MOUSHARAKA: ICOGRADA DESIGN WEEK IN QATAR ANNOUNCES KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
02.12.2008 News
Doha (Qatar) - is proud to announce the keynote speakers for the upcoming event on 28 February - 5 March, 2009.
The Conference Opening will be delivered by Ibrahim Mohammed Jaidah, managing director of AEB, known as the pioneer of modern architectural design in Qatar. The following days will include presentations by prominent award-winning speakers Mario Gagliardi, CEO of Design Zone, and Professor Mark Kingwell, University of Toronto. Lastly, film director Mira Nair will close the conference, presenting tools on bridging cultural gaps.
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Ibrahim Mohammed Jaidah (Qatar)
Managing Director, AEB
Ibrahim Jaidah is the driving force behind the rise of AEB from a company with seven employees to an organization of over 300 employees working on projects in several countries. Under his leadership, AEB has evolved into the leading architectural design consultancy in Qatar, and it currently operates in Abu Dhabi, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur. AEB has been instrumental in the development of Qatar and in presenting its image globally through major projects across all sectors. AEB's work has led to several awards, including three Arab Cities Awards and one Islamic Cities Award.
In each project, Ibrahim Jaidah attempts to retain the identity of his culture, embrace modernity, and present the true potential and ambition of Qatar and AEB. His vision is perhaps best seen in his design for The Barzan towers, a high-rise office building of brilliant blue glass. The first nine floors reflect a traditional architectural style, while the twenty-one stories above evoke modernity. His passion for Arabic architecture is demonstrated throughout all of his projects and his first commission, the Al Dana Club, earned him his first nomination for the Aga Khan Award and the Arab Cities Award, first rank. He is dedicated to enhancing the architectural style of modern Qatar. Mr. Jaidah will soon publish a book that will chart the history of Qatari Architecture, which will be followed by a second book charting the evolution of the AEB architectural style.
In 2005 Mr. Jaidah received the Award for State Encouragement, which is given for career achievement, and serves as a testament to his central role in shaping the future of Qatar and of the architecture in the region. Mr. Jaidah is a pioneer of a new movement in architecture that combines the far-reaching influences of Islamic art with a modern style.
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Mario Gagliardi (Austria)
CEO, Design Zone Qatar
Mario Gagliardi is CEO of the Design Zone Qatar, a new member of Qatar Foundation and a visionary development project for the first global creative hub in the Arabian Gulf. Mr. Gagliardi crafted the strategy for the Design Zone while leading mg strategy, a think-tank for design. The Design Zone will be a place to inspire, a platform for education, and a catalyst for design thinking and innovation. The Design Zone will be a global forum for creative minds and entrepreneurial leaders in a large-scale area exclusively dedicated to international creative industries. It is the first major project in the Gulf dedicated entirely to creativity and design. The Design Zone will give imaginative young people in Qatar, and all over the world, the possibility of shaping the future.
Prior to his appointment by Qatar Foundation, Mr.Gagliardi advised the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and contributed in shaping a design culture in Korea as chief designer of LG, advisor for the Korea Institute of Design Promotion, and advisor for Samsung. He was also a designer and design director in the electronics, fashion, and banking sectors. He has taught in universities worldwide and has authored articles on design and strategy that have been published in six languages. He leads design and development projects across disciplines and has been awarded numerous prizes such as the Domus design prize and the Good Design Mark of the Korean Republic. He holds an MBA from the University of Westminster and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
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Mark Kingwell (Canada)
Professor of philosophy, author and editor
Mark Kingwell is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto and a contributing editor of Harper's Magazine. He is the author of eleven books of political and cultural theory, including the bestsellers Better Living (1998), The World We Want (2000), and Concrete Reveries: Consciousness and the City (2008). His articles on art, architecture and design have appeared in Harper's, the Harvard Design Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Canadian Art, Azure, FORM, the Globe and Mail, and Queen's Quarterly, among others.
Kingwell has lectured extensively in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia on philosophical subjects. He is the recipient of the Spitz Prize in political theory, National Magazine Awards for both essays and columns, and in 2000 was awarded an honorary DFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design for contributions to theory and criticism. His twelfth book, a collection of his essays on art and philosophy called Opening Gambits, appeared in fall 2008. He is currently at work on a biography of Glenn Gould.
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Mira Nair (India)
Flm director, writer and producer
One of Hollywood's most accomplished directors, Nair found incipient and award winning success as a documentary filmmaker, before moving on to feature films. Ms. Nair's debut feature, Salaam Bombay!, was nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It also won the Camera D'Or (for best first feature) and the Prix du Publique (for most popular entry) at the Cannes Film Festival as well as twenty-five other international awards. Since then, with films such as Mississippi Masala, Monsoon Wedding, the Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, My Own Country, and Vanity Fair, Nair has become one of the most respected, acclaimed and award-winning directors of her generation.
Raised in India and currently living in New York, it is no wonder that Nair is adept at carefully and provocatively exploring issues of race, class, ethnicity and sexuality. Her natural grasp of these issues has resulted in several unique experiences. Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Nair joined a group of eleven renowned film makers, each commissioned to direct a film that was eleven minutes, nine seconds, and one frame long. Her film company, Mirabai Films, is establishing an annual filmmaker's laboratory, Maisha, which will be dedicated to the support of visionary screenwriters and directors in East Africa and South Asia.
Schooled at Delhi University and Harvard, Nair is particularly adept at telling stories that bridge the gap between cultures. She brings that same skill to her lectures and seminars. She challenges audiences to think about assumptions, stereotypes, and prejudices, and how these manifest themselves in our relationships. Using clips from her various films – as well as her own natural charm and humor – she draws her audience into a discussion of the issues explored in her films, as well as the art of filmmaking and the craft of storytelling.
Registration
Register for Mousharaka: Icograda Design Week in Qatar before 31 December 2008 and get a discounted rate!
For more information, please contact:
Donna Duffet
Events Coordinator, VCU Qatar
Icograda Design Week
PO Box 8095
Doha, Qatar
T: +974 492 7245
F: +974 481 7058
E: dduffett@qatar.vcu.edu
W: www.mousharaka.com
Presenting partners
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The Conference Opening will be delivered by Ibrahim Mohammed Jaidah, managing director of AEB, known as the pioneer of modern architectural design in Qatar. The following days will include presentations by prominent award-winning speakers Mario Gagliardi, CEO of Design Zone, and Professor Mark Kingwell, University of Toronto. Lastly, film director Mira Nair will close the conference, presenting tools on bridging cultural gaps.
Ibrahim Mohammed Jaidah (Qatar)
Managing Director, AEB
Ibrahim Jaidah is the driving force behind the rise of AEB from a company with seven employees to an organization of over 300 employees working on projects in several countries. Under his leadership, AEB has evolved into the leading architectural design consultancy in Qatar, and it currently operates in Abu Dhabi, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur. AEB has been instrumental in the development of Qatar and in presenting its image globally through major projects across all sectors. AEB's work has led to several awards, including three Arab Cities Awards and one Islamic Cities Award.
In each project, Ibrahim Jaidah attempts to retain the identity of his culture, embrace modernity, and present the true potential and ambition of Qatar and AEB. His vision is perhaps best seen in his design for The Barzan towers, a high-rise office building of brilliant blue glass. The first nine floors reflect a traditional architectural style, while the twenty-one stories above evoke modernity. His passion for Arabic architecture is demonstrated throughout all of his projects and his first commission, the Al Dana Club, earned him his first nomination for the Aga Khan Award and the Arab Cities Award, first rank. He is dedicated to enhancing the architectural style of modern Qatar. Mr. Jaidah will soon publish a book that will chart the history of Qatari Architecture, which will be followed by a second book charting the evolution of the AEB architectural style.
In 2005 Mr. Jaidah received the Award for State Encouragement, which is given for career achievement, and serves as a testament to his central role in shaping the future of Qatar and of the architecture in the region. Mr. Jaidah is a pioneer of a new movement in architecture that combines the far-reaching influences of Islamic art with a modern style.
Mario Gagliardi (Austria)
CEO, Design Zone Qatar
Mario Gagliardi is CEO of the Design Zone Qatar, a new member of Qatar Foundation and a visionary development project for the first global creative hub in the Arabian Gulf. Mr. Gagliardi crafted the strategy for the Design Zone while leading mg strategy, a think-tank for design. The Design Zone will be a place to inspire, a platform for education, and a catalyst for design thinking and innovation. The Design Zone will be a global forum for creative minds and entrepreneurial leaders in a large-scale area exclusively dedicated to international creative industries. It is the first major project in the Gulf dedicated entirely to creativity and design. The Design Zone will give imaginative young people in Qatar, and all over the world, the possibility of shaping the future.
Prior to his appointment by Qatar Foundation, Mr.Gagliardi advised the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and contributed in shaping a design culture in Korea as chief designer of LG, advisor for the Korea Institute of Design Promotion, and advisor for Samsung. He was also a designer and design director in the electronics, fashion, and banking sectors. He has taught in universities worldwide and has authored articles on design and strategy that have been published in six languages. He leads design and development projects across disciplines and has been awarded numerous prizes such as the Domus design prize and the Good Design Mark of the Korean Republic. He holds an MBA from the University of Westminster and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Mark Kingwell (Canada)
Professor of philosophy, author and editor
Mark Kingwell is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto and a contributing editor of Harper's Magazine. He is the author of eleven books of political and cultural theory, including the bestsellers Better Living (1998), The World We Want (2000), and Concrete Reveries: Consciousness and the City (2008). His articles on art, architecture and design have appeared in Harper's, the Harvard Design Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Canadian Art, Azure, FORM, the Globe and Mail, and Queen's Quarterly, among others.
Kingwell has lectured extensively in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia on philosophical subjects. He is the recipient of the Spitz Prize in political theory, National Magazine Awards for both essays and columns, and in 2000 was awarded an honorary DFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design for contributions to theory and criticism. His twelfth book, a collection of his essays on art and philosophy called Opening Gambits, appeared in fall 2008. He is currently at work on a biography of Glenn Gould.
Mira Nair (India)
Flm director, writer and producer
One of Hollywood's most accomplished directors, Nair found incipient and award winning success as a documentary filmmaker, before moving on to feature films. Ms. Nair's debut feature, Salaam Bombay!, was nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It also won the Camera D'Or (for best first feature) and the Prix du Publique (for most popular entry) at the Cannes Film Festival as well as twenty-five other international awards. Since then, with films such as Mississippi Masala, Monsoon Wedding, the Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, My Own Country, and Vanity Fair, Nair has become one of the most respected, acclaimed and award-winning directors of her generation.
Raised in India and currently living in New York, it is no wonder that Nair is adept at carefully and provocatively exploring issues of race, class, ethnicity and sexuality. Her natural grasp of these issues has resulted in several unique experiences. Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Nair joined a group of eleven renowned film makers, each commissioned to direct a film that was eleven minutes, nine seconds, and one frame long. Her film company, Mirabai Films, is establishing an annual filmmaker's laboratory, Maisha, which will be dedicated to the support of visionary screenwriters and directors in East Africa and South Asia.
Schooled at Delhi University and Harvard, Nair is particularly adept at telling stories that bridge the gap between cultures. She brings that same skill to her lectures and seminars. She challenges audiences to think about assumptions, stereotypes, and prejudices, and how these manifest themselves in our relationships. Using clips from her various films – as well as her own natural charm and humor – she draws her audience into a discussion of the issues explored in her films, as well as the art of filmmaking and the craft of storytelling.
Registration
Register for Mousharaka: Icograda Design Week in Qatar before 31 December 2008 and get a discounted rate!
For more information, please contact:
Donna Duffet
Events Coordinator, VCU Qatar
Icograda Design Week
PO Box 8095
Doha, Qatar
T: +974 492 7245
F: +974 481 7058
E: dduffett@qatar.vcu.edu
W: www.mousharaka.com
Presenting partners
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