Architecture alumnus of the American University in Dubai (AUD), Faisal Osman, has received the AIA Middle East Honor Award for Student Graduation Project for his work Abandoned. The award was presented during the AIA Middle East Year End Conference, held last weekend in Amman, and was accepted by an AUD delegation, marking a significant regional recognition of student-led architectural excellence.

Abandoned examines the aesthetics and cultural value of neglected structures, exploring how abandoned buildings embody time, memory, and nature’s gradual reclamation. Rather than proposing restoration, the project reframes decay as a meaningful architectural condition, highlighting how abandonment can generate new forms of spatial relevance. Central to the project is the preservation of the narratives embedded within forgotten places, while reintroducing them to visitors through respectful and sustainable interventions.

The project was developed under the supervision of Professor Mattia Gambardella, whose academic guidance and mentorship were instrumental to its conceptual and technical development.

In addition to the AIA Middle East Honor Award, Abandoned has also been recognised with the Architecture Senior Showcase 2025 Award and the Aedas Award 2025, underscoring the project’s innovation, critical depth, and impact within contemporary architectural discourse.