Sinking Cities

I am sure, like me, you are also following the news of the Maldives islands rapid sinking levels and their soon to be disappearance. Last year, I have seen the horrible flood in Bangkok  the worst I have ever seen in my 25 years living here. I saw the tsunami in 2005 washing away hole villages and shore lines changing. …

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The Environmental Cost of New Waterfront Development

Human settlements developed  and expanded  near water for centuries, When roads were primitive, water was a source for food, agriculture, transportation, materials, trade, people well being and prosperity. No wonder that most of the world greatest cities are built along major rivers and seashores. Bangkok, London, Paris, Venice like many others waterfront cities have developed over the centuries to become …

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Bangkok lost heritage, what’s next?

Well as promised at my last article, I did some research, not anything in great depth but enough to see what strategies and financing models have been used to salvage architectural heritage in various places across the world. The first one I came across and which has a record of successful applications is; Tax Increment Financing (TIF), the most widely …

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Minimalism in Architecture, Origin, and Context

There are a lot of publications defining what minimalism is, when it started as an architecture movement and what influenced it. In general it is believed that minimalism is a 20th, 21st century movement that was influenced by Japanese architecture, Mies Van Der Rohe,             De Stijl…etc It stands for pure forms, no decoration for …

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The Art of Reconciling New and Old Architecture Forms

 What strikes you in these images? Is there a clash here, does it intrigue you, bother or pleases you? I am sure there are no simple answers to this question. Some of us love and want modern and new technological wonders others are rather well settled in the familiar, the conventional.As architects we face this dilemma often;Owners and clients sometimes come …

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Only rich countries can aspire to develop green buildings

At our latest Lunch & Learn seminar, we were discussing Masdar Project in Abu Dhabi and all the technologies involved into making this “city laboratory” a carbon neutral city. One of our architects asked the question, “Does it mean only rich countries can aspire to developing green buildings?” To answer this question, I thought of our own design practice; we …

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Zaha Hadid Aquatic Centre: What’s all the fuss about the Seating Sightline?

“Architect Zaha Hadid has denied her design for the London 2012 Aquatics Centre is to blame for the 600 tickets sold to Olympic spectators unaware they’ll have a restricted view of the top diving events.  “The brief for the building from LOCOG was to provide 5000 spectator seats with uninterrupted views of the 10m diving platform events,” says a statement …

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About The Author

Dr. Chafia Ferhat

Born in Constantine and graduated from Constantine School of Architecture and Urban Planning in 1984, then completed a masters degree and PhD at The University of Leeds UK in 1989.

Joined RMJM International Design Group in 1991 and became managing Director in 1996.

Feature works include a large number of high profile buildings and projects: Dulwich International College, The Asian University of Science and technology, The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Harrow international School, Bangkok International Exhibition and Conference Centre, to name a few.

Dr. Chafia Ferhat founded Fenn Designers studio in 2007 and continue working with architectural projects, open spaces, urbanism in Asia, Middle East and North Africa.

She also contributes to a number of architecture publications and spends some time as a visiting lecturer at Rangsit University, Chulalongkorn University, Thamassart University, KM IT.

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