MNA – DesignMENA, Middle East’s premier website for architecture and interior design, has released a list of top 50 Middle East’s most influential architects, among which are five Iranians.


In its first publication in 2018, Middle East Architect has rounded up 50 of the Middle East’s most influential established and emerging architects. From Lebanon to Iran, this list highlights the architects that have positively contributed to the growing development of the region.

The list, entitled 'Who’s Who' consists of 45 established architects and five up-and-comers that the website recommends to be on your radar for 2018. Among the 50 most influential architects there are the names of five architects from Iran:

Amir Hossein Hajizadeh; his projects include the Tokyo Music Center, which won MEA Awards’ Public Sector Project of the Year in 2015 and the Chabahar Free Zone Complex that was awarded MEA Awards’ Concept Design of Year in 2017.

Arash G Tehrani; founder and principal at Arash G Tehrani Design Studio.

Behzad Atabaki; founder and CEO of Behzad Atabaki Studio. Atabaki has been nominated for many awards including the Aga Khan Award for Architects and a World Architecture Festival Award in 2017.

Mohammad Khavarian; his studio worked on a number of projects this year including Chamestan House in northern Iran and a residential project in Yazd. For 2018, the firm looks to complete residential projects across Iran and K Mall in Baghdad.

Kourosh Hajizadeh; founder of the award-winning Tehran-based architecture firm Hajizadeh & Associates as MEA Awards’ Architect of the Year in 2013.