Dr Amir Gohar

Dr Gohar is a Senior Lecturer and MSc Planning & Urban Leadership Programme Leader where he teaches graduate courses in planning practices, urbanisation and environmental planning at the Department of Geography & Environmental Management. Prior to joining the University of the West of England, Dr Gohar designed and taught the graduate design and planning courses in University of Huddersfield, Kansas State University, San Francisco State University and University of California at Berkeley.  

As a practitioner, Dr Gohar worked as an urban planner & designer and sustainable urbanism expert for nearly two decades of professional experience with municipal governments, research institutes, international development agencies, private sector firms and local community organisations. He has worked extensively in public space in congested cities, coastal settlements, dense urban forms, and historic urban centres across the Middle East and Africa.

His doctorate research in the Dep. of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley focused on understanding coastal development and its direct & relative impact on the local residents and the environment. His peer reviewed research focuses on finding the appropriate balance between the trends of rapid urbanisation and ecological integrity of open spaces in cities. He is passionate, experienced and has delivered numerous lectures about community engagement in public space. He teaches design & planning studios and urban & environmental studies seminars. In addition, he is founding member of “MIDAN”, a non-profit dedicated to placemaking and public space rehabilitation. Gohar obtained degrees in urban planning from Cairo, a Master in Urban design from Oxford Brookes, and a diploma in Land Management from Erasmus University.