Sahel Al-Hiyari is a Jordanian architect and painter. He was trained in architecture and fine arts at the Rhode Island School of Design, and received a master's degree in urban design from Harvard University; he later undertook doctoral studies in architecture at the University of Venice. He is the principal in the architectural firm Sahel Al-Hiyari and Partners; previously, he undertook design work with Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners) in Cairo, and Machado Silvetti Associates in Boston. During 2003, Mr. Al-Hiyari was the first architect honoured by the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, and thereafter worked closely with the architect Alvaro Siza in Portugal. Mr. Al-Hiyari's paintings have been exhibited in Jordan, Lebanon and Italy.
Renovation of a 1950s addition to a house, comprising a consultation space on the ground floor and the psychologist's private quarters on the upper floor. The terrazzo-tiled floor of the upstairs apartment was not changed but was covered with fitted Sisal matting. Several walls were added in order to provide insulation and conceal the structure (columns), which protruded into the space. The house was finished with a mixture of cement plastering and steel particles, and a system of exterior sliding steel panels was applied to provide seclusion and shade.
