M. Arch, University of California at Berkeley, US
M.A. in Design, University of California at Berkeley, US
B.S. in Architecture, City University of New York, US

Alex I. Albani is an architect, a CAD/BIM specialist, and an academic with over 22 years of combined international experience. He began his career teaching computer applications in architecture at the University of California at Berkeley where he earned both his M. Arch and M.A. in Design. He continued on after graduation as a CADD/BIM specialist and a store designer for multinational corporations, which included Gap Inc., Louis Vuitton, and Mexx. He began teaching CADD part time at the American University in Dubai (AUD) while on a BIM consulting assignment for Dubai Festival City and joined full time with the purpose of introducing BIM into academia.

Alex gained valuable CADD/BIM and design/build experience working on projects that ranged from creating and driving design/construction standards and policies to phasing upgrades and managing smooth technology focused transitions across Europe, Japan, and the Middle East. His CADD portfolio includes Gap stores designed and built in the UK, France, Germany, and Japan between 1999 and 2004. His Middle East design/build portfolio includes Mexx flagships designed and built in Casablanca, Beirut, Riyadh, and Dubai between 2005 and 2007. All international projects were designed and built to streamlined branding guidelines. His architecture portfolio between 1996 and 2007 includes residential, civic, and office projects.

Alex’s contributions in academia include the ICD (Integrated Computational Design) emphasis in interior design and the introduction of BIM as a core subject in architecture at AUD. He developed 6 new courses, 3 became core required and 3 became professional electives. He was also responsible for AUD’s MoU with Autodesk and for setting up AUD as the only academic Autodesk / Certiport Authorized Certification Center in the Middle East. He actively promotes BIM professional certification and BIM as the new form of practice to his students and to the regional AEC industry through AUD’s Design Centre as well as the Emirates BIM user group and other BIM related associations. He is a frequent speaker and contributor at local BIM related events and the administrator of the Autodesk Certified Professional exams at AUD. Alex has also taken on the role of NCARB Architecture Licensing & Registration Advisor at AUD and this has opened opportunities in international best practices, expanded reciprocity, and mutual recognition among nations. Alex is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects, a BIM Revit for Architectural Design Certified Professional, and an Autodesk Certified Instructor. He is a recipient of the AUD President’s Award for Teaching Excellence as well as the AUD Provost’s Award for Innovative Teaching, both in the area of Digital Design and Fabrication Technologies.