Students from the School of Architecture, Art and Design (SAAD) at the American University in Dubai are leading the way in reimagining animal-friendly urban furniture through their participation in the Urban Pod Design Competition. Driven by creativity, curiosity, and a strong awareness of urban and ecological challenges, they developed innovative design solutions that translate bold ideas into meaningful, real-world applications.
Across Architecture, Interior Design, and MUDDE programs, students produced more than 110 design proposals, reflecting a dynamic culture of experimentation, critical thinking, and design excellence. Selected works were exhibited at the 2026 SIKKA Art Festival Academic House, marking a significant milestone as student projects moved beyond the classroom into a wider cultural and public platform.
Organized by the Center for Research, Innovation, and Design (CRID), the competition reflects a collaboration between academia, government, and industry, bringing together AUD, Dubai Culture, and Livescale to support and amplify student-driven innovation, the competition was embedded across 10 courses and supported by nine dedicated faculty members: Prof. Annamaria Lambri, Prof. Chadi El Tabbah, Prof. Edoardo Rizzuti, Dr. Georges Kachaamy, Prof. Imad Hanna, Dr. Maryam Shafiei, Prof. Mattia Gambardella, Prof. Nicolas Turchi, and Dr. Poupak Parvaresh, whose mentorship helped shape and elevate student work throughout the process.
Dr. Georges Kachaamy, Director of CRID emphasized the broader impact of the initiative, stating,
“As designers, we have a responsibility to envision public spaces not only for human use, but as shared ecosystems that foster coexistence, empathy, and environmental awareness. The Urban Pod Competition represents a full-circle journey from conception and academic exploration to public engagement and awareness, while addressing real urban challenges such as the care and integration of stray cats within the city fabric. Through this collaboration between academia, industry, and government, the initiative demonstrates how design can contribute to broader conversations that helps inform future urban policies at the city scale.”
Projects were evaluated through a rigorous multi-stage virtual review by a distinguished jury of 13 members: Mr. Mahmoud Shahin, Mr. Juan Tena Florez, Mr. Benjamin Piper, Mr. Li Ren, Mrs. Stacie Long, Mr. Quinton van Wyk, Ms. Alejandra Arias, Ms. Khulood Khoory, Mr. Basel Tachwali, Mr. Yahya Jan, Mr. Hisham Bou Habib, Ms. Sahar Fikree, and Ms. Ila Colombo. The process included a comprehensive review of submissions, the selection of a shortlist, and a final voting phase to determine the winners.
Among the many strong submissions, the work of Alia Taher, Youssef Lotfy, Hadithya Chandrasekar, and Marieh Khalighinasab stood out for its innovation, ecological awareness, and advanced design thinking, setting a high benchmark for future editions of the competition.
Congratulations to all the students, whose work reflects both individual talent and the collective strength of SAAD’s creative community.
To learn more about similar initiatives and contributions:
