Powerlist Architects 30: BASEL TACHWALI CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MANAGER DUPOD
Basel Tachwali is a young architect who is driven by his love of design and enthusiasm for innovation. He is always challenging and evolving project execution techniques.
Tachwali began his career at DuBox as an intern, devoting all of his time to the research of the digital and industrial realms of construction, giving him a unique perspectiveon modular construction. His mentor recognised his drive to driving change in the construction industry, and today he is a continuous improvement manager at DuPod, Amana’s newest modular building subsidiary, where he will be responsible for research and development, digital integration, and product innovation.
DuBox, which has been a regional leader in concrete off-site modular construction since 2012 and is a hub for innovation and technology, functioned as a skill incubator, giving Tachwali the exposure he needed to build a strong technical foundation in the business.
During his time in DuBox, Tachwali worked in several roles in both factory operations and engineering, learning the ins and outs of the modular system from design to execution.
Modular construction is a hub for technology integration allowed Tachwali to be acquainted with various industry advancements including concrete 3D printing, virtual design and construction, DFMA, and the process of industrialising construction, all of which will later help him in his roles at DuPod.
Working on DuBox’s engineering team allowed Basel to contribute to 30 projects totalling 300,000sqm of built up area, as well as liaise with reputable clients like as The Red Sea Development Company, Al Wasl, and Meraa.
He was instrumental in the creation of award-winning projects known for their innovation and sustainability, such as The Coastal Village Residence by The Red Sea Development Company, for which DuBox was named sustainable project of the year 2020 at Big Projects Middle East and Technology Champion of The Year by Big Project Awards 2021.
By 2020, Basel was managing DuPod’s engineering department, which specialised in hybrid (steel & precast) modular manufacturing, including utility pods, retail pods, F&B pods, and stand-alone structures.
Using his DuBox experience and skills, and with the help of a skilled team of architects, designers, and engineers, Basel was able to quickly build DuPod’s engineering department and implement efficient DFMA procedures optimised for modular construction.
Tachwali was nominated for several prominent prizes during his time at DuPod, and he was named Young Talent of the Year (Highly Commended) by Design Middle East in 2021.
Today, DuPod is recognised for its innovation in the field of construction and its enablement of construction technologies, obtaining various prestigious awards including Product Innovation of The Year by Big Project Awards 2021.