With over 19 years of experience in the profession, Islam El Mashtooly is a regionally and internationally recognised architect, urbanist, and educator. He is committed to design that supports and enhances communities, with a philosophy that emphasises harmony within context, as well as the climate, culture, and traditions of the MENA region. The success of small to large-scale developments across multiple typologies demonstrates his technical expertise and innovative design approach.

In 2021, Mashtooly’s architectural concept for “JANNAT MASJID” won in the “Future Projects” category at the highly prestigious World Architecture Festival Awards. The project was chosen as the winner in a category with over 550 finalists dedicated to celebrating excellence. It was designed as a place of peace that exudes unity while also embracing inclusion and diversity. 2022 marked the fourth year Islam has won a category at the WAF, following Residential Building of the Year in 2016 and Baghdad design centre in 2018, making him one of the region’s fastest-growing and most-celebrated Arab architects.

Mashtooly was a leader in creating OBMI’s vertical resort concept, AERA, alongside the firm’s teams worldwide, using his expertise in urban environments and willingness to push the boundaries in design. Rather than creating a horizontal experience, as is common in traditional resorts, this ambitious vertical concept creates a private island oasis in the middle of a city.

Mashtooly has retained his position in the top 50 Most Influential Architects in the Middle East for seven consecutive years. He has continually been nominated for regional and international architecture awards, winning the United International Architects Award in Baku for two years in a row.

Among the notable projects are the Luxury Palace Boutique Hotel, Heritage Luxury Resort Hotel in KSA, Shelter on the Edge in Syria, and Etihad Airways HQ in Abu Dhabi.