The KT+150 listmaker has launched a new business and will now return to the programme as a judge for the Art and Design category.
Last year, Omayma El Aakel was one of the young creative names recognised by the inaugural KT+150 list. This year, the Barcelona-born architect is returning to the programme from the other side of the table, as a judge for the Art and Design category.
In the year since being recognised as an “artrepreneur”, El Aakel has taken another significant step in her career. She is now the founder and CEO of design and research studio OEA Architects, where she is developing her approach to architecture, art and design into an independent business.
The move represents something of a full circle moment for the architect, who says her recognition on the KT+150 list gave her additional confidence to focus on building her own studio.
From KT+150 Listmaker to Judge
El Aakel remembers being selected for last year’s list as an exciting moment, particularly because the recognition reflected the connection she tries to create between art and architecture.
“It was super exciting for me when I made it to the list for bringing art into my architecture,” she said.
She also valued the opportunity to meet other young people from different parts of the world who were pursuing their own creative ambitions.
At the time, her studio was still in its early stages. The recognition encouraged her to put greater focus into developing the business and pursuing larger opportunities.
“After that, I felt a bit more push to focus on it,” she said. “Now, I’m trying to get collaborations with developers and get some big projects. At the moment, it’s going well.”
Her return to KT+150 this year brings a very different responsibility. Rather than waiting to find out whether she would make the list, El Aakel will help identify the creative talent that could make it.
“When I was invited to be a judge, I was thrilled and jumped at the chance,” she said. “It’s being on the other side. I will get an opportunity to meet new people who want to make it to the list.”
As a judge, she says she wants to find people with a distinctive creative direction across areas including art, architecture and specialised fields.
“I want to see what they are focused on,” she said. “I want to filter those creative, special profiles and help them make the list.”
Why El Aakel Chose Dubai
El Aakel moved from Barcelona to Dubai after being drawn to the scale and ambition of the city’s built environment.
She felt that Dubai offered opportunities to work on larger and more ambitious projects than those she had encountered in Spain.
“In Spain, we have projects, but small scale,” she explained. “The buildings here were really exciting and innovative. So, I thought, why not try working here?”
Her career in Dubai included working with major developers before she eventually decided to establish her own practice.
Today, OEA Architects describes itself as a Dubai and Barcelona-based architecture and design studio focused on creating spaces where architecture and art come together. Its work includes luxury residential, hospitality, and mixed-use design.
Bringing Art Back Into Architecture
Art has remained central to El Aakel’s approach to architecture. Her background in Barcelona, a city known for its distinctive architectural character, has influenced the way she looks at buildings and public spaces.
She believes architecture can lose something when speed and commercial considerations take priority over artistic expression.
“Coming from Barcelona, I grew up in a city full of detailed, artistic architecture,” she said. “In Dubai, many real estate companies are in a hurry to just build and sell, so in some places, we are losing the artistic part.”
Her response is to treat the design process almost like an artist approaching a blank canvas.
“Every time I draw a building, I see it as a white canvas, almost like a painting,” she said. “Buildings stay for generations. They are sculptures and artworks.”
That philosophy is also reflected in OEA Architects’ own positioning. The studio describes architecture as “art, a sculpture we live in”, with its work bringing together form, light, materials and the experience of the people who inhabit a space.
Advice for the Next Generation
As she moves from being recognised to helping recognise others, El Aakel says young architects and designers should resist the temptation to reproduce someone else’s style.
Her advice is straightforward: give yourself time to discover what makes your work distinct.
“Let it flow and discover your style,” she said. “It might take a while for you to find your own voice, but don’t copy others. Just focus on finding your own vision.”
That message also captures the trajectory of her own year. From being recognised for combining architecture with art to building an independent studio and now evaluating other emerging creative talents, El Aakel’s KT+150 journey has moved from participation to leadership.
Her next role on the programme allows her to help put the spotlight on the kind of original thinking that shaped her own path.
Omayma El Aakel. Photo: Omayma El Aakel
Source: KT
