Register or nominate someone else for 2019

The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of the year - The Mohamed Makiya Prize
Given to Organisations and Individuals 

​Introduction
Mohamed Makiya Prize is part of the Tamayouz Excellence Award program of championing and celebrating the best of Architecture. The award is named after Dr Mohamed Saleh Makiya the great Iraqi architect whose influence and importance is far greater than his built work, the prize was announced in 2014, celebrating the 100th birthday of Dr Mohamed Makiya.
Every cycle the prize will be presented to the architectural personality of the year, which will be the individual / organisation that has made the greatest contribution to the advancement of architecture in a specific period.  The winner of this award will be celebrated during the annual Tamayouz Excellence Award Ceremony.

Eligibility
The Mohamed Makiya Prize is open to both individuals and organisations who promoted, encouraged, campaigned or influenced directly or indirectly the advancement of architecture in the Middle East.

The nomination is open to:
1- Organisation of any type: Governmental Organisations, Non-Governmental organisations, Academic Institutions, cultural centres, unions and companies/firms architectural or non-architectural.
2- Individuals of any occupation that have direct or indirect influence, achievement or contribution to the advancement of architecture such as: Architects, designers, clients, engineers, educators, journalists, government employees, activists, planners, civil servants, conservation specialists, students, curators and organisations’ owners / director and other occupations.

Aim
The Mohamed Makiya Prize aims to promote the advancement of architecture in the Middle East.

Objectives
1- Recognise and celebrate contribution made towards the advancement of architecture in the Middle East.
2- Encourage individuals and organisations to contribute towards the transformation of the built environment and their local communities.
4- Annually celebrate the work and ideas of Dr Mohamed Saleh Makiya through the prize.

Selection criteria
The winner will be selected by the Mohamed Makiya Prize judging panel, the selection will be based on the achievement or contribution made towards architecture from January 2016 - May 2019, achievements or contributions include (but not limited to): the promotion of architectural excellence, research with impact, publication, built projects, winning design competitions, activity in a certain field such as conservation, planning, campaigning, building regulations, services to the built environment, educational contribution, services/contribution to the community, institutional excellence for organisations and institutions working in the built environment.

The Prize
The Mohamed Makiya Medal (design by Dr Makiya himself), this medal will be given during the Tamayouz Award Ceremony, flights and accommodation for attending the ceremony covered by Tamayouz Award, the host city of the ceremony will be announced later in 2019.  

Key Dates
Registration Period: 01 / February - 30 / May / 2019
Judging period: July
​Winner Announcement: September

Winners of the Mohamed Makiya Prize 
​The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of the year award

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The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of 2018

Dr Michael Toler receiveing the prize on behlaf of the Aga Khan Documentation Center @ MIT at the 2018 Tamayouz Excellence Award's Annual Ceremony. Presenting the prize; Mr Akram Ogaily, member of the Tamayouz Excellence Award judging panel and chairman of the Mohamed Makiya Committee in Baghdad.

Dr Michael Toler acceptance speech on behlaf of the Aga Khan Documentation Center @ MIT at the 2018 Tamayouz Excellence Award's Annual Ceremony.

The Aga Khan Documentation Center @ MIT - US

Documentation Center

 For their role in supporting teaching of, and scholarship on, the history and theory of architecture, urbanism, environmental and landscape design, visual culture, and conservation, as well as the practice of architecture, in Muslim societies, with focus on the research and teaching activities of the faculty, students, and post-doctoral fellows at AKPIA. Situated within the MIT Libraries, AKDC@MIT, a part of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA) at MIT and Harvard, was established in 1979 by a gift from His Highness the Aga Khan.  AKDC@MIT is also responsible for the curation of the intellectual and content core of Archnet, a globally-accessible, intellectual resource focused on architecture, urbanism, environmental and landscape design, visual culture, and conservation issues with a focus on Muslim cultures and civilizations.

Aga Khan Documentation Center team at MIT, comprises of:  Dr Michael Toler (Interim Program Head), Betsy Baldwin, Dr Matt Saba and Dr Sharon Smith (Founding Head of the Program who left the AKDC in August 2018) who had a key role in the Aga Khan Documentation Center's growth and success.

The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of 2018 - The finalists:

- Arab Center for Architecture - Beirut
- Michael Rakowitz - Chicago
- Rana Beiruti - Amman

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​The Middle Eastern Architectural Personality of 2014

Professor Paul Ivey announces the winner of the Mohamed Makiya Prize for Architecture 2014

Professor Khaled Al-Sultany - Iraq

Architect, critic and Author

For his documentation of modernist and post-modernist architecture in Iraq through his books, articles and essays, in addition to his brilliant talks, speeches that succeeded through his wonderful stories of activating the role of Iraqi architecture for all Iraqis.

Dr. Khaled al-Sultany's research over the past three decades and his books and articles published in Arabic are a success in preserving the architectural linguistic heritage with the use of contemporary vocabulary of the architectural development.

Dr Khaled Al-Sultany is a Published Award Winning Architect and Academic, received his PhD in Architecture from the Moscow Architecture Institute, Russia. 
A professor of Architecture at Baghdad University in Iraq and Al-Balqaa Applied University in Jordan.  He headed the Institute for Islamic Art and Architecture Al-al-Bayt University, Jordan.  Dr Al-Sultany designed many buildings in Iraq and Jordan.  From 2012 - 2014 he was a researcher at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture – Denmark. 

Who is Dr Mohamed Saleh Makiya

Mohamed Saleh Makiya (1914-2015) was born in Baghdad and educated in England, receiving his BArch at Liverpool School of Architecture and a diploma in civic planning from Liverpool University in 1941 and 1942, respectively.  He completed his studies at Kings College, Cambridge, earning his PhD in 1946.  He returned to Baghdad that same year and established Makiya Associates, an architectural and planning consultancy practice.  During the 1950s he designed houses and commercial buildings and became increasingly aware of the heritage of Iraqi architecture.  Dr. Makiya was one of the original founders of the Department of Architecture at the College of Engineering, Baghdad University, in 1959.  He remained head of the department until 1968.  During subsequent years, Makiya Associates offices were established in Bahrain, Oman, London, Kuwait, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. ​

The works and ideas of Mohamed Makiya and his firm have been investigated in numerous books and articles, and examined and explored in conferences and exhibitions, including an international conference on Baghdad architectural heritage held in early 2013 at the University of Baghdad.  The conference was part of the events of “Baghdad, Arab Capital of Culture for the Year 2013”, sponsored through a partnership between the University of Baghdad, Ifpo (the French Institute of the Near East), and the UNESCO Office for Iraq.   

Makiya’s contributions to the fields of architecture and urbanism and, in particular, his sophisticated incorporation of traditional forms into modern architecture, cannot be overstated.  His work embodies ideas of urban conservation, regionalism in form, and continuity of architectural heritage; ideas which continue to younger generations of architects throughout the Middle East.*

Dr Mohamed Saleh Makiya (1914 - 2015) is the recipient of the inaugural Tamayouz Architectural Lifetime Achievement award for the impact of his celebrated and lasting contribution to Iraqi architecture, his role in the establishment of the Baghdad School of Architecture and his mentoring of generations of aspiring Iraqi architects.  Dr Makiya was unable to attend the ceremony but he accepted the prize in an video recording in his London residence.  Press Release Here

*Quoted from Archnet https://archnet.org/authorities/13