MICHAEL DAWSON IS A REGISTERED ARCHITECT WITH A BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE DEGREE AND AN LLM IN CONSTRUCTION LAW.

HE WAS EDUCATED IN SOUTH AFRICA AND HAS GAINED A WEALTH OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HAVING WORKED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, CHINA, THE FAR EAST, AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST.

IN 2000 MICHAEL JOINED ARABTEC CONSTRUCTION AS A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER IN DUBAI.

HE JOINED GODWIN AUSTEN JOHNSON ARCHITECTS IN 2001 AS A SENIOR ARCHITECT AND WAS INVITED TO BE A PARTNER IN THE PRACTICE IN 2007.

HIS RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE PRACTICE INCLUDED MANAGING THE FIRM’S SHARJAH OFFICE, AND LATER LEADING THE EXPANSION OF THE PRACTICE’S PRESENCE IN QATAR.

MICHAEL WAS THE LEAD ARCHITECT IN THE COLLABORATION WITH HOPKINS ARCHITECTS ON THE PRESTIGIOUS GATE VILLAGE PROJECT PROVIDING BOTH PRE-CONTRACT & POST-CONTRACT LEADERSHIP. HIS OTHER EXPERIENCE AT GAJ INCLUDED AN ARRAY OF COMMERCIAL, LEISURE, SPORT & RESIDENTIAL-RELATED PROJECTS ACROSS THE UAE.
WITH A STRONG BACKGROUND IN BOTH CONTRACTING AND CONSULTING AND HAVING WORKED FOR BOTH CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES AND CONSULTANT PRACTICES, MICHAEL HAS DEVELOPED EXCELLENT DESIGN, TECHNICAL & DETAILED DOCUMENTATION SKILLS, SITE MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE AND A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, INCLUDING THE CONTRACTUAL MECHANISMS TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT BUILDINGS.

MICHAEL COMPLETED HIS MASTER’S DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION LAW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD IN MANCHESTER IN 2013.

IN 2014, MICHAEL STARTED HIS OWN ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE IN DUBAI WITH HIS WIFE CLAIR.

EXPERIENCE
2014 TILL THE PRESENT: MANAGING PARTNER, DAWSON ARCHITECTS, DUBAI, U.A.E.
2007 – 2014: PARTNER, GODWIN AUSTEN JOHNSON, DUBAI, U.A.E.
2001 – 2007: SENIOR ARCHITECT, GODWIN AUSTEN JOHNSON, DUBAI, U.A.E.
2000 – 2001: CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, ARABTEC CONSTRUCTION, DUBAI, U.A.E
1999 – 2000: PROJECT MANAGER, FLUOR DANIEL, XIAMEN,CHINA
1997 – 1999; PROJECT MANAGER, GAMMON CONSTRUCTION, SINGAPORE
1996 – 1997: SENIOR ARCHITECT, GEOFF MALONE ARCHITECTS, SINGAPORE
1995 – 1996: CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, VERMEYDU CONTRACTORS, WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA
1993 – 1995: ARCHITECT, MARIAS, PRETORIUS & WENHOLD ARCHITECTS, WINDHOEK,

NAMIBIA
1991 – 1993: ARCHITECT-IN TRAINING, KERRY MACNAMARA ARCHITECTS, WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA