Claudia Juhre has embarked on an adventurous and vibrant journey in landscape architecture and urban design since the early 1990s, accumulating a wealth of internationally executed projects and academic achievements. With an enduring passion for innovation and a keen eye for contemporary trends, Claudia arrived in the thriving construction industry of the MENA region in 2023. As the leader of Studioi’s young and dynamic landscape department, she proudly infuses her extensive design ethos into the multi-disciplinary firm, founded in Dubai in 2014.

As a dedicated ambassador for landscape architecture, Claudia has built her career on the foundation of sustainability and liveability, fostering a deep connection with nature. Her academic journey began with a Postgraduate Degree in Garden and Landscape Architecture in the UK and Belgium. After five years of professional practice and successfully attaining her CMLI qualification in London, she returned to academia to pursue a Dual Master’s in Urban Sociology, a program shared between the Bauhaus and Tongji University in Shanghai.

Claudia’s professional career took off in Shanghai, where she swiftly rose to the position of Director at L&A, now one of the largest landscape companies in mainland China. In Hong Kong, she partnered with Blend Architecture, working on community-driven planning projects, including brownfield regeneration, stormwater design, and slow traffic strategies. Concurrently, she served as an Associate Professor at Hong Kong University, contributing to the Masters in Urban Design and Landscape Architecture program. Her dedication to research led to her role as co-publisher of two urban design research books on factory towns in the Pearl River Delta, published by Hong Kong University Press.

Claudia’s diverse project portfolio includes small urban interventions, expansive park designs, master planning, post-disaster reconstruction, slow traffic planning, highdensity commercial developments, and luxury residential projects. Since joining Studioi, she has embraced the opportunity to expand the newly established landscape team into a key player within the MENA region.

Within two years, the team expanded from just a handful of members to twenty-five staff from nine different nationalities, including a newly established office in Egypt, with further growth driven by client demand.

A key milestone for Studioi’s landscape team was securing the design and construction supervision for Ghaf Woods, a pioneering project by Majid Al Futtaim in Dubai. This landmark development features a native Ghaf forest, with residences nestled beneath a cooling tree canopy—positioning landscape architecture as the driving force behind this new sustainable community typology in the UAE. Other notable projects under Claudia’s leadership include SHA Wellness Island in Abu Dhabi, featuring a boutique hotel and high-end residences set against the pristine white beach shorelines of the emirate. Recently, Studioi’s landscape team celebrated the groundbreaking of the Marsa Zayed Development in Jordan with Abu Dhabi Ports. Designed with a deep understanding of local culture, the master plan fosters a tactile and thoughtful environment for the growing population of Aqaba, a vital Red Sea city.

With her extensive expertise in both urban design and landscape architecture, Claudia acts as a key connector between architecture, landscape, and engineering, always striving for the most sustainable and aesthetically refined solutions. This holistic approach aligns seamlessly with Studioi’s overarching vision and mission for the future.

Claudia remains committed to professional growth and knowledgesharing. In 2024, she was a keynote speaker at the Architecture of the Future Summit and continues to collaborate with the American University of Sharjah’s Architecture Department as a guest critic and lecturer. Reflecting on her career, she shares:

“When I studied landscape architecture in the late 90s, we were outliers in construction—there were few jobs and little belief in the importance of nature in urban environments. Cities were concretedominated and automobile-centric, while landscape design was associated with rural living. Today, landscape architecture has become one of the fundamental pillars of successful projects. Green open spaces now form the heart of thriving communities, and cities brand themselves as ‘the most liveable’ by prioritising outdoor environments that combat climate change and enhance well-being. Especially in a hot climate like the UAE, it is vital to work with natural conditions to create comfortable outdoor spaces for Dubai’s growing population. At Studioi, we are pushing boundaries, applying innovative solutions across design, engineering, and construction to amplify the impact of landscape architecture,” says Claudia Juhre.

Today, Studioi boasts a team of 500 professionals across multiple countries, dedicated to excellence. The firm has secured contracts with esteemed clients such as Nakheel, Emaar, Imkan, Dubai Properties, Discovery Land Group, Diriyah Gate Development Authority, Red Sea Global, Abu Dhabi Ports, and Shams Sharjah.