X-Architects

X Architects was founded and is headquartered in Dubai, with local offices in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. Led by founders Ahmed Al Ali and Farid Esmaeil, the practice works across masterplanning, cultural, religious, environmental, mixed-use, government, hotel and housing projects, and describes its method as narrative-driven: historic sensitivity and regional research applied to the specifics of each site.

That research shapes a portfolio spread across the Gulf, including the Wasit Wetland Centre in Sharjah, the Masdar Mosque in Abu Dhabi, As Safiyyah Museum & Park in Medina, the Grand Mosque in Diriyah and the Zayed Waterfront masterplan for Mina Zayed. Sustainability is approached through passive design, adaptive reuse and placemaking, while a design-to-delivery model keeps the studio involved from first concept through to construction.