Program

‘From the Souk to the Skyline, Stitching Streets into the Fabric of a Connected City’

The CTBUH 2025 Dubai Conference program spans plenary keynotes, sponsor spotlights and three concurrent streams of presentations and panels, all framed by the theme ‘From the Souk to the Skyline, Stitching Streets into the Fabric of a Connected City.’ Networking opportunities are integrated throughout, concluding with a dinner reception to bring the industry together.

  • Welcome desk and badge collection with light breakfast served in the foyer

    Sponsored by WSP

  • A brief welcome and introduction by the CTBUH to open the conference

    • Louise Collins, Co-Chair, CTBUH Dubai Chapter

    • Rodney Seely, Regional Director, CTBUH Middle East

    • Shonn Mills, Chairman - Board of Trustees, CTBUH

  • Muhammad BinGhatti
    Chairman
    Binghatti Holding

    Session details to be announced. Check back soon for more information. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent tincidunt, velit sit amet gravida iaculis, orci magna ullamcorper erat, vitae dictum purus orci non justo. Nullam sit amet turpis vel arcu dapibus venenatis. Fusce fermentum lorem in luctus laoreet. Vivamus vitae libero dignissim, aliquam risus id, pulvinar mauris. Praesent a tellus non lorem blandit ultrices. Suspendisse in sapien quis orci viverra euismod et nec lectus.

  • Andreas Klok Pedersen
    Partner & Design Director
    BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group

    This presentation will outline a global plan for achieving a carbon-neutral planet while addressing the fundamental challenges of energy, transport, industry, biodiversity, resources, pollution, water, and food security. The session will consider what it would actually take to stop the net emission of greenhouse gases and the practical implications of this ultimate goal. By framing the steps required for a 100% sustainable human presence on Earth—capable of supporting up to 10 billion people—the project aims to highlight the scale, urgency, and opportunities of building a truly sustainable future.

  • Ollie Wildman
    Head of Design, High Rise & Complex Buildings
    Ramboll

    In an era where sustainability must move beyond aspiration into action, this presentation will explore how the Middle East—particularly Dubai—can lead by example in delivering meaningful progress in the built environment. The session will challenge conventional approaches to sustainable design, urging stakeholders to embrace responsibility not only in concept but on-site, where execution often falls short. Drawing on global lessons and local realities, it will highlight the need for performance-based frameworks such as NABERS, emphasize the value of education and skills development in transforming delivery practices, and call for a culture of performance, equity, and resilience over checklist-driven sustainability.

  • Morning coffee and refreshments served in the foyer with time to connect and explore sponsor showcases

    Sponsored by Omnium International

  • 11:00 - 11:30 AM
    Presentation: From Neighbourhoods to Streets: Placemaking for Vibrant Urban Life

    • Parvathi Nampoothiri, Partner - Middle East Urban Strategies Lead, Buro Happold

    Placemaking helps shape urban environments by fostering vibrant, inclusive communities through human-scale design, community engagement, and the integration of buildings with public spaces. This presentation will explore how placemaking can transform neighbourhoods, streets, and open areas into places where people feel welcome and inspired to connect. Emphasizing collaboration across all scales—from city-wide plans to individual spaces—it will highlight strategies that support social interaction, accessibility, and a strong sense of belonging. Attendees will gain insight into how practitioners can work together to create environments that invite people to linger, participate, and thrive.

    11:30 - 12:00 PM
    Presentation: Designing for context across multiple scales

    • Mustafa Chehabeddine, Principal, KPF

    This presentation will consider how architects can design for integration with the urban context across multiple scales and locations. It will span the “urban acupuncture” approach guiding London’s Covent Garden, the creation of new centres such as Gemdale Center in Shenzhen, and the urban condition of the periphery as seen at Atlantis The Royal Dubai. It will also reflect on the design process for Zayed International Airport, a building on a truly urban scale, created to serve as a symbol for Abu Dhabi.

    12:00 - 12:30 PM
    Presentation: Title to be Announced

    • Patrick Rouse, Chief Development Officer, Deyaar Development

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    12:30 - 1:00 PM
    Panel Discussion: Title to be Announced

    • Moderator: Louise Collins, Focal Group, Partner - Focal Middle East

    • Panelist: Speaker Name, Title, Company Name

    • Panelist: Speaker Name, Title, Company Name

    • Panelist: Speaker Name, Title, Company Name

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  • 11:00 - 11:30 AM
    Panel Discussion: Title to be Announced

    • Moderator: Speaker Name, Title, Company Name

    • Panelist: Speaker Name, Title, Company Name

    • Panelist: Speaker Name, Title, Company Name

    • Panelist: Speaker Name, Title, Company Name

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    11:30 - 12:00 PM
    Presentation: Title To Be Announced

    • Shaun Killa, Design Partner, Killa Design

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    12:00 - 12:30 PM
    Presentation: From Fragmentation to Integration - A Strategic Study of End-to-End Real Estate Development

    • James Chin, Associate Director, PNCA

    • James Marvin, Chief Executive Officer, PNCA

    The real estate sector has long struggled with inefficiencies created by fragmented delivery models. This session will examine how Sobha Realty has pioneered a vertically integrated approach that unifies the entire development lifecycle—from concept design to long-term community management—within a single organizational structure. Using Sobha Hartland II in Dubai as a case study, the session will show how backward and forward integration can enhance coordination, reduce costs and delays, and ensure consistent quality. Attendees will gain insight into how this model maintains design intent, advances sustainability goals, and offers a scalable framework for resilient, human-centered urban development.

    12:30 - 1:00 PM
    Presentation: SpeedCore: Game Changer!

    • Ron Klemencic, Chairman & CEO, Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA)

    The Rainier Square development in Seattle introduced the Concrete-Filled Composite Plate Shear Wall (CF-CPSW) system—known as SpeedCore—a breakthrough structural system for tall buildings. Designed to shorten the 32-month schedule by eight months, the tower was completed in just 22 months, 10 months ahead of schedule. A second SpeedCore project, 200 Park Avenue in San Jose, realized cost savings of USD 10 million and a three-month schedule reduction. With new projects now underway in Boston and New York, this presentation will share how SpeedCore was developed, key lessons learned, supporting research, and the prospects for its global application.

  • 11:00 - 11:30 AM
    Presentation: Title to be Announced

    • Andy Veall, Structural Design Director, WSP Middle East

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    11:30 - 12:00 PM
    Presentation: The Story of Ciel

    • Yahya Jan, President & Design Director, NORR Group

    This presentation will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the design process for Ciel, the 373-meter tower in Dubai set to become the world’s tallest hotel. In a city defined by verticality, the project seeks to redefine vertical living by introducing naturally ventilated, landscaped terraces throughout its height. The session will emphasize the collaborative process as much as the product, highlighting the roles of architects, engineers, and interior designers in overcoming contextual, structural, environmental, and programmatic challenges. Attendees will gain insight into how simplicity of vision was achieved amid immense complexity.

    12:00 - 12:30 PM
    Presentation: Title to be Announced

    • Cristian Maluk, Technical Director, DAMA Engineering Consultants

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    12:30 - 1:00 PM
    Panel Discussion: Title to be Announced

    • Moderator: Cristian Maluk, Technical Director, DAMA Engineering Consultants

    • Panelist: Speaker Name, Title, Egis

    • Panelist: Speaker Name, Title, Siderise

    • Panelist: Speaker Name, Title, Company Name

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  • Buffet lunch served in the foyer with time to connect and explore sponsor showcases

    Sponsored by Killa Design

  • 2:00 - 2:30 PM
    Presentation: A quarter century of wind engineering in the Middle East: lessons learned and where next?

    • Dr. Roy Denoon, Wind Engineering Consultant, Denoon Consulting

    The presentation will provide historical context on the development and adoption of design approaches, and how these have shaped building performance. Topics will include wind loading, stack effect, outdoor wind comfort, and lessons learned from field experience. Looking ahead, the session will outline future needs as cities densify, including the integration of new approaches to urban mobility and the potential role of AI technologies in urban planning and design.

    2:30 - 3:00 PM
    Presentation: Role of Protective Design and Security in the Middle East: From Master Planning to Construction

    • Kevin Mueller, Vice President, Thornton Tomasetti

    The Middle East’s history, shaped by ancient civilizations such as the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, continues to influence the region’s complex security environment. Today, threats to the built environment range from vehicle-borne explosives and hostile vehicles to active shooters and drones. Architects and engineers must collaborate with local authorities and stakeholders to design safe, resilient buildings and infrastructure. This presentation will address how protective design can be implemented throughout the design process, including determining design-basis threats and establishing acceptable levels of post-event building performance. Attendees will gain insight into balancing evolving security needs with architectural and urban ambitions.

    3:00 - 3:30 PM
    Presentation: Ctrl + Alt + Build: Rebooting the City

    • Shonn Mills, Managing Director, Whitby Wood Mills

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    3:30 - 4:00 PM
    Presentation: Title to be announced

    • Haithem Ibraheem, Vice President - Operations, Brookfield Properties

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  • 2:00 - 2:30 PM
    Presentation: Title to be Announced

    • Speaker Name, Title, Company

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    2:30 - 3:00 PM
    Presentation: Title to be Announced

    • Malak Abu-Qaoud, Director - Arts & Events, Brookfield Properties

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    3:00 - 3:30 PM
    Presentation: Delivering a Residential Tower with Low Carbon Steel

    • Hala Yousef, Director, Sustainability Engineering, JLL Project & Development Services

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    3:30 - 4:00 PM
    Presentation: Exploring the Nuances of Wind Load Calculations on Tall Buildings

    • Dr. K. Suresh Kumar, Principal & Vice President - Global Consulting, RWDI Group

    Wind load is one of the primary lateral forces acting on tall buildings, significantly influencing structural design. This presentation will explore the complexities involved in assessing wind-induced responses, including parameters such as return period, wind speed, aerodynamic coefficients, structural dynamics, and damping ratio. A particular focus will be the ambiguity in selecting key factors such as return period, damping ratio, minimum load limits, and diaphragm configurations in complex structures. The session will discuss how pragmatic engineering judgment, guided by established practice and emerging research, can balance structural integrity with sustainability by avoiding unnecessary conservatism and reducing material use.

  • 2:00 - 2:30 PM
    Panel Discussion: Protection of Professional Titles - From Education to Practice

    • Moderator: Kourosh Salehi, LWK & Partners, Global Design Principal

    • Panelist: Jason Carlow, Head of Department of Architecture, American University of Sharjah

    • Panelist: Roberto Fabbri, Associate Professor and Chair of Design, Zayed University

    • Panelist: Massimo Imparato, Dean - School of Architecture and Interior Design, Canadian University Dubai

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    2:30 - 3:00 PM
    Presentation: Title to be Announced

    • Alexander Drachenberg, Design Lead, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

    Session details to be announced. Check back soon for more information. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent tincidunt, velit sit amet gravida iaculis, orci magna ullamcorper erat, vitae dictum purus orci non justo. Nullam sit amet turpis vel arcu dapibus venenatis. Fusce fermentum lorem in luctus laoreet. Vivamus vitae libero dignissim, aliquam risus id, pulvinar mauris. Praesent a tellus non lorem blandit ultrices. Suspendisse in sapien quis orci viverra euismod et nec lectus.

    3:00 - 4:00 PM
    Workshop: Title to be Announced

    • Yahya Kaddoura, Associate Principle, Atkinsrealis

    • Mithun Varghese, Director, LWK & Partners

    Session details to be announced. Check back soon for more information. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent tincidunt, velit sit amet gravida iaculis, orci magna ullamcorper erat, vitae dictum purus orci non justo. Nullam sit amet turpis vel arcu dapibus venenatis. Fusce fermentum lorem in luctus laoreet. Vivamus vitae libero dignissim, aliquam risus id, pulvinar mauris. Praesent a tellus non lorem blandit ultrices. Suspendisse in sapien quis orci viverra euismod et nec lectus.

  • Afternoon refreshments with time to connect and explore sponsor showcases

    Sponsored by Siderise

  • Session details to be announced. Check back soon for more information. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent tincidunt, velit sit amet gravida iaculis, orci magna ullamcorper erat, vitae dictum purus orci non justo. Nullam sit amet turpis vel arcu dapibus venenatis. Fusce fermentum lorem in luctus laoreet. Vivamus vitae libero dignissim, aliquam risus id, pulvinar mauris. Praesent a tellus non lorem blandit ultrices. Suspendisse in sapien quis orci viverra euismod et nec lectus.

  • A reflection on the day’s discussions and a look ahead at what’s to come for the CTBUH

    • Louise Collins, Co-Chair, CTBUH Dubai Chapter

    • Rodney Seely, Regional Director, CTBUH Middle East

  • An evening networking dinner bringing together speakers, sponsors, and delegates for informal exchange. Attendance is limited to those registered for this portion of the conference.

    Sponsored by KONE, RWDI and Whitby Wood Mills