Issam El-Absi interview: 10 Questions to a Civil Engineer

Issam El-Absi is a Civil Engineer with a vision, a BIM expert and the director of Zigurat’s Master’s in Global BIM Management for Infrastructure Projects. He was among the first of our faculty members to answer the questions about his profession.

Get to know his opinion as a civil engineer on the most notable projects, what his dream project is, what his references are in the engineering sector and much more!

For Issam, who wanted to become a building engineer since he was a little boy, civil engineering is so much more than his profession: civil engineering is his one true passion. To offer shelter and protection, that is the job of a civil engineer. “I’ve always seen the civil engineer as someone who creates the place where we can stay and who keeps us safe,” he explains. It is a profession that comes with many responsibilities, therefore, it is important for the person to be dynamic, structured and ethical. A civil engineer is someone who always thinks of the safety and security of his fellow human beings. 

Always Improving the Lives of the Citizens

From his perspective, a civil engineer is working only to improve the lives of the citizens: “A successful BIM engineer will be able to make a good bridge that is safe, a nice road that takes people safely from one place to another, a good building that really can accommodate the architectural features and yet be durable and safe and can protect people from any harm.” It is in the hands of that engineer to protect others from expected and unexpected disasters.

Proud of His Work

When asked about the most remarkable civil engineering projects of the last century, Issam mentioned the Abu Dhabi International Airport-Midfield Terminal Building, on which he is working at the moment: ”I’ve seen how beautiful this building is and how amazing the integrity of different systems of this airport is.” He anticipates that this terminal building is going to be a landmark for centuries to come thanks to the way the BIM methodology was implemented there. 

The Best Project to Participate In

Issam El-Absi has a very clear vision of his dream project: “Very beautiful, yet competent, cheap and environmentally friendly building that would be offered free to people who can’t afford housing.”  

A Fan of the Pyramids

For Issam, the best engineer in the history of the humankind was the person who thought of building pyramids the way they were built. He has read a lot about this amazing structure and considers it a magnificent manifestation of the planning capacity of the human mind.    “I always admire that this building is still standing after five thousand years or more. Everybody is still excited when they go to see the pyramids and I would have loved to have participated in that project,” he concludes.  

Watch the full video to find out more about Issam El-Absi’s insights on being a civil engineer: