Dr. Zahran was appointed to Alexandria university, Faculty of engineer, department of architecture, in 1965, and is now Emeritus professor.
He was department head from 1994 to 1998. Dr. Zahran was seconded as professor at Beirut Arab University and became Dean of the Faculty of Architecture from 1978-1982.
Education
Born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt, Dr. Zahran received his B. Sc. in architecture cum laude at Ein Shams University in Cairo in 1958.
He continued his education in the United States, receiving a masters degree in architecture and urban design from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston in 1961, a master degree in Fine Arts from Princeton University in 1963, and finally a Ph.D. in Environmental planning at Princeton University in 1965.
He also received a TBTT certificate for remarkable engineering studies there, the following year he became a fellow for the Salzburg Seminars (1981); and a Fullbright fellow (1986).
- Princeton University , Princeton , N.J., U.S.A (1965)
Degree : Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture
Thesis : “New Settlements and Environmental Harmony” - Princeton University , Princeton , N.J., U.S.A (1963)
Degree : Master of Fine Arts in Architecture
Thesis : “Aspects of Permananet Architectural Values”
- Massachusetts Institute of Techonogy (M.I.T ) Cambridge , MA.
Degree : Master in Architecture with Honors (1962)
Thesis : “New Towns ; An Adaptable Urban Structure”
(Urban Design)
- Ein Shams University , Cairo , Egypt
Degree : Bachelor of Archtecture with Distinction and Honors (1959)
Dr. Zahran has been active in the comprehensive planning and urban development of greater Alexandria. He was Chairman of the Urban Planning Commission of the Governorate from 1983 to 2000, and responsible of the comprehensive Master Plan for Alexandria 2005, and supervised its updating to 2017. he was also responsible for the design and supervision of the execution of the Alexandria International Gardens. He performed all these public service gratis.
At the international professional level, Dr. Zahran has contributed to many international projects as an Expert and Consultant, especially to various United Nations organs like UNESCO, UNDP, UNEP, UNCHS , UNICEF, ECUA, ESCWA, UNCHBP. His work has earned him many international and local honorable prizes. Besides this he has also been a member of many international and local juries for architectural and urban development competitions. He has authored many book on architecture and urban planning in both Arabic and English.
PROFESSIONALY ,Dr. Zahran has received many national and international awards in honor of his achievements, including the Medal of Distinction of the First Order from Egypt for his work on Alexandria Planning, as well as the French “Legion d’Honour” for his work on the Bibliotheca Alexandria Project. He is a member of several professional and civic associations.
PROFESSIONALY ,Being appointed as advisor to the president of Alexandria University for the revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria Project D. Zahran was chosen as Reporter of the Preparatory Committee for the establishment of the Project at the University. He served on the Committee for the preparation of the Architectural Brief for the International Competition for the Design of the Library. He served as Deputy Chairman of the International Jury for the International Competition for the Architectural Design of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina .
Nationally, he was appointed as Executive Director of the General Organization for the Alexandria Library (GOAL) in February 1989, according to presidential Decree 523/88, which established the General Organization of the Alexandria Library. In 1992, Dr. Zahran was appointed Deputy Project Manager for the Bibliotheca Alexandria Project, to represent the Egyptian Government in the Project execution and implementation. In June 1995, he became the acting Project Manager upon the retirement of the Project Manager appointed by UNESCO, thus carrying out the full duties of two positions. He helped in the organization of international meeting, especially for the first meeting of the international Commission at Aswan on 12 February 1990.
During his tenure as Deputy Project Manager, and then Project Manager, he represented the Owner in the preparation for the execution for the award of the contracts for the Design and Engineering of the building, as well as in the Preparations for and the Decision Making Committee for the Tender Actions for Phase # 1 and Phase # 2 construction activities. His work including overseeing and monitoring the execution for the contracts, making sure the Contract Conditions were honored, the payment of invoices are made on time, and that progress was maintained according to the time schedule. He reported all implementation activities regularly to the Follow-up Committee appointed by the Minister for this purpose.
He has also overseen the library services, including building up of the collections, contacts with organizations, institutions in Egypt and abroad. He has ensured that the training of the librarians and other human resources are carried out in parallel with international standards by training in-house and abroad through scholarships, visitships, and internships. He has negotiated with many governments, organizations and institutions for the support of the library building, the new Information System, the Science Museum, the Planetarium, the Archaeological Museum, Calligraphy Museum. Consequently, he concluded 24 protocols on behalf of the Library, which provide financial and in-kind support for the Project, such as books, training, expertise and equipment. The total international financial support raised with his effort has amounted to about US$ 31.5 million. He has also helped the creation of Friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandria in eighteen countries, and followed up their activities and support of the Project through participation in their annual meeting and encouragement to maximize their efforts in support of the Project.
Honored by Alexandria University, by these awards:
1. The Scholastic Merit Award, 1988.
2. The Scientific Distinction Award, 2010.
3. The National Appreciation Prize for the Arts 2010.
4. The Alexandria University Appreciation Testimonial, Honored during the Scholarship Day on 27.7.2016
Posts and Positions
- Acadmic Positions
- Instructor,Faculty of Engineering-Ain Shams University 1958-1961
- Assistant Prof., Dept of Architecture-Alexandria University 1965-1972
- Associate Prof., Dept of Architecture-Alexandria University 1972-1977
- Professor of urban planning,Alexandria University 1977-1998
- Emeritus Professor,Alexandria University 1998-2003
- Dean,Faculty of Architecture,Beirut Arab University,Lebanon 1978-1982
- Seconded as Associate Professor to B.A.U. 1971-1975
- Member of the national board for the promotion of faculty members 1984-2002
- Visiting Professor of the high institute of public health,medical research,Faculty of fine arts,Faculty Nursing,faculty of Agriculture,Faculty of Urban Planning in Cairo University,Faculty of Eng. Ain SHams University 1975-1995
- Visiting professor of B.A.U,1982-1998
- Visiting professor at AUB, Beirut 1973-1975,1979-1982
- Visiting lecturer at Columbia University,New York,USA
- Visiting lecturer at Pratt Institute,New York city 1968
- Visiting lecturer at MIT 1968
- Visiting lecturer at Yale University 1968
- Member of masters and Ph.D. board of examiners 1975-2003
- Supervisor of masters and Ph.D. graduate program 1968-3003
- Member of the Faculty council 1994-1997
- Head of the Department of Architecture,University of Alexandria 1994-1997
- Posts and Position W.R.T the Alexandria library
- Member of the Preparatory committee for the revival of Alexandria Library 1985-1988
- Advisor to the President of Alexandria University on the Library project 1987-1988
- Deputy chairman of the Jury for the international architectural competition for the Bibliotheca Alexandria project
- Executive Director of the G.O.A.L. general organization of the Alexandria Library 1988-2001
- Deputy project manager of the B.A. project 1992-1995
- Project Manager of the B.A. project 1995-2001
- Chairman of the construction monitoring unit CCMU of the B.A. project
- Member of the follows upcommittee of the B.A. project 1996-2001
- Principal Advisor to the director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina 2001-2002
- Public Posts and Positions held in Alexandria Governorate
- Chairman of the higher consultative committee in the governorate 1987-1997
- Chairman of the Alexandria popular council planning and housing committee 1989-1994
- Chairman of the planning committee of Alexandria international 1987-1992
- Chairman of the urban design committee,planning commission 1982-1984
- Chairman of Alexandria planning commission 1984-2003
- Chairman of the planning and housing committee of the national democratic party,Alexandrina 1988-1987
- Chairman of the board of the Mamura company for housing development 1988-1993,1997-2000
- Member of the board of the Yacht club of Egypt 1984-1987
- Member and president of the Alexandria west Rotary club 1984-2003
- Member of the Egyptian Cultural club
- National posts and positions
- Member of the Architectural committee of the higher council of culture,Cairo
- Consultant to the Egyptian antiquities organization
- Member of the housing and planning committee,building research organization
- Member of the housing committee at the national academy of scientific research
- Member of the planning committee at the national academy of scientific research
- Member of Jury for the selection of winning design in international,national and local competitions
- Posts,positions and experience at the international level
- Consultant and expert at the UNDP
- Consultant and expert at the WHO,EMRO region
- Consultant and expert at Unesco
- Project manager of the Bibliotheca Alexandria project as an international civil servant
- Expert of Unesco
- Expert of UNEP
- Expert of ECWA/ASCWA
- Expert of ECA
- Expert of UNCEF
- Expert of UNCHBP
- nominator of the Agakhan prize for islamic architecture
- Salzburg seminar fellow
- Fulbright fellow
- Expert of UNCHS
- Member of the AIA
- Member of the Egyptian engineering syndicate
- Member of the Egyptian architectural association
- Member of the Libanise Public health association
- Consultant to the ministry of housing,Oman
- Consultant to the ministry of housing,Abu Dhabi
- Expert at the Gulf urban development institute
- Consultant to the Arab development institute,Beirut
Professional Practice Consultations
- Author of more than one hundred research papers and scholarly articles in international, regional and national symposiums, seminars, conferences and meetings.
- Participation in more than sixty meetings and seminars by giving lectures and interventions on topics of public and professional concern in the fields of Urbanization, Urban development, Environmental development, Tourism, Investments, Housing, Cultural activities, philosophy, Traffic ,Urban management, Urban systems, Design parameters, Library planning , Competitions, The Bibliotheca Alexandria, Revival of the Alexandria library.Past, present, and future among many other topics.
- Jury member to the architectural competition for the Greater Cairo Library conservation of Princess S.Kamel’s palace in Zamalek , Cairo (1991)
- Jury member to the architectural competition for the Pharmacology’s syndicate housing complex (1991)
- Jury member to the WHO annex architectural competition, Alexandria (1990)
- Vice president of the national architectural jury for the international architectural competition for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria
- Technical advisor to the president of the University of Alexandria for the revival of the ancient library of Alexandria
- Chairman of the committee for the planning and execution supervision of the Alexandria international Garden (1986-1992)
- Consultant and expert to various United Nations’ agencies: Unesco, CHBP, Habitat, WHO, ECWA, and UNEP
- Member of the Scientific Committee of the Arab Cities Organization and the Mediterranean Cities Organization
- Professional practice with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, NYC
- Private professional practice: urban planning, housing, museum, banks, hospitals, public buildings, etc. In the U.S.A., Nigeria, U.A.E. and Egypt
- Member of the popular Council of Alexandria Governorate and Chairman of the Housing and Planning Committee (1988-1990)
- Member of the National Democratic Party of the Alexandria Governorate and Chairman of the Party’s “Housing and Planning Committee”
- Chairman Alexandria Plan Implementation Commission (1985-present)
- Chairman, Alexandria International Garden Commission (1987 – 1993)
- Member of Executive Committee, Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria (1987 – 1998)
- Winner of Finalists in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization Competition (1983)
- U.A.R Post-Graduate Fellowship (United States) (1960-5)
- Profession employment with “Photogram Exhibitions” in Washington DC, Boston, Princeton and Alexandria.
He has been Editor in Chief of all Bibliotheca Alexandria publications, including a quarterly newsletter and many publicity materials in three languages since 1990, as well eleven other books about conservation of the rare works and manuscripts in Alexandria.
Member of the Engineering Faculty Council, Alexandria University,2003/4.
Member of the Urban Planning Committee of the National Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, 2004/5.
Chairman of the International Jury for the architectural Competition for the Urban Design of the new center for the City of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2004.
Referenced in the International Encyclopedias: WHO’S WHO IN THE WORLD, WHO’S WHO IN ENGINEERING, WHO, S WHO IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, WHO, S WHO IN THE ARAB WORLD,…
Elected as Fellow of the American Biogrophical Institute(ABI)
Chairman of the Jury of The National Competition for The Urban Development of Manshia Square, Alexandria CBD, 2011.
Chaiman of the Jury of The National Competition for Renewal of The Engineering Syndicate Club in Alexandria. 2012.
Chairman of the Juryof the National Competition the Engineering Syndicate Housing Project at The New Borg ElArab City , west of Alexandria.
Member of the Alexandria Governor’s Consultative Committee. 2011.
Chairman of Alexandria Planning Commission 1984-2010.
Rapporteur to the Revival of The Ancient Libraty of Alexandria Project, 1984-1988.
The First Director of The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, 1988-2001.
Project Manager of the Execution of thr Bibliotheca Alexandrina Project in collaboration with UNESCO, 1992-2001.
Principal Adviser to the director of The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, 2001-2002.
Awarded the ABI Certificate of Merit. Certificate of Achievment.
Selected as one of 5000 world Great Achievers, by the ABI
Awarded Alexandria university distinguished achievement prize 2010
Received national state excellence prize 2010
Awarded the National Medal of Distinction in the First order 1985.
Awaded Alexandria University The Academic Distinction Award, 2010.
Awardwd The National Appreciatin and Merit Prize , 2010.
Public Lectures on Architecture m Urban Planningm And Pursuit of Excellence in Alexandria University, Tha Arab Academy, Pharos University, and in Alexandria Rotary Clubs, as well as in the Engineering Syndicate in Alexandria
External Examiner in the Faculty of Architecture Beirut Arab University,1983-2014.
Dean of the Faculty of Archirecture, Beirut Arab University, 1978-1982.
Nominated by Alexandria University, Faculty of Engineering, for the National Nile Prize for the Arts in 2016
Designer and Planner of nearly future projects in Egypt , The Gulf area , Africa, U.S.A. ? from office Buildings , Housing, Hospitals, Museums , Banks, Sport facilities ,Villas, Mosques , Churches , Theaters , Restaurants, Parks ,monuments, plazas …….etc
