Organised by BNC Publishing and Design Middle East, the inaugural Architecture Leaders Awards 2021 acknowledged and rewarded the exceptional architects, projects, and firms in the region. The gala award ceremony took place on March 31 at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk. There were 19 award categories that were given solely on merit and were awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition.

DLR Group was awarded Emerging Architecture Firm of the Year trophy. The brand promises to elevate the human experience through design. The essence of that idea resides at the core of their integrated design teams.

Jamal Salem, regional director, DLR Group Middle East, said: “It feels amazing, this wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing team and support staff.”

Salem is responsible for design and client services throughout the Middle East, leading operations from the DLR Group Dubai office. He has practiced extensively in the Middle East, leading the successful delivery of high-profile projects in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

At DLR Group, the team is made of multi-disciplinary design professionals that bring highly specialized expertise to every project. These teams champion true collaboration, open information sharing, value-based decision-making, proficient use of technology from project outset to close out, and continuous monitoring to optimise a building’s performance to further their practise of evidence-based design.