Our Team – HCC SITE RESTORATION LLC

Team HCC

HCC Site Restoration Team

The HCC Site Restoration LLC. team has been gradually built up around its founder, Dr. Mahmoud Bendakir, architect – an international expert with more than 25 years of experience in the field of architectural and archaeological heritage conservation and in earthen building. Our multinational team comprises skilled architects and engineers. In addition, HCC has established an international network of qualified experts and consultants in the field of heritage conservation and earthen building.

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DR. MAHMOUD BENDAKIR

Heritage Architect – Mud Brick International Expert HCC CEO

Ph.D. in conservation of mud-brick archaeological sites from Sorbonne University, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris, France; Post-graduate (D.E.A), History and Archaeology at EPHE Sorbonne, Paris, France; Master’s Degree in Earthen Architecture from CRATerre-ensag research Center, [l’école nationale supérieure d’architecture de Grenoble, France]; and Architectural Degree from the Institute of Architecture and Urbanism of Constantine University, Algeria.

Architect Mahmoud Bendakir is an international expert and UNESCO consultant for several projects. He was also an active member of the International Center for Earth Construction – CRATerre for more than 16 years (between 1994 and 2010). Dr. Bendakir has worked for more than 25 years in the field of world heritage conservation and earthen construction. Between 1991 and 2010, he was a member of the CRATerre-ensag team and associate researcher at the Higher National School of Architecture of Grenoble. He was involved in several conservation programs and initiated different projects as a senior expert with the CRATerre-ensag International Center for Earthen Building; he has conducted important works in the field of conservation and earth construction worldwide. He has been a member of the French archaeological mission in Mari (Syria) for over 20 years, and directed the site conservation program there between 1991 and 2010. In addition, he has carried out academic research for more than 10 years and regularly runs international seminars and meetings in heritage conservation. He has published several books and articles in this field. In parallel, he carried out a number of expertise and training program missions as a consultant to international organizations such as UNESCO, ICOMOS, and the World Monuments Fund. Dr Bendakir has several major projects on his resumé, such as the recent conservation project at AlUla Old Town in Saudi Arabia, the conservation and development of the Atturaif district in Adiriyah (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the renewal of AlDoho quarter in the historic center of Riyadh. In Iraq, he restored the Shihab Chalabi house in the Erbil Citadel, and he has carried out projects in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Babylon, Samarra, and Assur. In Syria, he was responsible for the conservation and development of the Mari site. He has significant experience in Central Asia, having worked in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan, as well as having worked on sites in Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Kuwait, Benin, and Nepal.

Annachiara Fiore is an Italian conservation architect, post-graduated in heritage conservation at Scuola di Specializzazione in Beni Architettonici e del Paesaggio, Sapienza University of Rome in 2014. She holds an MA in Architecture and Construction Engineering at Politecnico di Bari in 2011.

She has a significant working experience in architectural heritage preservation, being involved in numerous projects for the conservation and restoration of architectural and archaeological sites. She has international experience in this field, particularly in Italy, Greece, Spain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

She has been a member of the HCC team since 2017, working on several projects in Saudi Arabia.

ANNACHIARA FIORE

Conservation Architect – Project Manager

SARAH GOUALA

Architect

Sarah Gouala is an Algerian architect holding an MA in Architecture and Habitat from Saad Dahleb in Blida. Her education included also a License degree in Architecture and Planning.

She was then trained in documentation of historic buildings during her working experience in Arc Home producing the architectural survey drawings of the AlUla Old Town, Saudi Arabia. She joined the HCC team in 2021, permanently assisting the management and conservation team in AlUla where she is building her expertise in heritage conservation.

Amira Elkeboub is an Algerian architect with a master’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning in Historic Centres, which she earned in 2018 from the University of Saad Dahleb in Algeria. With two years of experience working as an architect, draftsman and designer in Algeria, she joined the HCC team in 2021 as a permanent member in AlUla, Saudi Arabia.

She is an integral part of the project management and conservation team, where she is improving her expertise in historic architecture and urban planning to help preserve and enhance the unique cultural heritage of the region.

AMIRA ELKEBOUB

Architect

WADDAH HAZAEA AL-MAQTARY

Conservation Civil Engineer

Waddah Hazza Al-Maqtary is a Yemeni construction engineer with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Aden, Yemen. He has worked in the field of heritage conservation for more than 15 years. He specializes in supervising preservation works of architectural and archeological sites, studying and repairing structural damages, and managing building safety regulations.

He has been involved in many projects covering the conservation of heritage sites and restoration of archaeological sites in Yemen and Saudi Arabia since 2005. He worked as a consultant engineer for the Social Fund for Development in Yemen and for the Saudi Supreme Commission for Tourism and National Heritage in Yanbu (the preservation of the historic Al-Sur neighborhood project) from 2013 to end of 2019.

Waddah Hazza Al-Maqtary is a member of the Yemeni Engineers Syndicate and the Saudi Council of Engineers.

He joined the HCC team working in AlUla in November 2019 and is part of the project management staff working on the conservation works in AlUla.

Mohammed Ahmed Elkot is a site supervisor and foreman from Egypt. With a Bachelor’s degree in social service (2007), he worked as a site supervisor at Al-Zahrani Company for Engineering and Contracting in Saudi Arabia from 2009 to 2011.

He was a site supervisor at the AlThoratiah Company in Saudi Arabia for the implementation of the conservation and development project of Atturaif quarter in Diriyah from 2011 to 2013, and then worked for KCC Engineering and Contracting Company in Kuwait from 2014 until 2019.

He joined the HCC team working in AlUla in January 2020, and is now one of the project management and supervision staff working on the conservation works in AlUla.

MOHAMMED ABDELFATAH ELKOT

Site Supervisor

EISSA MOHAMMED ALI SHAHRAH

Site Supervisor

Eissa is a site supervisor and foreman from Yemen, he joined HCC team in 2018 and was trained by Dr Bendakir during the conservation works for the structural stabilization of Tantora wall in AlUla Old Town. He is now part of the conservation team and in charge of site supervision of conservation works in the AlUla Old Town.

Eissa has a long experience in the field of traditional construction, scaffolding and shoring, he worked in stone buildings as a mason in AlUla Oldtown in 2011, in Jeddah OldTown (Al balad) in 2014 and in Yanbu in Souq Al-Lail as a site supervisor.

Rahmat is a competent professional with eight years of experience working in Saudi Arabia in the field of Health and Safety Environment, Risk management, HSE Management and augmenting safety culture in compliance with organizational norms.

With a NVQ Level 6, NEBOSH IGC, IOSH, OSHA, Lead Auditor ISO 45001:2018 and Health Safety & Environment Engineering diploma. He joined the HCC team in 2022 in AlUla as HSE Engineer.

RAHMAT AZIZ

HSE Engineer

KHALID HAYAT

HSE Engineer

Khalid is an HSE professional with seven years diversify experience in the field of Safety Engineering: he holds BSc Electrical Engineering with a OTHM Level 6, NEBOSH IGC, IOSH, OSHA, and Health Safety & Environment Engineering diploma.

He joined the HCC team in 2023 in AlUla as Safety Engineer.

Radia Rahmani is an Algerian Architect with 22 years of experience, she has a broad experience in site monitoring and project management in Algeria, Morocco and Saudi Arabia.

She has been part of HCC team since 2022 as graphic studio manager with specific expertise in the drawing of historic buildings.

RADIA RAHMANI

Graphic Studio Manager

Lorena Dionsay

ADMINISTRATION

Lorena Dionsay is from Philippines, she has a remarkable decade of experience in the dynamic realms of Administration and Human Resources. An Accountancy graduate with a passion for the multi-layered aspects of business administration that led her to extend her horizons beyond finance.

Her long journey in the field of administration and human resources has not only enriched her professional acumen but also molded her into a handy and adaptable skilled individual. Her proficiency in both accounting and human resources has enabled her to seamlessly integrate financial strategies with personnel management, creating a cohesive and thriving environment within organizations.