GAJ CELEBRATES 30
YEARS IN THE UAE
take his place as a partner in the fi rm, to which I immediately
said yes,” Johnson said. “We chose the name Godwin Austen
Johnson because my father’s architectural practice had been
called E Austen Johnson. It also sounded better than Godwin
and Johnson, and it implied there were more of us than there
were!”
The opportunity was incredible, added Johnson, but
unfortunately the summer of 1989 was also the beginning of a
major recession in the UK and the new partnership was badly
affected until it entered an international architectural competition
for the design of the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. GAJ’s
participation was based on Johnson’s experience in the region,
as he had been responsible for the design of the Emirates Golf
Club a few years earlier when he was managing partner of his
previous practice in Dubai.
After GAJ won the competition, Johnson immediately set
up new offi ce in Dubai. In the 30 years since, the practice
has delivered a number of projects across the hospitality,
education, leisure, residential and commercial sectors, as well
as masterplanning. It’s also expanded its services to include
interior design, specialist lighting and MEP.
The fi rm’s projects list includes the Royal Mirage (UAE), Jebel
Ali Golf Resort & Spa Hotel (UAE), Bab Al Shams (UAE), Al
Khawaneej Villa (UAE), as well as the masterplans for Muscat
Bay (Oman), Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), Chedi Khorfakkan (UAE),
and Makkah Land (KSA). GAJ has also recently announced it24 / BRAND VIEWAward-winning architecture and design practice, Godwin
Austen Johnson (GAJ), is celebrating 30 years in the Middle
East, marking three decades of successful, landmark projects
in the region and a bright future for its emerging architects.
Established by managing partner Brian Johnson in 1989,
who merged with Michael Godwin of Godwin and Cowper, a
UK fi rm that dates back to 1847, GAJ’s fi rst project in the Middle
East was the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, which would
open several years later in 1993 and become so iconic it’d be
emblemised on the 20 Dirham note.
“One day Michael told me that his partner John Cowper
was retiring, and out of the blue, he asked me if I would like toThe award-winning architecture and design practice celebrates three decades in the region
and looks ahead with excitementBrian JohnsonAl Bait, Sharjah Dubai Creek Golf Club