AUS to debut renowned Six Degrees Offsite Exhibition

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The American University of Sharjah’s (AUS) College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) is delighted to debut its Six Degrees Offsite Exhibition at Dubai Design Week from November 5 to 10, 2024. Six Degrees, the annual exhibition of work by graduating CAAD students, is widely anticipated by members of the UAE’s design community, and this year marks AUS' first presentation of this showcase to Dubai Design Week audiences.

Following the original exhibition in June 2024, this special travelling edition features a curated selection of projects by Spring 2024 graduates, now CAAD alumni, who are making their mark in the design industry. The exhibition allows the creative community and industry professionals to engage with the impactful work of emerging talents as they transition from academia to the professional stage.

In addition to the exhibition, Dubai Design Week will host several projects and artworks from AUS alumni, current faculty and students, further underscoring the significant contributions of AUS’ architecture and design community to the region.

The College of Architecture, Art and Design is known for its distinctive degree programmes that emphasise the transformative power of design through hands-on making and exploration. It is widely recognised as a leading school for architecture and design and ranks number one in the UAE and among the top 200 universities globally for architecture and the built environment, as well as second in the UAE and among the top 200 universities globally for art and design  (QS World University Rankings by Narrow Subject 2024).

"At CAAD, we foster our students’ curiosity, creative drive and ambition; we encourage them to challenge popular paradigms. This sampling of work by recent graduates allows visitors to see the transformation that takes place during their time at AUS. It explains why many of our alumni go on to lead or found some of the region's most well-known design and architecture practices. We’re grateful to Dubai Design Week for providing our students a platform for sharing their work with the design community at large,” said Dr. Varkki Pallathucheril, Dean of CAAD.

CAAD faculty play a crucial role in the success of their students, providing intensive studio instruction and engaging in creative and scholarly activities. As a result, over the past 25 years, CAAD students and alumni have received numerous prestigious awards and excelled in further studies at top institutions worldwide.

The Six Degrees Offsite exhibition will be on view at Building 6, Dubai Design District, from 10am. to 10pm each day. In addition, AUS is organising two talks in the same location:

Materialization / Manifestation

In Dialogue with Lina Ghotmeh and Laila Binbrek

Thursday, November 7, from 6 to 7pm

Building 6, Dubai Design District

AUS will co-host a thought-provoking conversation featuring two CAAD faculty members: Samar Halloum, Assistant Professor of Architecture, will be part of a panel also featuring two widely respected figures from the art world, Lina Ghotmeh, the founding principal of Lina Ghotmeh Architecture and Laila Binbrek, the Director of the National Pavilion UAE at La Biennale di Venezia and winner of the 2023 Great Arab Minds Award in Architecture and Design. The panel will be moderated by Kevin Mitchell, Professor of Architecture at AUS. The discussion will explore the intricate relationships between materiality and the manifestation of ideas across various scales, from pavilions to buildings. The talk is being held in collaboration with Great Arab Minds.

Beyond Degrees: Alumni in Focus

Saturday, November 9, from 6 to 7pm.

As part of the Six Degrees Offsite exhibition, five distinguished CAAD alumni will present dynamic Pecha Kucha-style presentations, sharing insights from their professional journeys, creative processes, and the impact of their academic training on their current work. This engaging format will allow the design community to connect with emerging designers and understand how their academic foundations shape their careers.

Featured AUS alumni speakers include:

Architecture: Alzaina Lootah Interior Design: Priyanka Soni Multimedia Design: Salma Ibrahim Visual Communication: Bettina Rodricks Design Management: Layan Al Ayedi 

This event promises to be a vibrant showcase of creativity and innovation, inviting all to witness the exceptional work of AUS’ architecture and design community.