Studio
Eight people. One bench. No offices.
Founded 2016 in Dubai Design District. Small on purpose: every project gets a partner's hands, not a partner's signature.
Partners
Yusuf Al SayeghPartner
Trained in Sharjah and at the AA in London; worked six years on cultural projects in the Gulf before founding RAKN in 2016. Leads design and carries the site boots.
Marta DuartePartner
Porto-trained, with a decade in practice between Portugal and the Emirates. Leads the technical work — sections, thermal strategy, and the details that decide whether a drawing survives a summer.
How we work
- 01
Listen & measure
We start with the site's sun, wind and noise measured, and your brief interrogated — often the cheapest move is a smaller building.
- 02
Design in section
Shade, mass and air move in section, not in plan. You'll see honest models and one strong idea, not thirty options.
- 03
Document properly
Full drawings and specifications a contractor can price without guessing. Ambiguity on paper becomes money on site.
- 04
Stay through construction
We attend site weekly and hold the design through procurement — the phase where good buildings usually die.
Recognition
- Sharjah Public Shade Competition — First prize, 2024 (Falaj Pavilion)
- Dubai Adaptive Reuse Commendation, 2023 (Warehouse 09)
- Gulf Housing Award — Shortlist, 2024 (Mashrabiya Rowhouses)
New work
Bring us a plot, a shed, or a courtyard that bakes.
We take on a handful of projects a year and say so honestly when we’re full. First conversations cost nothing and often end with us recommending less building than you asked about.