Abu Dhabi: Egyptian Dr. Abdul Rahman Makhlouf, the legendary master planner behind Abu Dhabi who worked with the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, died on Tuesday. He was 98.
Eng. Dr. Makhlouf understood the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed well, and contributed to the creation of an identity for the one of the cities of the future. Dr Makhlouf is the founder of the Abu Dhabi planning department, the architect behind designing the Sheikh Zayed Stadium and the old central market in the city of Al Ain.
Dr Makhlouf planned the capital’s grid system while sitting cross-legged on the floor with the country’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed at Qasr Al Bahr.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces tweeted, "I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Dr. Abdulrahman Makhlouf, who worked closely with the late Sheikh Zayed and was instrumental in the planning and design of Abu Dhabi’s urban environment. May he rest in peace."
As the man who was behind designing and planning Abu Dhabi, Dr. Makhlouf won the Abu Dhabi Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Abu Dhabi.
Dr Makhlouf studied Architecture at Cairo University, following which he completed his postgraduate studies in Germany, and later obtained a PhD in town planning.
