Muhannad Albasha is the founder and CEO of architectural firm Gravity Studio. Muhannad always wanted a job that allowed him to be creative but also challenged him. “I didn’t know what my calling was until I started to play the game Minecraft when I was young,” he remembers. “I didn’t play it for the quests. I just played it to build structures, and that was very satisfying.” He then began to look at buildings in a different way, motivating Muhannad to explore the field of architecture. “If you want to be successful in something, you need to love it and feel it. And when nine hours of working feels like only one hour, you are in the right place.
During his first year attending Ebla Private University, Muhannad sought advice from a student who graduated from his same field of Architecture. He asked what the field was like after graduation. “I wanted to know what would putting in five years of study and work get me. I was shocked when he told me he still hadn’t found a job six months after graduation,” he recalls. “He told me it was a competitive field, so I understood I couldn’t wait until I graduated to start to find my lines and build my portfolio.” That conversation motivated Muhannad to put in extra work, learn all the online programs he could, and to even begin working as a freelancer, all while still in his first year of study. This determination and understanding of the field allowed Muhannad to hone his unique style and specialty, and by his second year of college in 2016, he founded his own company.
Muhannad’s style can be described as deconstructivism and expressionist architecture. “I love to mix and use both expressionist, visual, and performing arts and structures that give the impression of the fragmentation of the constructed building commonly characterized by an absence of obvious harmony, continuity, or symmetry.” His inspiration also comes from nature. Muhannad says that he is amazed by how many details one can find in nature if you look at the design. “Even the smallest things in nature have a unique pattern that make them different from everything. When I start a project I try to understand how I can make it stand out and have a unique pattern that doesn’t fade away and be forgotten,” he says.
Part of his signature style also includes curved lines. Muhannad grew up in a place full of boxed structures, and the curved line elements adds “an emotional feel” to his designs. “Curves make the structures seem like they are flowing with the wind and not something hard on the eyes,” he says.
Using materials like wood, and steel, Muhannad focuses on construction that’s not just beautiful on the outside but functioning on the inside. “I always try to take my time with my designs and not give up on any idea. I advise everyone when you’re starting a design and you feel you can’t add any more, just take a break and start with fresh eyes on the second day.”
Muhannad and Gravity Studio are currently working on projects in South Sudan, Dubai, and Mozambique. “We are very excited to achieve amazing structures in the coming years. One of them will be the tallest high rise tower in Mozambique and a lot of mix-use projects.
To see more designs, visit the company’s website at gravitystudiolimited.com.
