Zainab Alireza

Based in Jeddah, Zainab is an Urban Designer with a keen interest in developing positive public experiences and engaging, inclusive design. She leads Allies and Morrison's studio which will be within the Al Balad UNESCO World Heritage Site. She brings to the practice a particular experience in the physical, cultural and social influences which shape urbanisation in the region.

A Jeddah native, Zainab holds a Master's in Housing and Urbanism from The Architectural Association School of Architecture and is a LEED Accredited Professional. She previously worked at an architecture practice in Seattle where she focused on large scale mixed use projects. She later moved to London to work with a large multi-disciplinary practice where she was a key member of the team on the Jeddah Structure Plan projects.

An advocate for capacity building and community development, she is on the Board of Friends of Jeddah Parks. More recently, she co-founded Takween Home of Design & Innovation, an interdisciplinary platform for educating children about design and the city. And Previously was the co-founder of Integrate Lab, which developed a public programme for the Saudi design community. She co-directed the Sustainable Cities Lab for Saudi female architects and planners, an innovative forum that explored how women can shape resilience, wellbeing and community development within the KSA Vision 2030.