Di - Generic Cities: Tokyo

Waleed Arafa is the founder & principal of Dar Arafa Architecture, Cairo, Egypt. He earned a B.Sc. in architecture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt 2001. He was privileged to learn from Tarek Naga principal of Naga Studio Architecture+Urbanism 2001-2006. Waleed’s first solo project; Dar Arafa Residence, was nominated for the Aga Khan Award 2010 & Hassan Fathy Award 2009. In 2015 he earned a Post-graduate degree in the Conservation of Historical Buildings, from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, UK. His thesis was entitled: “The Mosque in Britain: British Heritage?” He designed & built the Basuna Mosque in 2019, which has been nominated & shortlisted for a number of awards. It is a strong contender for AFAMA 2020. In March 2019, Waleed has been awarded the “Arab & African Youth Platform” by HE Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt. Waleed Arafa has also been shortlisted for the Maison d’Egypte architectural competition in the International University City in Paris (CIUP), adjacent to the renowned Pavilion Suisse by Le Corbusier. Waleed’s research, design & build aims at understanding the essence of the architecture of Islam. His approach is based on finding ways to continuing the discontinued architectural past of countries with an established legacy in the architecture of Islam, such as & especially Egypt. But equally, looking into how to bring forth new architecture(s) of Islam in completely new contexts.

Walid Ghantous Was Born In Beirut In 1973. He Has Graduated As An Architect With Distinction From The Université Saint-Esprit Kaslik, Lebanon. Before Setting Up His Partnership Practice, He Has Built His Experience Through Work With Architect Raoul Verney On Private Houses And Architect Khalil Khoury On Residential Projects And Furniture Design. He Has Collaborated As Associate Architect With Bernard Khoury/DW5 On Numerous Projects Of Various Scales. He Currently Teaches At The Université Saint-Esprit Kaslik While Pursuing His Career As A Founding Partner At BLANKPAGE.

Tetsuya Matsumoto is the founder and Head Architect Designer at KTX archiLAB based in Japan, and a Lecturer of a space design course at Osaka University of Art. After graduating from the same university, he specialized in commercial space design and built a large portfolio of projects varying both in type and scale. Tetsuya has received several local and international design awards including the Red Dot Awards, iF Design Awards, Iconic Awards, Spark Awards, A’ Design Awards, The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Awards, K-Design Awards, APIDA Awards, Design for Asia Awards, American Architecture Prize, German Design Awards and the Japan-based Good Design Awards just to name a few. Since 2017, Tetsuya became jury member for A’ Design Awards, K-Design awards. and Asia Design Prize.

Dirk U. Moench is a German – Brazilian architect and academic. Prior to founding the architecture studio INUCE • Dirk U. Moench with offices in China and Switzerland he gained deep insight into the production of architecture worldwide planning for international practices in Latin America, Europe and Asia. Dirk‘s work is characterized by his concern about the effects the current urbanization speed has on urban residents, especially in fast growing developing countries. In it he expresses the hope that architecture can induce a localized healing process to traumatized urban environments, by reinforcing human contact, developing local heritage, and facilitating spiritual experience - thus fulfilling the most essential human needs. Already prior to their completion his projects received international acclaim and have been widely published. In addition to his career as a practitioner he acts as Visiting Professor at the University of Fuzhou. In May 2019 the European Centre for Architecture in collaboration with the Chicago Athenaeum presented Dirk U. Moench with the “Europe 40under40” Award, ranking him amongst Europe’s 40 most promising emerging architects under the age of 40.