Dewan Architects + Engineers, a global multidisciplinary design consultancy, has announced the winners of the 2025 Dewan Award for Architecture, held in association with the Tamayouz Excellence Award.
Now in its eighth year, the Dewan Award for Architecture is an international annual prize that recognises design proposals responding to Iraq’s local challenges. The award is one of the main categories within the Tamayouz Excellence Award programme, which hosts a series of internationally recognised awards, competitions each year.
Participants in the 2025 edition were invited to reimagine Baghdad’s Central Railway Station — a historic landmark poised for transformation. This year also marked a milestone for the programme, with the final selection taking place through a live jury session held at the Iraqi Engineers Union in Baghdad, as part of the inaugural Arab Architecture Festival in the city.
Award Winners
First place was awarded to Dipartimento di Architettura Sperimentale from Italy, represented by Valentino Pierantoni, Mattia Azzolina, Marco Tullio Romano, Massimo Macrì, and Rossella Di Cristo, who received a cash prize of $6,000.Second place went to Yildiz Technical University from Türkiye, represented by Shahd Elsayed, Zaher Sukkary, Esma Nur Azman, Yasmeen Elsangidy, Rama Alkais, Hebatallh Abdelwahab, and Sondos Mahdy, who received a prize of $3,000.
Third place was awarded to Brick Wave from the United States, represented by Hani Alahmed and Arwa Midhaan, who received a prize of $1,000.
In addition, the Dewan Award proudly recognised eight honourable mentions, further showcasing the exceptional quality of entries in this year’s competition. The winners were selected from 110 submissions received from 28 countries.
Dr Mohamed Al Assam, Founder and Executive Chairman of Dewan Architects + Engineers and Founder of the Dewan Award for Architecture, commented: ‘The Dewan Award for Architecture was established to encourage bold ideas and cultivate a new generation of architects who can respond to Iraq’s evolving urban and social needs. This year’s competition reflects the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and cultural respect that drives our profession forward. It’s inspiring to see how each entry reimagines a historic landmark in ways that honour the past while shaping the future.’
Honourable Mentions – Certificates of commendation
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ADD Architects: Sherif Farag, Farah Ahmed, Noha Abdelaziz, Shehab El Karanshawy, Youssef Tarek, Tareq Ahmed, Tasnim Abdelfattah, and Nada Lotfy, from Alexandria, Egypt
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Alexandria University, Faculty of Engineering: Hazem Alaa Edin Saad Haridy, Mohamed Mostafa Abdalrasoul Attia Elkafafi, Youssef Amr Fawzy, Seif Eldin Yasser Ali Kamel, Abdelrahman Ahmed Samir, Mohamed Ayman Abdelmoneim, and Karim Asser Ahmed Mohamed Foaad, from Alexandria, Egypt
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Cairo Urban Studio – Archivators: Salem Hussein, Mohamed Maged, Haya Tarek, Nada Mohamed, Merna Moataz, Ahmed El Rifaie, Mariam Ahmed, and Ahmed Sami, from Giza, Egypt
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Information Technology Institute: Ziad Tarek Ezzat, Ahmed Safy Salah Eldien Mohamed, Aya Khaled Saber Ahmed, Caroline Sefen Ayoub Sefen, Ereny Ayman Fali Solayman, Hagar Ashraf Farouk Abd El Aziz, Mahitab Yasser Mohamed El Sawy, Nada Hany Ismail Eldahan, and Salma Alaa Eldin Mohamed, from Cairo, Egypt
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University of Baghdad: Sajeda Kahdum Al Kindi, Mays Yousif Mahmmood, Jwan Jabbar Juma, and Tabarak Basim Ghazi, from Baghdad, Iraq
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Ahmad Yaser Qasim Al Momani: from Amman, Jordan
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Iconvis and Tuskegee University: Dr Zaki Mallasi, Dr Mostafa Alani, and Autumn Dickerson, from Washington, D.C., United States
Jury Panel – Dewan Award for Architecture 2025
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Dr Jala Makhzoumi (Lebanon): President of the International Federation of Landscape Architects – Middle East Region; Adjunct Professor, American University of Beirut; Co-chair, Tamayouz Excellence Award Grand Jury 2022–25
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Dr Mohamed Al-Assam (UAE): Founder and Executive Chairman, Dewan Architects + Engineers
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Dr Ahmadreza Hakiminejad (UK): Researcher in Architecture and Urban Studies; Lecturer, Leeds School of Architecture, Leeds Beckett University
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Fernando Olba (Spain): Architect and Principal, Fernando Olba Arquitectura y Urbanismo — an award-winning sustainable design practice based in Valencia
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Sebastian Hicks (UK): Architect and Senior Lecturer, Oxford Brookes University
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Ahmed Al-Mallak (UK): Founding Director, Tamayouz Excellence Award; Academic at Coventry University (Non-voting Chair)
About the Dewan Award for Architecture
Established in partnership with the Tamayouz Excellence Award, the Dewan Award for Architecture encourages innovation and creative thinking in addressing Iraq’s social and urban challenges. It reflects Dewan’s ongoing commitment to fostering emerging talent, advancing design excellence, and promoting architecture as a force for positive change across the region and beyond.