Workshop at Expo City
In December 2024, the UNESCO Club of Architecture and Art, with Ahmad Zohadi serving as the Head of the Organizing Committee, hosted a workshop at Expo City to explore and analyze the Sustainability Pavilion. The session featured Matthew Ultley, Principal at Grimshaw’s Dubai office, who provided a professional and insightful explanation of the pavilion’s design process.
Below is a brief clip capturing key moments from his presentation, highlighting the impact of his insights.
Honoring Visionary Architects and Artists
As part of the UNESCO Club of Architecture and Art’s mission and strategic plan, two distinguished professionals, an architect and an artist whose visions align with the club’s core values, have been recognized and celebrated. Their contributions to sustainability, innovation, and artistic excellence were acknowledged in a prestigious ceremony held at Dubai Manipal Academy of Higher Education.
Below are their portfolios and clips showcasing their unique and forward-thinking ideas, reflecting their commitment to a more sustainable and creative future.
Matthew Ultley
Matthew Ultley is a Principal at Grimshaw and leads the Middle East studio. He has spent the past 23 years working across all scales of architecture and design, leading projects in the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Matthew’s personal and professional focus has been on socially and environmentally sustainable design approaches, promoting the contribution of designers in community-based project initiatives and expanding the role of architecture and design in the public realm for a broader societal impact. Regionally, much of Matthew’s work has centered on complex, time-sensitive projects being delivered as part of larger national initiatives.
Matthew holds a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design, as well as a Master’s Degree in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University in the City of New York.
Narges Mohamadian
Narges Mohamadian is a multidisciplinary artist working in sculpture, fiber arts, and performance. With a background in civil engineering and graphic arts, she studied at Safa Dasht Azad University and Karaj Art University before further developing her practice under “Parviz Tanavoli” at Mahe Mehr Institute and “Abbas Kiarostami”.
Since 2005, her work has explored themes of transformation, impermanence, and the tension between creation and destruction. She has exhibited her work in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Iran and internationally.
Her approach is both interactive and environmentally conscious, integrating natural and repurposed materials to highlight sustainability while allowing each piece to evolve organically. In her performances, the artwork is shaped by movement, audience engagement, and the passage of time, reinforcing the idea of art as a living, changing entity. Through visible ruptures, mending, and layering, she reflects the delicate balance between human intervention and the natural world, blurring the boundaries between creation, decay, and renewal.