First Art Engineering Consultancy: Building a better present for a renewed future

Founder, CEO, and Chief Architect of First Art Engineering Consultancy shares his philosophy on success.

A region's history and success is preserved in their great structures, from the monumental Aleppo Citadel to Burj Khalifa, architecture is a symbol of creativity, history, and revolutionary achievements. The U.A.E is renowned for its towering; modern day architecture and First Art has been breathing life and creativity into structures, which grace the city of gold. Shadi Hamwi's passion encompasses planning and leadership as a Founder, CEO, and Chief Architect, who was inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to helm a consultancy that would provide exceptional services for their bevy of clients. "Architecture is not only the original need, it is a reoccurring one. First Art was initiated in 2002 to meet the evolving needs of individuals through creative and sustainable solutions. We are a conglomerate of companies and I am the CEO of the Engineering Consultancy, which is a G plus 12 firm. Our headquarters are in Dubai, with two branches in Al Ain and Sharjah. Our portfolio ranges from projects worth half a million to half a billion, and we specialise in developing the schemes from concept to detail, tendering and supervision. Our team comprises international architects and engineers who operate under the municipalities and authorities umbrella, therefore we work as per the guidelines of developers and the regulations of the authorities. Our aim is to bring the vision of the client to life through creative solutions," says the CEO.
First Art Engineering Consultancy is a comprehensive engineering consultancy with extensive units. "Our various departments of design undertake the development of large scale projects, master planning; Architecture for buildings, educational institutes, office buildings and sports facilities, to name a few. We have a loyal clientele due to our team of specialists who are detail-oriented perfectionists. An integral component of our service is adding creativity to the client's exact needs. Our motto is 'design it right, built it well' and we ensure our philosophy is implemented by selecting crème de le crème of contractors. At First Art, we offer more than design expertise and have our own supervision unit, which oversees construction and other operations. It is imperative to be detail-oriented when supervising a construction and we follow high standards. From our experience in developing projects in the U.A.E, particularly in Dubai, we provide our customers with apt knowledge in line with the regulations of the city" he adds.
Since his early childhood, the dynamic CEO fervently sought to turn his passion into profession by honing his talents with educational qualifications. Hamwi attained his postgraduate diploma in Sustainable Design of Built Environment from Cardiff University, Welsh School of Architecture, U.K, and he is a seasoned speaker at international conferences on innovatory topics, which encourage the implementation of green technology in construction and architecture. "Technology is constantly evolving and First Art is on par with the shifting trends through investment in training and applying the latest software systems in our operations. We follow International standards, and Dubai Municipality standards, as they have a set benchmark of excellence in the industry, especially the recent order by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on sustainable design and green building laws. We are part of this initiative by Dubai Municipality, as our buildings are ecologically designed. Sustainability is a key theme of 2020, as Dubai strives to be the most ecological city in the world. Our vision is aligned with Dubai's, with First Artfacilitating the conceptualisation of smart cities through our design input. It was our honour to have green roofed the palace of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, which was a completely green building with zero emissions and efficient use of energy. Our portfolio includes Master Planning Projects, High Raise, Sports Facilities, Mix Use, Commercial and Residential projects as well as Educational Projects. Our design was recently chosen from four competing designs, by Department of Public Works to undertake the be a prototype for Typical Nurseries project, which would comprise of 66 edifices" he concludes.
When asked about the Real Estate Sector in particular, Mr. Hamwi adds:
How do you see the real estate industry evolving over next 12 months?
"There's a real focus now in Dubai on building living and work spaces that are both environmentally friendly and smart, demand for this is growing quickly since the Government made it so integral for their vision of the future. We're nearing the point where people will only accept living in a properly smart way."
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the industry over the next 12 months?
"The region will still need to navigate around continuing global economic pressures. The U.A.E has learned from the pressures of the past and is much stronger for it - we had the experience and we passed it, this gives us much more credibility in the eyes of investors."
What are the region's greatest strengths in real estate?
"The variety of projects and diversity of the sector are greater than ever, for example, everybody is now tapping into affordable housing. In the U.A.E, I know a flight attendant who recently bought an apartment, as well as a pilot and a business owner who bought villas. Here we have the diversity of people who can afford properties and a more mature market that can supply them."