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Private company

Dar Al-Handasah

Logo: GMYamout, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons3

Engineering and architecture consultancy

Sidara, formerly Dar Group and Shair and Partners (Arabic: دار الهندسة), is a privately owned international consulting company active in engineering, architecture, planning, environmental consulting, project and construction management, facilities management, and economics, founded in 1956.2 It was founded by Kamal Al-Shair.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1956Founded1

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Sidara, formerly Dar Group and Shair and Partners (Arabic: دار الهندسة), is a privately owned international consulting company active in engineering, architecture, planning, environmental consulting, project and construction management, facilities management, and economics, founded in 1956.2

The story

Founded by Kamal Al-Shair in 1956.1

The company was established in November 1956, and given the Arabic name دار الهندسة Dar Al-Handasah meaning "the house of engineering". It was founded by Kamal Al-Shair (1930–2008) and Dr. Nazih Taleb (1928–2020) and three fellow professors in Engineering from the American University of Beirut (AUB) Engineering School.

In 1986, the company acquired the United States-based design firm of Perkins&Will and, in 1989, it bought the United States-based consultancy firm of T. Y. Lin International.

The company won the IStructE Award for Transportation Structures and the Supreme Award in 2006 for designing the Prai River Bridge in Penang, Malaysia.

It acquired the UK-based engineering consultancy, Currie & Brown, in 2012.

The company changed its name to Sidara in December 2023 and acquired the Aberdeen-based engineering firm, John Wood Group, in November 2025.

From Wikipedia’s article on Sidara (company), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Dar Al-Handasah, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

Sidara Group companies include Currie & Brown, Dar Al-Handasah, Introba, Perkins&Will, Penspen and T. Y. Lin International.

From Wikipedia’s article on Sidara (company), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1956Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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