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Writer's picturePARLIAMENT NEWS

Harvesting Vessels Across a Fieldscape or Simply a Flower in the Tornado?

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Article by Haseb Zada B.A (Hons), Dipl.Arch (AA/Bartlett-UCL), M.Arch (Bartlett-UCL)

To have and to hold without an end,

And never remember the start,

To keep ones faith while others lose theirs

Is only a matter of the heart ....

To be a whisper so rare and only cross a few,

To never lose hope

And behold the truth if only one knew…


To see again the world with hopeful eyes,

Oh how we long for those hellos and good byes,

To hold the heart on the top of the head,

Or the wish for the earth as a resting bed


To rise up again excited with the sunlight,

And lay down smiling with the night

To hold the breath until it sings

We pray for bliss then hope for wings


What can we do more since Adam and Eve?

That’s not been felt as we leave

The new day dawns

The old years grow,

We know we dream,

The dreams we know


To live, to love, to shine, to bed

To wrap our arms, until it’s said

To laugh, to weep, to kiss, to embrace

Let hope be cherished

upon each place….



Haseb Zada Biography


Born in Kabul, Afghanistan and raised between London, Los Angeles and Dubai. Haseb’s work although ‘de-constructive’ in nature is poetically binded together with a unique philosophy: having trained formally as an artist, designer, architect and classical musician, and it is this interplay of disciplines that defines not only his experience but approach to ‘building form from principle’ in his work.


In 1996, the U-turn from medical school suddenly occurred one late afternoon in the college Library, accidentally walking past a book left open illustrating “Falling water’ by Frank Lloyd Wright – Architecture came forth as another way to aide society – an intermediary between people and spaces – the space between the body and the soul of places.


This resolve towards architectural development - as a unifying tool that encompasses all parts of the whole - created the passion for intellectual and creative inquiry, developing forms and principles governed through bridging links towards organic designs; that grows and nurtures its surroundings. The culmination of these elements has compounded for him, a discipline that can be formulated, constructed and delivered through an aesthetic platform via the development of conceptual actualisation. Having reached MENSA level intellectual inquiry, Haseb embarked his journey writing his first book (completed in 2004) titled: ‘Hasebian’s Law – the episodic script notation of an e-motional drama choreography’.


In 2001, having been selected for the ‘Morphosis Apprenticeship’ (1 of 4 International placements per year) by renowned Pritzker Prize Laureate Thom Mayne, Haseb was soon after awarded by world famous institutes: the Architectural Association, London (2002-04’ Baylight scholar) and the Bartlett (UCL – directly into 5th year and ‘end of year show design prize winner’) – which he studied simultaneously and immediately completed his Masters in 3 months at the Bartlett (UCL). Having achieved 4 degrees at only the age of 24, Haseb was offered the Bartlett PhD to study on developing countries and design principles between Art & Architecture.

Having completed his formal training at International design offices such as Morphosis, Los Angeles and Hopkins Architects, London, in 2005 embarked on the 1st of many private projects to come – the first development in Montpelier Street, London SW7 and a private art commission for the late H.R.H King Mohamed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan. It was this longing and re-connection to his ‘homeland’ that sent Haseb back to Kabul in 2006 for the first time since departing, during a sabbatical year long world trip (2006-07) to gather material for his PhD research at the Bartlett, UCL.

ORproject was established in 2006 with the design philosophy for the studio to grow ‘organically’, the design practice is now based in 5 countries around the world (US, UK, UAE, India and China) between 5 partners all of whom met during their studies at the AA (Architectural Association, London) – and it was this foundation that brought Haseb to the Middle-East in 2007 with RMJM as the ‘Youngest Project Leader in the GCC’ and ‘company group representative to Afghanistan’ – travelling constantly back and forth between London, Dubai and Kabul to lead private and public commissioned works.


Haseb’s very much private and reserved portfolio came to the attention of the current President of Afghanistan: H.E. Mohamed Ashraf Ghani in 2014 –and authorised him as a Presidential representative and advisor for ‘Architecture and Development’. It was during these years that led to becoming the ‘Architect of the Afghan National Pavilion’ for the Milan EXPO 2015 and ‘Architect to H.E Rula Ghani’ (First Lady of Afghanistan) – for the ARG Palace no.1, in Kabul. After founding ‘fIQr’ think tank in 2014 (fIQr: for I Quantify reason – which translates ‘to think’ in Farsi, comprising of 30 intellectuals/specialists), to aide the countries developmental programs – soon led to completing his designs in 2015 for the Dubai EXPO 2020 - ‘Connecting Minds…Creating a Future’. In 2016, Orproject was also officially invited by the GAA foundation to showcase their work at the Venice biennale in May-November of 2016.

Continuously awarded, over a 20-year body of work, have provided him with a substantial and extensive portfolio essential in approaching situations with a unique and creative approach. It is therefore no surprise to some, and the people that have worked and mentored Haseb that he has been shown immense support and acknowledged with the following credits:


Images & Text: © Haseb Zada, Orproject 2021

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