CAAD student work counted among the world’s best architectural illustrations

Architecture students, Dhruva Lakshmninarayan, Urva Parmar and Sahil Rattha, from the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at American University of Sharjah (AUS), have received international recognition from the American Society of Architectural Illustrators’ Architecture for architectural illustrations they submitted in this year’s Perspective 34 competition.

The annual competition recognizes the world’s best architectural illustrations and sees professional and student illustrators from around the world submitting drawings, paintings, renderings and digital imagery to be considered for the highly coveted Hugh Ferris Memorial Prize. The entries were judged by an international jury of professional architects and designers and are currently on exhibit on Hollywood Boulevard’s iconic Walk of Fame.

CAAD students are regularly encouraged to enter local, regional and global competitions to add value to their student experience and have consistently achieved critical recognition for their work across the majors of architecture, interior design, design management, multimedia design and visual communication.

“These competitions allow us to understand where we stand globally amidst a wide array of contenders, each equipped with their own quivers full of skills and talents. This also works the other way, where the student community as a whole realizes what we, as students representing AUS, and the Global South in general, are capable of,” said Lakshmninarayan, who won a Student Award of Distinction for her work.

“I really didn’t realize how much weight this award held until I saw its impact first-hand as I was applying for jobs. Employers are instantly intrigued and impressed by the fact that you have not only applied to competitions, but also won! With the large magnitude of job applications and portfolios coming their way, architecture firms and design studios are constantly in search of something that stands out, and these kind of competition entries sure do facilitate that,” he said. 

For Sahil Rattha, who received the Student Juror Award by renowned Russian-German architect Sergei Tchoban, said the fact that his work would also be featured in publications and websites of such a globally respected organization is professionally and personally satisfying.

“This award is always going to be something meaningful and personal to me as this is the first formal recognition I have received in my field of study. On a more specific note, this award is even more special as the award-winning entry was from my first semester at American University of Sharjah, while doing my first design course ever,” said Rattha.

“It is always a great feeling to be recognized through your work. Competitions like these help students get more exposure and also receive the privilege to represent AUS on a global scale, which is an excellent feeling as an addition to my CAAD experience,” he said

Urva Parmar was also awarded a Student Award of Distinction and said this award provides confirmation of her career choice in architecture and has given her confidence in pursuing employment beyond graduation.

“This award is a representation of my academic endeavors and architectural intuitions. And being honored with this distinction further grounds my beliefs. Such experiences enable my networking capabilities as an individual, and, moreover, in a professional realm, it helps me strengthen my skillset,” she said.

George Katodrytis, Head of CAAD’s Department of Architecture, said this level of international recognition for CAAD students is well-justified.

“Across the board, we consistently see exceptional designers coming through CAAD, and to see our students receiving recognition for their work on the global stage is extremely rewarding. We are very proud to know that our students’ work will be on display in Hollywood,” said Katodrytis.

“This directly translates to the quality of graduates that are going into the workforce, who are making a significant impact on the practice of architecture in the UAE, the region and around the world,” he said.

CAAD’s architecture and interior design curricula and program outcomes require students to develop advanced skills in representation, including analogue drawing, digital modeling and rendering as well as physical model making.

“In addition to learning new techniques and making skills, CAAD students of architecture and interior design work hard to develop their skills in drawing and representation. Their drawings are used both as design tools and illustrations during a design process and help them communicate their projects to a broad audience,” said Katodrytis.

“Usually good designers draw well, too. For these winners, and their fellow CAAD students, this ability allows them to prepare strong portfolios and later engage in professional practice with confidence,” he said.

“CAAD graduates are highly sought after within the region. Many go on to pursue careers in practice, graduate studies at some of the world’s top institutions, especially in Europe and North America, while other graduates have established their own successful practices, such as the multi-award winning X-Architects in Dubai,” said Katodrytis.

For more information about the College of Architecture, Art and Design at American University of Sharjah and to view more examples of outstanding student designs, visit www.aus.edu/caad.