Specialisations: Architecture, Interior Architecture, Hospitality, High-Rise and Sustainable Design
Studio: Killa Design
Founded: 2015
Shaun Killa is an award-winning architect whose career has become closely associated with Dubai’s transformation into a global centre for contemporary architecture. Originally from South Africa, Killa has spent much of his professional career in the UAE and brings more than two decades of experience to his work.
Before establishing Killa Design in 2015, he spent more than 16 years with Atkins in Dubai, where he became Regional and Global Director of Architecture. During this period, he contributed to a number of major projects across the region, including the Burj Al Arab, Dubai Opera, Almas Tower and the Bahrain World Trade Centre.
Killa established his own practice in Dubai with a clear ambition: to create architecture that combines innovation, environmental responsibility and strong visual identity. The studio quickly gained international attention through projects including the Museum of the Future and Address Beach Resort.
Killa’s architecture is characterised by expressive forms, advanced technology and a strong emphasis on environmental performance. Sustainability is integrated into the design process rather than treated as an additional feature, with buildings conceived to respond to their climate, surroundings and users.
His work also reflects an interest in creating architecture that becomes part of the identity of a city.
Selected Projects
Museum of the Future, Dubai
Dubai Opera, Dubai
Address Beach Resort, Dubai
Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Dubai
Office of the Future, Dubai
Shebara Resort, Saudi Arabia
