Yousef Al-Haroun

Biography

Yousef Al-Haroun graduated from Tulane University in the United States and earned his PhD in Architecture from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom. He is a faculty member in the Department of Architecture at Kuwait University and manages his architectural practice, Illuminate (design + build), which he founded in 2008.

His research and professional expertise focus on sustainability and contemporary vernacular architecture. Through a mixed-methods approach, his work explores how vernacular architectural elements can be integrated into contemporary design to promote a more sustainable built environment while preserving cultural identity.

He has authored several books and published numerous academic papers on Kuwait's housing, mosque architecture, and urban cultural phenomena. He also writes a regular column in AlQabas newspaper advocating for better understanding and appreciation of architecture and design.