Fahed Baker puts the finishing touches on a design sketch.
The word “prestigious” cannot be
used lightly because it denotes high opinion and honor. Yet the word applies
triple time to Master of Architecture (MArch) student Fahed
Baker, M’17. He is a prestigious Fulbright Scholar and two-time winner of the
prestigious International Architecture Award presented by the World
Architecture Community. Fulbright Scholars receive highly-competitive,
merit-based grants for international educational exchange. Eight thousand
grants are given annually worldwide for graduate study, advanced research,
university lecturing, and classroom teaching.
The International Architecture
Awards honors designs, built and unbuilt, that recognize architecture as a high
art while answering complicated problems of environment, social context,
quality of life, and sustainability. Fahed won the 2017 award for his design of
a mosque. He received the 2016 accolade for his creative interpretation of a
modern Italian piazza. The projects were completed following visits to
Florence, Italy and Montreal, Canada as part of Architectural Studio III, a
second-year graduate course.
The 2017 award is particularly
meaningful to Fahed, who came to the University’s College
of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture (CETA) in 2015 from
politically-conflicted Gaza, a small territory located on the eastern coast of
the Mediterranean Sea between Israel and Egypt. Leaving behind his wife, three
young daughters, and an established architectural business, he felt compelled
to explore the latest technologies in western design and fabrication in hopes
of one day helping to rebuild Gaza’s fragile infrastructure.
“Gaza continues to confront unique
architectural challenges because of the conflicts it has endured,” Fahed says.
“Restoring the infrastructure of schools, mosques, and other landmarks will
result in greater unification among people and improved economic opportunities.
This award confirms I can be a vital contributor to such a goal.”
Fahed says he chose a tranquil
design for the mosque project, which he titled ‘Transcendence of Light’. “I
drew inspiration from the Muslim belief that emphasizes light as a mark of
God’s presence. The openness of the mosque and the light leaning in invites all
people to come in and learn about a peaceful, transparent, and welcoming faith
while speaking to the architectural context of cities in the 21st
century,” he explains.
The CETA MArch program is one of
only two (Yale) in Connecticut that is nationally accredited by the National
Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB), a factor Fahed says gave him peace of
mind in deciding to study at UHart. “I discovered most state registration
boards require a degree from an NAAB-accredited program as a prerequisite for
architectural licensure, which I plan to pursue,” he says.
Architecture Graduate Program
Director Daniel Davis considers Fahed’s award-winning designs innovative and
professional. “Fahed is capable well beyond his years and the architecture
faculty is immensely proud of his accomplishments,” says Davis. “Not only has
he brought international attention to our graduate program,
but he is also a natural teacher, mentoring both our international and domestic
students while he continues exploring diverse academic topics.”
One such topic is developing
parametric models for mapping weather data with University Assistant Professor
of Architecture Seth Holmes and Assistant Professor of Architecture Nicholas
Rajkovich of the University of Buffalo, the research of which is on its way to
being published and submitted to the 2017 Building Simulation Conference.
Fahed has mentored students at
Islamic University of Gaza, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He plans
to pursue his doctorate in architecture so he can teach after he spends time
“solving human problems. This is why I push the boundaries of design and
building.”
He is motivated by the thought of
reuniting with his family following the 2017 commencement ceremony. “They have
the greater courage. They have given me a gift in allowing me to focus in-depth
on my passion. These awards are for them and because of them.”
Design and sketch (unbuilt) of "Crystal Piazza" Cultural Center in Florence, Italy.
Design and sketch (unbuilt) of "Transcendence of Light" Islamic Center in Montreal, Canada.
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