professor Khaled Al-Sultany receiving the prize at the 2016 Tamayouz Excellence Award’s Annual Ceremony. Presenting the prize; Dr Rasem Badran and Mr Akram Ogaily, members of the 2016 Tamayouz Excellence Award judging panel.
Professor Paul Ivey announces the winner of the Mohamed Makiya Prize for Architecture 2014
Professor Khaled Al-Sultany - Iraq
Architect, critic and author
For his documentation of modernist and post-modernist architecture in Iraq through his books, articles and essays, in addition to his brilliant talks, speeches that succeeded through his wonderful stories of activating the role of Iraqi architecture for all Iraqis.
Dr. Khaled al-Sultany’s research over the past three decades and his books and articles published in Arabic are a success in preserving the architectural linguistic heritage with the use of contemporary vocabulary of the architectural development.
Dr Khaled Al-Sultany is a Published Award Winning Architect and Academic, received his PhD in Architecture from the Moscow Architecture Institute, Russia.
A professor of Architecture at Baghdad University in Iraq and Al-Balqaa Applied University in Jordan. He headed the Institute for Islamic Art and Architecture Al-al-Bayt University, Jordan. Dr Al-Sultany designed many buildings in Iraq and Jordan. From 2012 – 2014 he was a researcher at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture – Denmark.
Who is Dr Mohamed Saleh Makiya
Mohamed Saleh Makiya (1914-2015) was born in Baghdad and educated in England, receiving his BArch at Liverpool School of Architecture and a diploma in civic planning from Liverpool University in 1941 and 1942, respectively. He completed his studies at Kings College, Cambridge, earning his PhD in 1946. He returned to Baghdad that same year and established Makiya Associates, an architectural and planning consultancy practice. During the 1950s he designed houses and commercial buildings and became increasingly aware of the heritage of Iraqi architecture. Dr. Makiya was one of the original founders of the Department of Architecture at the College of Engineering, Baghdad University, in 1959. He remained head of the department until 1968. During subsequent years, Makiya Associates offices were established in Bahrain, Oman, London, Kuwait, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai.
The works and ideas of Mohamed Makiya and his firm have been investigated in numerous books and articles, and examined and explored in conferences and exhibitions, including an international conference on Baghdad architectural heritage held in early 2013 at the University of Baghdad. The conference was part of the events of “Baghdad, Arab Capital of Culture for the Year 2013”, sponsored through a partnership between the University of Baghdad, Ifpo (the French Institute of the Near East), and the UNESCO Office for Iraq.
Makiya’s contributions to the fields of architecture and urbanism and, in particular, his sophisticated incorporation of traditional forms into modern architecture, cannot be overstated. His work embodies ideas of urban conservation, regionalism in form, and continuity of architectural heritage; ideas which continue to younger generations of architects throughout the Middle East.*
Dr Mohamed Saleh Makiya (1914 – 2015) is the recipient of the inaugural Tamayouz Architectural Lifetime Achievement award for the impact of his celebrated and lasting contribution to Iraqi architecture, his role in the establishment of the Baghdad School of Architecture and his mentoring of generations of aspiring Iraqi architects. Dr Makiya was unable to attend the ceremony but he accepted the prize in an video recording in his London residence. Press Release Here
*Quoted from Archnet https://archnet.org/authorities/13