Mohammed Zaal’s KOA Launches University Design Challenge for Students of Canadian University Dubai

Wednesday 15 February 2017

Dubai - MENA Herald: KOA, a unique real estate concept that aims to bring a new definition to residential living in the UAE, is pleased to announce the launch of the KOA University Design Challenge. For the spring 2017 semester, design and art students of Canadian University Dubai (CUD) are encouraged to design an aspect of a unique residential development that enhances its aesthetic and the lifestyle experience of its residents.

KOA’s first development, Canvas, has been strategically designed to foster creativity and collaboration. Through a co-working space and a large outdoor common area, community living is redefined. Through the competition, students have three criteria options from which to choose, the first of which asks them to extend the co-working space into the outdoor common area in a way that incorporates the design of the indoor space while still complementing and enhancing the natural environment and demonstrating resilience against Dubai’s hot summer climate.

Canvas’s community will also offer residents and visitors multiple services and amenities, complemented by an array of retail concepts. The second criteria option for the competition asks students to design bilingual signage identifying the units in a cohesive manner. The third and final criteria option requires students to design a play structure for Canvas’s daycare centre. These facilities have been introduced to the community to help care for and teach the children of the residence and neighbouring areas.

The three esteemed judges, all of whom are involved in the Canvas development, will announce the winner by 12 April 2017 and award them with a US$10,000 reward to invest in their design career and skill building. Tarik Zaharna, Founder and Director of Canvas’s lead architect firm T.ZED Architects, Kamelia Zaal, Internationally awarded landscaping architect, and Mohammed Zaal, KOA’s Founder and also the Founder and former CEO of Al Barari will all choose between the inevitably overwhelming pool of talent that Dubai’s youth will demonstrate through the competition.

Mohammed Bin Zaal, CEO and Founder of KOA, comments: “The judges and I cannot wait to see the final work of the students of Canadian University Dubai and have no doubt that

we will be presented with some innovative solutions to our competition’s criteria. KOA is an aspirational project to provide people their dream homes, working spaces and communities, and we hope that the aspirations of Dubai’s young and creative talent is demonstrated in the finished products of their submissions.”

Sales of Canvas will launch in early 2017, with an expected completion date of December 2017.

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