Interview with Architect Samir Serop Dawood: Architecture Anchors Human Memory and National Identity
"The journey of human creativity of architect Samir Serop Dawood… embodying the art of architecture in contemporary life"
Interviewed by Donia Alisahb – Iraq
Architect and urban designer Samir Serop Dawood has captured the essence of a serene childhood and the beginnings of his first dreams, from Baghdad to Abu Dhabi, UAE, where he developed his architectural vision through designs that strive to achieve balance between humans, built space, nature, and place, while preserving the authenticity of heritage. He moved forward with steady steps, carrying decades of experience, and bringing his regional vision in architecture, which expresses a humanistic message before being merely an engineering practice—an art through which he seeks to shape the behavior of the civilized human influenced by both engineering thought and artistic inspiration.
Architect Samir Serop Dawood believes that architecture is not a rigid mold or a repetitive pattern; rather, it is an evolving art and creative practice exercised by the architect through ideas inspired by his environment, interacting with its climate, culture, and history. Each project has its own design, and each place has its unique identity that deserves to be shaped artistically, reflecting its essence and spirit. From this perspective, the architect emphasizes that true creativity lies in listening to the place and understanding human needs within it.
In this interview, we revisit his presence in the cultural sphere, with carefully prepared questions inspired by the intersection of his Iraqi and Armenian roots and his British experience, which shaped a global vision blending authenticity with modernity, nostalgia for the past, and foresight for the present and future. From his projects, we derive the human values and architectural beauty that anchor the cultural identity of the nation, producing designs that resonate with the human spirit and evoke the essence of place in every architectural detail.
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• How do you define your personal and cultural identity to the reader? And has this identity influenced your architectural vision and design philosophy?
I am an architect, designer, and urban thinker, Iraqi-British of Armenian descent. My professional career spans nearly half a century, taking me beyond my homeland of Iraq to practice architecture in the United Kingdom, then in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Qatar, and India. Today, I continue to serve as Principal Architect and Chief Designer at my office, "Esteshari Al-Diyar," which I founded in 1988 in the UAE.
The core of my artistic and architectural vision embraces both humans and nature, focusing on their coexistence as a fundamental driver of social development and prosperity. As an architect, my principles revolve around human values, for I firmly believe that “every land is sown with the love of the homeland.”
After graduating from the University of Baghdad, I pursued my academic and professional journey in London. Influenced by the works and philosophy of international architects I collaborated with early in my career—particularly the late Dr. Mohamed Makkiyah (a pioneer of contemporary Arab architecture), with whom I worked closely for several years—I developed a deep desire to discover what is authentic, honest, and human in the design process, striving for excellence in architectural output.
I then advanced my academic studies at the AA School of Architecture in London (The Architectural Association, one of the oldest and most prestigious architecture schools worldwide), where I met the globally renowned late architect Zaha Hadid, among other international architects as educators. There, I deepened my understanding of Regional Architecture, which focuses on identifying the intrinsic “genes” of a project site, analyzing its characteristics to extract what is suitable and inherited from its environment, soil, and climate, in harmony with the civilization, history, and technologies of the society. Since then, this school of thought has become part of my identity, architectural vision, and philosophical approach, which I continue to practice with conviction and belief.
Therefore, I do not believe it is appropriate for an architect to rigidly adhere to a single design style in all cases, imposing personal identity over the identity of the project, site, or society. In my view, the architect should be intellectually flexible, open-minded, insightful, and capable of discovering the unique identity and “genes” of each project, treating each as a singular case, just as every individual has a unique personality distinct from others.
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• Is there a technical, artistic, or engineering difference between Arab and Western architecture? And how do you balance the two in your work?
I do not believe there is a fundamental difference, in terms of intellectual philosophy, between Eastern Arab and Western architecture, or in the design process between the two civilizations. Architecture today has a global identity, and the distinction cannot be determined solely by formal or expressive criteria, as long as humans are the focus and humanity is the ultimate goal.
What differentiates them is the intellectual and scientific approach used in analysis and design to achieve creative and authentic architectural output. This approach results in distinguished regional architecture, which considers the geographic location of the project and adapts to its environmental, climatic, natural, cultural, social, and technical factors. Hence, the geographic dependency of design—whether Eastern, Western, or otherwise—is determined by this methodology.
Since the beginning of my career, I have embraced Regional Architecture, both in my university studies in the West and in my subsequent international professional practice. My openness to different civilizations, coupled with the globalization of this design philosophy, ensures a balanced and harmonious integration of both cultures in my work.
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• From your experience, how can architecture act as a bridge connecting cultural heritage and contemporary human aspirations?
Architecture cannot serve as a bridge between cultural heritage and contemporary human desires if our understanding of artistic heritage is limited to static glimpses of a beautiful past, folded into human memory as outdated artistic patterns. In such stagnation, heritage loses its artistic and civilizational value within contemporary contexts.
The late Zaha Hadid, when asked in a television interview about her opinion on traditional or heritage-influenced Arab and Iraqi architecture, replied that such architecture “has no place today,” describing it as irrelevant.
However, if we accept that heritage and its cultures are continuously created within our societies, in our cities, neighborhoods, squares, and gardens—constantly contributing to the artistic and civilizational stock—then architecture can indeed become the best bridge for cultural and artistic communication, including heritage, by translating contemporary lifestyles and human-environment interaction.
In my view, Arab Eastern architecture must move beyond the cocoon of the beautiful past, avoid relying on obsolete architectural phrases, and transcend the binary “what” and “why.” History is established and accepted; what matters is creating heritage today and tomorrow, facing the challenges of how: how to adapt to future technologies and environments, and how to define its position and value in building the cities of tomorrow. The farther Arab architecture moves from this path, the weaker its ability to bridge the heritage of future cultures—especially as technology in the Arab world still lags behind global advancement. Imagine its position in the era of artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
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• Do you believe city architecture influences the shaping of human character and identity within society?
First, I would note that city design is an art reinforced by science, not merely an engineering process. It is a collaborative endeavor integrating environmental, artistic, aesthetic, and human disciplines, all subjected to diverse scientific and analytical studies.
Engineering regulates and standardizes, but cities are living, organic, and structurally dynamic entities.
A city, like a human, has a beating heart—the central area; it has memory and emotion, reflected in its historic neighborhoods, heritage buildings, and historic facilities; it has veins and arteries—alleys, streets, and rivers—ensuring efficient movement and public transportation; and it has lungs and recreational spaces—parks and greenery. If a city’s fabric and spirit are vibrant, interconnected, and efficient, its residents feel secure, content, and in harmony with their environment, living their days with optimism and peace. A happy individual, in turn, contributes responsibly to maintaining and enhancing the city for themselves, their society, and future generations.
Thus, city design, when practiced on sound artistic, scientific, and humanistic principles, has a direct impact on shaping human character, identity, mindset, lifestyle, and social interaction. A city that promotes beauty and refinement fosters these values in its inhabitants. If the environment encourages sustainability, energy conservation, health, and fitness, residents will adopt these habits. If it cares for the elderly and people with special needs, society internalizes these humanitarian values. Cities, in this sense, nurture goodness, sow seeds of love and humanity, and through them, both people and nations are built. This is elaborated in my latest book in English:
“BUILDING THE MAN, BUILDING THE NATION.”
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• Among your projects in the UAE and Iraq, which project posed a real challenge, and how did you overcome it?
To answer this, I return to the year 2000, when my office, Esteshari Al-Diyar, was selected by ADNOC Distribution in Abu Dhabi as the first consultant to design and manage the implementation of sixty fuel stations across the UAE as part of the company’s economic development plan. The challenge was not only to ensure the designs met global technical standards and reflected the company’s reputation, but also to deliver this large number rapidly, with advanced technical and artistic precision, accommodating varied station sizes and locations across cities and highways.
I consider the ADNOC distribution stations, with their distinctive blue identity, as one of the most important seeds of urban and civilizational development in the UAE at the dawn of the new millennium. They reflect a civilizational renaissance in serving human mobility and enhancing local and regional connectivity. The project elevated the city’s status in media and tourism, representing a great honor and pioneering success in my professional career—a landmark of creativity and challenge.
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• What criteria make a building immortal in people’s memory?
A building becomes immortal in people’s memory when its design philosophy stems from intelligent analysis, sincere human thought, technical justification, civilizational responsibility, and environmental suitability—creating a space where people feel familiarity, belonging, and psychological comfort. These are the pillars of distinguished architectural creation that the skilled and responsible architect strives for.
If architecture rises beyond excellence and mastery to the level of innovation, breaking conventions, the building becomes truly unforgettable. Innovation is the highest level of creativity: easy to discuss, hard to achieve. Only a few architects with daring and exceptional genius attain it, such as Zaha Hadid, who redefined contemporary architecture, making concrete appear as if floating dynamically in space. Personally, I consider her OPUS hotel and office building in Dubai as one of those unforgettable structures, and I established my office headquarters there as a tribute to her genius and architectural mastery.
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• What are your future projects, and what vision guides their development?
After nearly forty years of dedicated work in the UAE through my office, which contributed to designing and completing landmark projects such as:
Residential districts in Victory Heights and Canal Residence, Jumeirah Islands in Dubai, Al-Mada Project in Al Ain, international golf clubs in Abu Dhabi and Doha, Al-Bahr Towers, BMW, Rolls Royce, and Mini Cooper showrooms in Umm Al Nar, Dalma Mall, Al-Bustan Complex, Mediclinic Hospital, and numerous luxury hotels and resorts—spanning over twenty square kilometers of the UAE desert, transforming them into oases of professional pride and success.
Yet, today I find myself unable to replicate such achievements in my first homeland, Iraq—not due to negligence, but because Iraq, unfortunately, is preoccupied and overlooks its dedicated, knowledgeable, and experienced citizens. Baghdad, for over twenty years since its fall, has been trapped in environmental chaos and unplanned urban sprawl, neglecting the priorities of building a safe, beautiful, and sustainable city, not to mention human and national development.
Despite this, I continue to pursue parts of my dreams by designing and developing available private-sector investment opportunities in Baghdad, relying on my expertise and vision in urban development, praying for success in these modest steps to leave my architectural imprint under the skies of Baghdad, amidst its towering palm trees and enchanting sunsets over the eternal Tigris River.
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• If the city is a mirror of society, what message do you wish to convey through your urban planning?
Planning and designing cities is a historical and civilizational trust that rests on architects and urban designers, a great responsibility due to its environmental, economic, and social impact across generations. A city, in its modern planning concepts, should be beautiful, tranquil, joyful, and safe in its buildings, squares, parks, and streets, enhancing the happiness of its inhabitants.
It should be thriving with service, healthcare, and sports facilities, caring for all age, psychological, and social groups, and it must be sustainable, protecting nature’s balance, avoiding misuse of fossil energy, promoting renewable energy, and conserving natural resources. Design must be robust, resilient to climate fluctuations, floods, and storms, ensuring protection and security for residents and visitors. We must aim for an advanced, smart, digitally connected city to facilitate daily and institutional life.
Reflecting on this historical responsibility, if the city mirrors society, we must ask: what image does the Arab architect and urban designer wish to project for his children and grandchildren?
Unfortunately, today, Arab cities are experiencing environmental, architectural, artistic, and planning bankruptcy, marginalizing humans and humanity.
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