Main Events 179th Edition – Zak World of Façades UAE

179th Edition – Zak World of Façades UAE

edition

179

Date

23 April 2025

Venue

The Agenda Media City

City

Dubai

Official page Watch the Event

About this edition

This will be the 179th edition globally and the 10th edition in UAE which will showcase sustainable innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to the building envelope and will also display latest technological solutions.

Speakers & Panelists

Conference Agenda

Every speaker for the day, grouped by session. Select a topic to see who is presenting, the session focus and the talk points.

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

08:00 — 09:00

Topic

Delegate Registration & Networking

Irina Tadello

Business Development Manager

Priedemann Façade Experts

Topic

Event Convenor & Host

09:00 — 09:05

Topic

Welcome Address

09:05 — 09:25

Samer Charara

Principal | Dubai Studio Chair

Woods Bagot

Topic

Beyond the Skin: Wellness in the Skies

Talk points

Façades as wellness enablers

Adaptive and responsive skins

Materiality and sensory experience

09:25 — 09:50

Sarah Coogan

Regional Director - Middle East

Inhabit Group

Topic

The 5th and 6th Elevation | Glazed Bridge Façades for An Iconic Dubai Tower

Talk points

Elevation 1 to 4 | Vertical glazed façades

Elevation 5 | Overhead glazed façades

Elevation 6 | Underfoot glazed façades

09:50 — 10:05

Maher Hasson

Director - Sales Operations AME

Guardian Glass

Topic

Solutions to Help Overcome the Challenges and Intricacies of Modern Façades

Talk points

Facilitating architectural ambitions: Balancing energy performance and design vision at Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab

Global expertise, local impact: Supporting high-performance façades and environmental certifications

From vision to specification: How digital tools help simplify glass selection for architectural projects

10:05 — 10:20

Jochen Regenauer

Head of Strategic Projects & Business Development - EMEA

Kuraray

Topic

Effective Design of Laminated Safety Glass in High Temperature Areas with Considerations of Sustainability & Durability

Talk points

Footprint of interlayers

Structural project examples

10:20 — 10:27

Joan Tarrús

Sales Director

sedak

Topic

Leading Glass: The Touch of Luxury in Oversized Glass

10:27 — 11:00

Topic

Networking Tea / Coffee Break

11:00 — 11:20

Abdulmajid Karanouh

Head of Interdisciplinary Design Research

Drees & Sommer

Topic

Automotive Inspired Façade Design

Talk points

Creating aerodynamic architectural design

Creating universal system-design to manage mass customisation

Design rationalisation to improve cost effectiveness and constructability

11:20 — 11:35

Aji Alexander

Specifications Manager

Jotun Powder Coatings

Topic

Embrace the Beauty of Sustainable Powder Coatings

Talk points

Diving deep into matt finishes

Powder coatings inspired by nature

Making façades shine bright

11:35 — 12:05

Antoine Chaaya

Partner

Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Topic

Healthcare Façade Excellence Combined with Human, Sustainable and Architectural Excellence

Talk points

The therapeutic power of nature and light / biophilic design

Lightness, luminosity and dialogue with nature

Sustainability as a keyword

Case studies: University Hospital Saint-Ouen in Paris & Jawaher Boston Medical District in Sharjah

12:05 — 12:50

Moderator

Benjamin Beer

Managing Director

Werner Sobek Dubai

Panelist

Andreas Waibel

Senior Façade Project Manager

Werner Sobek Dubai

Panelist

Dinesh Kumar

International General Manager

Saint-Gobain Glass

Panelist

Ida Stojanovic

Senior Design Manager

AtkinsRealis

Panelist

Matthew Floyd

Associate Director

Mace

Topic

Palm Beach Towers in Palm Jumeirah: Designing, Engineering and Installing the Façade

Talk points

How the façade beautifully merges the surroundings and stands out

Attention to detail and precision from the project team in assembling these high-rise tower’s unitised façades and podium

Challenges faced and innovations implemented

Session summary

Benjamin Beer

12:50 — 13:40

Topic

Networking Lunch Break

13:40 — 14:10

Johannes Schafelner

Director

Zaha Hadid Architects

Topic

High Performance Building Envelopes: Responding to Local Culture & Identity

14:10 — 14:30

Amr Ibrahim

Principal Consultant

WSP Middle East

Susanna Noureddine

Head of Façade & Access

WSP

Topic

Muraba The Veil: Façade Design Process Case Study

Talk points

Leveraging advanced algorithms, data analysis, and simulations

Integration of computational tools into architectural and engineering practice

High rise towers and their design challenges

14:30 — 14:45

Khaled Raslan

Senior Manager - MENA & GCC Region

Vitro Architectural Glass

Topic

Getting Low with U-Values

Talk points

Understanding the U-value of glass and why it matters

Reducing embodied carbon and operational carbon through U-value performance

Exploring glass strategies to improve occupancy comfort

14:45 — 15:00

Moutaz Kaddourah

Region Head MENA

Effisus

Topic

Sealed for Safety: Fire-rated & Weatherproofing Systems in Modern Façades

Talk points

The importance of non-combustible weatherproofing systems to prevent fire propagation and ensure regulatory compliance

Exploring the contribution of advanced façade systems towards energy efficiency and long-term durability of the project

Landmark projects that set new safety standards

15:00 — 15:20

Agnes Koltay

CEO

Koltay Façades

Topic

Making a Difference with Unusual Façade Cladding Materials

Talk points

Why don't we see a larger variety of building finishes? Balancing cost with aesthetic uniqueness

The importance of research, experimenting and testing

Working with brass, copper, titanium zinc

The beauty and challenge of cast glass façades

15:20 — 15:35

Eric Claeys

Founding Partner

Fassada Steel

Topic

Hybrid Steel Curtain Walls, Mastering the Demands & Complexity of Today’s Façades

Talk points

Hybrid steel curtain walls, the long-waited disruption in the market?

Fire resistance, tower infernos belong to the past

Drastic reduction of CO2 emission

15:35 — 16:00

Topic

Networking Tea / Coffee Break

16:00 — 16:20

Jincy Mariam Rinu

Middle East Façade Leader

Arup

Topic

Façades for the Future: Architectural Innovations for Flying Taxi Hubs

Talk points

Key considerations in façade engineering for vertiports

Sustainability and circularity through façade design

Balancing aerodynamics, weather resilience, and passenger comfort

16:20 — 17:05

Moderator

Giovanni Zizioli

Partner | Middle East Director

Maffeis Engineering

Panelist

Andy Shaw

Managing Partner

AMA

Panelist

Arjan Pit

Managing Director MEA

UNS Dubai

Panelist

Ashraf Asfour

Operations Director

RMJM

Topic

Desert Icons: Shaping the Skyline of Branded Living

Talk points

Is achieving prominence in an increasingly dense urban setting important or contextuality?

Are branded residences important in marketing of a project and how do you express the brand on the façade?

Incorporating new technologies like AI to improve supply chain issues, collaboration, etc

Session summary

Giovanni Zizioli

17:05 — 17:10

Topic

Vote of Thanks & End of the Conference

17:10 — 18:00

Topic

Post Event Networking & End of the Event

How it was

179th Edition – Zak World of Façades UAE

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Chapters

Partners

Gold Partner

Associate Partners

Strategic Glass Partner