Regarded as one of the Middle East’s most prestigious celebrations of architectural excellence, the awards recognise individuals, teams and projects shaping the built environment across the region. Paolo was selected from a competitive field of practitioners, underscoring his design leadership and impact across the sector.
“The Middle East continues to set the pace for large-scale urban development, which brings greater responsibility and requires a broader view of how a place is positioned, how it functions and how it can evolve over time as conditions change,” said Paolo.
“My focus has been on connecting early strategic thinking with how projects are delivered over time.”
ERA-co was also awarded the Masterplan of the Year for the Al Jada Masterplan.
“The Al Jada is a large-scale urban development in Sharjah that redefines urban living. Our approach focussed on enhancing quality of life and ensuring that access to the amenities and neighbourhood is convenient. This required a clear framework at the outset, with enough flexibility to respond as it progressed. Maintaining that balance has been central to how the project has evolved with Arada over time, and we are proud of this recognition,” Paolo added.
In addition to these wins, ERA-co was shortlisted across multiple categories, including Multi-Disciplinary Consultancy of the Year, Innovative Consultancy Firm of the Year, Best Future Project and Mixed-use development of the year.
These outcomes reinforce ERA-co’s growing presence in the region and the role of its Urban Design and Masterplanning team in delivering large-scale projects in a rapidly evolving market.