Yahya Jan - The Story Of Ciel: Designing The Tallest Hotel In The World
When: Friday 12 November 2021 @ 02:15 (Eastern US Time)/ @ 11:15 (Dubai time)
Where: Concrete at Alserkal Avenue, 17th St - Al Quoz - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Speaker
Yahya Jan, President & Design Director, NORR
CES: 1.0 LU/ HSW for AIA Members
Event Description
A “behind the scenes” look at the dynamic push and pull that is the design process. A fascinating and honest story of how we designed Ciel, now under construction in Dubai. This presentation is a case study in Design Integration. At 365 meters in height, this signature hotel is slated to be the tallest hotel tower in the world on completion.
In a city known for its verticality, our design for Ciel is ambitious - to redefine vertical living by introducing naturally ventilated landscaped terraces throughout the height of the tower.
This presentation emphasizes the design “process” as much as the final “product,”- the story of a highly collaborative, multi-disciplinary effort in designing this iconic 82-storey tower. A story of how our in-house team of architects, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineers, interior designers made this project a reality. A study in simplicity in the face of complexity, this presentation describes the myriad of forces, contextual, structural, environmental, and programmatic, that influenced the design of Ciel. Our design method is a truly inclusive, “integrated” and highly collaborative approach that effectively address the challenges and opportunities of this project.
Speaker Bio
Yahya Jan, President & Design Director, NORR
Architect – Engineer – Innovator – Leader - Thinker
For Yahya, design is a creative process that challenges us to combine our understanding of Life, of Science, and of Art. And where these aspects overlap, Yahya believes First Principle thinking can reveal solutions that stretch our understanding of reality.
Based in Dubai, Yahya is President & Design Director at NORR. With 33 years of global experience, Yahya leads NORR’s design efforts in the Middle East and Asia.
Yahya undertook his undergraduate and graduate studies at Princeton University. A licensed architect in New York, Yahya worked for 8 years in the US before moving to Dubai in 1996. Since then, Yahya has played a pivotal design role at NORR, bringing to life visionary projects throughout the region.
Yahya believes that Great Design, done right, can solve many of humanity’s problems. For this to happen, he believes our efforts must always be inclusive, inviting opinions in an open-minded search of possibilities. An exploration where owners and designers fully participate in the process.
Yahya advocates integrated design as a means to transform our built environment. He sees design as a patient search - equal parts analytical and intuitive. Central to his design philosophy is a multi-disciplinary approach that includes owners, architects, engineers, and others, working collaboratively to unlock hidden potential. Today, Yahya leads a highly motivated team of designers and doers. A diverse, multicultural gathering of incredibly creative women and men, in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Manila, dedicated to excellence in everything they do.
Yahya’s built work includes signature office, residential and hotel towers, retail malls, and multi-use developments. A winner of numerous international awards, Yahya’s design and research is featured at conferences and in leading publications worldwide.
