Who We Are

U+A is an innovative international multidisciplinary design practice that was founded in 2006 by Chartered Architects Pedram Rad and Pierre Martine Dufresne. Led by their combined 40-year global experience, they gained from countries in the Asia Pacific, North America, and the Middle East. U+A has grown into an award-winning brand with offices and reach in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, Riyadh and Montreal.

U+A’s award-winning design team brings expertise in various disciplines, from Architecture and Interior Design to Master planning, Landscape Design, and Construction Supervision. Our team has a reputation for delivering imaginative and mold-breaking designs. Beyond architectural and design services, U+A further assumes the responsibility of the consultant to its clients and offers insight and foresight in project development. The integrity and principled fashion in which the team of specialists work is largely why the firm’s reputation within the region is highly regarded and why the firm continues to win multiple awards for its designs.
U+A prides itself on being at the forefront of design innovation and has worked on some of the most prominent real estate developments in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

U+A prides itself for being at the forefront of design and innovation, and for its growing team of highly qualified individuals who handle each project with a broad skillset and creative know-how.

Our Philosophy

All our projects draw their purpose and design ethic from our commitment to enrich people’s lives and the world we live in. Pierre Martin Dufresne, Partner and Design Principle at U+A .

We adopt a sensible and practical approach to the framework of every project. Both aesthetic as well as technical considerations across all levels – Architectural, Interior Design, Master Planning, Landscape, or Construction Supervision – are addressed right from the very beginning.

Underpinning the firm’s success is its team of passionate, creative, and experienced specialists that combine global knowledge with local expertise. U+A architects, Interior designers, and engineers always strive to enhance the relationship between community and identity to others through aesthetically strong functional spaces.

Our design philosophy also commits to bettering the built environment by incorporating a robust framework for sustainable excellence. Passionate about collaboration and open communication, U+A supports and empowers its client’s briefs. We execute brief’s in a detail-orientated and precise manner. We are committed to design and construct projects in a feasible and environmentally viable way.

We advance a vision of clarity and generosity in each project that is founded in strong global design principles. U+A seeks to achieve synthesis of design, functionality and context on every project.

Award Winning

U+A is an award-winning international design practice that has established global and regional recognition for multiple projects and initiatives. We have won numerous awards in the Middle East, and we strive to create more great designs that are informed by evidence, a clear vision and that will add lasting value.

We are Daring

We are Innovative

We are Principled

We are United