Ghassan E. Jahchan, A.I.A, NCARB

Mustang-HDP–Saudi Arabia: A&E GES+ firm (Khobar, KSA)
Head-of-Department; Department Manager October 2012- Present

Main responsibilities: Head of Department/Department Manager, overlooking administrative tasks such as: staff scheduling, standards, methodologies & KPIs, as well as the technical training & interfacing aspects of the department. Responsible for all design decisions and quality assurance & in charge of for 32 architects, designers and draftsmen. When requested by Saudi Aramco & other clients to (personally) work on their projects, I initiate complex planning & designs for their review and approval. Once approved, I carry the design thru DD & specification stage with my senior architects. Reviewing & preparing DBSP & SOW; Preparing financial & technical comparison charts for proponent/FPD use, assessing the project’s program, VS cost of various options, in order to assist SAPMT/Proponents & clients obtain proper approvals from FPD and/or financial institutions. Mustang-HDP (MHDP) is one of four GES+ A&E Firms that is approved by Saudi-Aramco (SA). The main projects I am currently responsible for are: EWPSs 3,6 & 10, Jezan ISF/IGCC (from design to interfacing of 84 different size buildings), Shybah Crude Oil Refinery; Bulk-Plants Standardization Program for SA; the design of all 11 Mosques at the new stadiums Kingdom wide; King Faisal Specialty Hospital (KFSH) in Riyadh. Well verse in all building and model codes such as: SA & IBC/IFC/ADA, and aware of local Saudi zoning as well.

  • 11 Stadium project throughout the Kingdom, where I am responsible for all TCFs, interfacing & the designing of all 11 Mosques to fit different stadium facades, as they are designed by OOK consultants.
  • Jezan ISF located in Jezan Economic City (JEC). Responsible for interfacing at GIM#3 in Japan, preparing value engineering comparison of the underground walkway VS above ground on behalf of SAPMT, to be presented to FPD. Designed all major buildings in the ISF area. Assisted Interface manager with various architectural & site utilities issues. Participated at the 3rd. GIM in Japan which helped mitigate 1000+ outstanding interface issues down to 30+.
  • King Faisal Specialty Hospital & Research Center, located in Riyadh, consisting of two parts:
  • Family Housing Complex: Responsible for designing & QA/QC of 14- 6 story residential mid-rise buildings, 1 amenity & 1 Daycare Center (Smart) buildings
  • Single Female  Housing Complex: Responsible for designing 8 (6 & 10) story residential mid-rise buildings, with basements & amenity pools
  • General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) in Jeddah. An iconic building, inspired by airplane wings, located next to Jeddah Sports City Stadium. Responsible of leading a design and technical team up to and including detailed construction documentation & interfacing with other engineering. Led team of 5 assisting architects. 
  • Al-Janadriyeh Exhibition Facility, Riyadh. Responsible for technical project management & QAQC.
  • Pump-Stations 3,6 & 10 compounds at Shybeah, that will be used to house SA employees, in a comfortable and highly efficient environment, utilizing the latest building technologies. Total number of bldgs.at all sites totaling 21 residential and 3 community centers with landscaping which is indigenous to the area


AFM Consultants, architects, planners & engineers, (Khobar, KSA)
A&E Design & Technical Director  2009 - October 2012

Main responsibilities: Implemented Standards & Methodology. Trained existing & new staff in technical & code issues. Overlooked all design aspects of all projects. Controlled (line-by-line) QAQC throughout the life of the project; Coordinated with all engineering disciplines to ensure compliance with the design intent; Supervised site utility projects & supervised Lead architects & their draftsmen, to ensure adherence to industry codes & standards.

  • Nama, Tasnee, Marafiq & Samsung—Civil & site utility extension in Jubail City KSA: Managed in Civil engineers for the addition of civil site utilities, where none  currently existed.
  • Al-Nakeel Hi-Rise tower consists of 16,000 sq. mtr. 16 stories, iconic 4 star hotel tower, located in Khobar Corniche
  • Samir Group, mid-rise office building consisting of 8000 sq. mtr. 8 stories, to house the E.P Headquarters of Samir Group  
  • “Suhaimi-Mixed-Use” project consisting of 337,000 sq.mtr.  9 different towers ranging from 7 to 21 story hi-tech “green” office tower, hotel & Hi-End condo buildings, in Dammam, KSA
  • Nama, Tasnee, Marafiq & Samsung site utility extension: Architectural & Civil project
  • “Gosaibi” Headquarters office bldg. @ 10,000 sq.mtr. Riyadh, KSA. Sustainable 4 story building, with double “green” roof areas, to lower the “Heat-Island” effect
  •  “SABTANK”, Admin. Building consists of 11,000 sq. mtr. 3 story with “Extensive” type- Sika green roof and jogging track.
  • Private Residence, sustainable, ultra-modern, 2800 sq. mtr. utilizing, “Thermal-Mass”, wind power, “grey-water” circulation system, low water consuming landscaping, Hi-“Albedo” around the building , to minimize the effect of “Micro-climate”. This house will be LEED certified, in the KSA, once it is built.
  • 3- Private residences, in Al Hessa, ultra-modern, located on a farm, utilize earth as “Thermal-Mass”, oriented to gain the least amount of heat during the summer and the most during the winter. Set up to be qualified to have LEED certification.

The Interfield Group Inc. (Houston, Texas)
Design Principal 1998 – 2009 (A&E firm, established the architectural department)

Main responsibilities: Acquired & maintained new & existing clients, Implemented Standards & Methodology; reviewed technical & code issues with City Of Houston permit & fire departments; overlooked all design aspects of all projects. Controlled quality assurance; Coordinated with all engineering disciplines to ensure compliance with the design intent; Supervised project architects & Lead architects & their draftsmen, to ensure adherence to industry codes & standards. Inspected projects during the construction phase.

  • 37,000 sq. ft. 3 story hi-tech “green” office building, in Shenandoah, Texas
  • 79,000 sq. ft. 8 story residential tower in Montrose area, the Tremont Tower, Houston, Texas
  • Design consulting in the schematic phase for a $310 million “Four Season Hotel" in Westbay, Qatar
  • Design consulting in the schematic phase for a $220 million “West Bay Mixed Use” project in Qatar
  • 23,000 sq. ft. 2 story class A+ building located at 8901 Gaylord in Houston, Texas
  • 57,220 sq. ft. 5 story 3½ star hotel located in New Llano, Louisiana
  • 24,000 sq. ft. 3 story class A+ building, qualified for LEED, located in Shenandoah, Texas
  • 17,000 sq. ft. 3 story class A building, located at 26014 Oak Ridge in Woodlands Texas
  • 172,000 sq. ft. warehouse and 6,000 sq. ft. modern 2 story office space with tilt wall construction
  • 30,000 sq. ft. “New Life Church” with a gymnasium located in Houston, Texas
  • Over 6 Mosques ranging from conversion to ground-up construction
  • 43,000 sq. ft. modern addition to “Castle Furniture” on Fondren & Westpark, in Houston, Texas
  • Over 43 convenience stores, between 3,500 - 6,600 sq. ft. with fast food & drive-in windows
  • Over 50 shopping centers ranging from 5,000 - 225,000 sq. ft.
  •  Designed many townhouses in the Central Business District plus a 21,773 sq. ft. $4 million+ Villa
  • 13,000 sq. ft. repair shop & 2 story modern office space, “Toyo-Lex” Kuykendahl & FM1960
  • Over 80 office/warehouse buildings ranging from 3,000 - 130,000 sq. ft.
  • Established standard procedures for both management & design libraries

Levinson Associates, LLP (Houston, Texas)
Associate/Senior Architect 1996 – 1998 (Schematics through Construction Documentation)

Main responsibilities: Led the firm as the main senior design and project architect working on our client’s corporate image setting their design criteria for their many “power-Centers” in Florida and Texas. Overlooked and assisted the project architects in all design aspects of the projects. Controlled the design intent and details throughout the project’s life cycle.

  • Assisted “Walgreens” drugstores in changing their image nationwide
  • Designed 650,000+ sq. ft. Power Center “The Fountains On The Lake” in Stafford, Texas, which won 1999 AIA Inventiveness Award & 1999 Prism Award
  • Designed “Sterling Bank” branch in Stafford, Texas @ “The Fountains On The Lake”
  • Designed over 10 Power Centers in Florida State, each over 120,000 sq. ft.
  • Conceptualized two national design competitions and worked on the ICSC materials

Willis, Bricker Architects, Inc. (Houston, Texas)
Senior Designer/Project Architect 1994 – 1996 (Schematics through Construction Documentation)

  • Nations bank buildings ranging from 3,500 - 6,000 sq. ft.
  • City Of Houston “Parks To Standards” (ADA compliant parks) spanning over 120 parks
  • “Glazer Warehouse” headquarters approximately 45,000 sq. ft.

Kelly, Clayton & Mojesizek Architects, Inc. (Baltimore, Maryland)
Senior Designer/Project Architect 1990 – 1994 (Schematics through Construction Documentation)

  • Nations Bank and Provident Bank buildings (13 total) ranging from 4,300 - 6,600 sq. ft.
  • Rossiville Medical Center: 4 story medical office building
  • Remodeling/retrofitting of the Head Trauma Center @ Maryland General Hospital
  • Remodeling & Retrofitting of the Labor & Delivery Center @ Maryland General Hospital
  • 7-6 Plex “Lowes” movie theaters in Washington, Virginia & Baltimore

Design International (Baltimore, Maryland)
Junior Designer/Renderer, Model Builder & Job Captain 1988 - 1990

  • Worked under John Clark AIA & John Larson AIA on The “Coco-Walk” in Coconut Grove” Florida which won the 1990 “AIA Inventiveness Award
  • “The Singapore Form” mall in Singapore, under Medardo Cadiz AIA
  • “The Kauffman Mall” in Pennsylvania
  • Worked on a total of 8 Malls & around 25 Regional & Power Centers
  • Worked on “Baltimore Yacht Club” schematics and presentation for a local developer.



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