JOHN KIM is a design director, founding principal, and practice leader for mixed-use destination developments, master planning and hospitality projects of AE7. John delivers intensity and passion for the creative process. His ability to harness innovative and strategic thinking with the design process transforms the built environment into an experiential masterpiece, a key for any destination developments.

As one of the founding partners of AE7 and design director for master planning, destination development and hospitality studios, John Kim delivers intensity and passion for the creative process. His ability to harness innova tive and strategic thinking with the architectural design process transforms the built environment into an experiential masterpiece, a key for any destination develop ments. His ability to craft appropriate design solutions and architecturally create a story has provided Dubai with iconic projects like the Dubai Water Canal, District One, and Palm Jumeriah Sofitel Hotel, as well as the Five Luxe Hotel in JBR under construction. His ability to harness innovative and strategic thinking with the design process transforms the built environment into an experiential masterpiece, a key for any destination development.

His talent to craft appropriate design solutions and architecturally create a story for each project has garnered him international accolades and awards, as well as being published in major publications.

design-middleeast.com 21 He is currently working on several significant projects such as the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, which won the Gold WAN award, the new luxurious Corinthia Hotel on Gewan Island in Qatar and the expressive scalloped roofed yacht currently under construction on the Pearl Island also in Qatar. In addition to these projects, John is working on several commissions in the Middle East in developing large communities that incorporate the key principles of smart cities and providing future-proof solutions to the next generation of lifestyle developments.

Born in Seoul, Korea and educated in the Hong Kong and US, John’s career spans over 30 years as creative and design director, for major architecture, exhibit design and communication firms, providing architecture, design, advertising, marketing, and creative management experience solutions. John graduated from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University and his creative influence comes from living in the US, Hong Kong, Australia, Korea, and Dubai. His insights and unique take on design comes from travel and experiencing the world, along with curiosity for future technologies to enhance the creative process.

As part of masterplanning studio’s process, BIM and other computational strategies are utilised to develop new building forms and neighborhood configurations that redefine block morphology, creating distinctive community patterns. In addition to utilising the latest in design technologies, John’s planning process includes the market and financial feasibility for each project, as part of his sustainability approach the three key factors of social, environmental, and economic sustainability must be met to ensure success and viability of any development.

The future of design will be harnessing both artificial intelligence and tradition as an organic strategy, each blurring the line and influencing each other to create a hybrid design that will represent the past, present, and tomorrow, becoming truly timeless. Capturing the imagination and making people believers of a brighter experience is what good design can achieve and that is the goal of every project AE7 creates.