For most people, travel is about relaxation, escape, or adventure. But for Abbas Sherif Alaskari, travel is something more profound—a journey into the living, breathing world of architecture, culture, and human connection. As a highly respected architect engineer and a proud Emirati, Abbas views each destination through a distinct lens—one that combines artistic curiosity with professional insight and a deep-rooted respect for heritage and sustainability.
Stories Carved In Stone
Where others see landmarks and monuments, Abbas sees stories carved in stone, communities shaped by environment, and design solutions refined over centuries. Every trip he takes becomes an immersive classroom, an open-air studio where history, climate, and craftsmanship come alive.
Abbas says,
When I travel, I don’t just look at buildings. I study how people live in them, how they’ve evolved with their surroundings, and how their culture is reflected in their built environment.
His sketchbook is a constant companion—weathered and full of impressions, details, and ideas waiting to evolve. Whether it’s capturing the intricate silhouette of a Moroccan riad, the geometric harmony of a Turkish mosque, or the timeless beauty of a Venetian courtyard, Abbas fills page after page with inspiration. His background in sketching and painting, cultivated over years of artistic practice, gives him the ability to see with an architect’s logic and an artist’s soul. For Abbas, drawing is not just documentation—it is a way of understanding and interpreting the world.
Islamic Architecture
One of his most profound travel experiences was in Andalusia, southern Spain, where the legacy of Islamic architecture left a deep impression. Exploring the Alhambra’s elegant arches, the delicate latticework of the Nasrid Palaces, and the Great Mosque of Córdoba’s mesmerising columns, Abbas felt a powerful connection to his own cultural heritage.
It reminded me that we, as Emiratis, are part of a larger historical narrative. There’s a shared DNA in the arches, the courtyards, the craftsmanship. And as architects, we have the opportunity to reinterpret that heritage for modern times.
Abbas’s journeys are not limited to iconic monuments or UNESCO heritage sites. He often finds equal inspiration in the ordinary and overlooked—the shaded alleys of a Greek fishing village, the wind-swept clay dwellings of a Saharan town, or the colourful façades of a hillside neighbourhood in Beirut. These places, humble yet deeply rooted in place and purpose, offer lessons in material use, passive cooling, spatial logic, and community design.
Sometimes it’s the simplest structures that carry the most wisdom. A stone wall that keeps a house cool, a courtyard that creates privacy and airflow, a rooftop that serves as a social space—these are solutions born from necessity, climate, and tradition. And they often align with what we strive for in sustainable design today.
Alaskari Designs
His global explorations have not only shaped his aesthetic but also deepened his appreciation for the UAE.
Every time I return home, I see the beauty of our deserts, our wind towers, our palm groves with new eyes.
His architectural practice, Alaskari Designs, is known for blending global insights with a strong Emirati identity. Whether it’s a luxury eco-resort in Ras Al Khaimah incorporating alpine insulation concepts, or a contemporary villa in Dubai inspired by Mediterranean spatial flow, Abbas ensures that every design respects local culture and climate.
At the core of his work lies a commitment to sustainability and cultural preservation—values that travel constantly reinforces. By witnessing how other societies build with nature, preserve tradition, and foster community through design, Abbas gathers ideas that find their way into his work back home. Each sketch, photo, and memory becomes a building block in a greater architectural vision for a more conscious and connected UAE.
When not abroad, Abbas continues to draw inspiration from the UAE’s own natural and cultural landscapes. He frequently embarks on desert camping trips, often accompanied by friends or family, to explore the vast dunes and star-filled skies. “There’s something sacred about the silence of the desert,” he says. “That sense of space and solitude reminds you of what really matters. It also inspires architecture that feels open, calm, and responsive to the environment.”
Waves of Inspiration
Another of his favourite pastimes is sailing along the UAE coastline. As a lover of the sea, Abbas finds both relaxation and creative stimulus in the rhythm of the waves, the design of traditional dhows, and the interplay between water and architecture. He often brings a camera and sketchpad, documenting the way sunlight dances on old fishing villages or how marina developments blend (or clash) with their surroundings.
For Abbas, travel is not a break from work—it is the work. It feeds his creativity, sharpens his architectural language, and enriches the stories he tells through buildings. Unlike many, he doesn’t return from trips with souvenirs; instead, he brings back ideas, textures, design cues, and cultural insights. He is not just collecting stamps in a passport—he’s gathering fragments of the world and translating them into architecture that speaks to both global wisdom and local identity.
Through this journey—part artist, part explorer, part architect—Abbas Sherif Alaskari continues to build a legacy that bridges continents, cultures, and generations. His vision, deeply rooted in the spirit of the UAE, is helping shape a future where design is not just functional or aesthetic, but meaningful, sustainable, and enduring.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!
