Friday Reflection
→A Conversation Between a Father and His Son
On a quiet winter evening, a son sat beside his father, who had passed seventy. The light was dim, and the house rested in a serenity that resembled the calm of long years lived.…
Engineer.
Urban scholar.
Author.
The official website of Dr. Alaa Mahmoud Al Tamimi, an Iraqi-Canadian structural engineer, urban scholar, and author who was elected Mayor (Amin) of Baghdad in 2004. The website brings together his books, studies, essays, and lectures and documents his career in engineering and public service.
The City Between Ideas and Power
From Uruk to the Smart City: A Study in Urban Transformation
From ancient Uruk to the contemporary smart city, Dr. Alaa Mahmoud Al Tamimi examines the relationship between authority, society, identity, and urban life, and the transition toward a more humane and wise city.
Arabic edition · First edition, 2026
Latest writing
Current essays on cities, infrastructure, public transport, governance, and everyday life.
Thoughts and Urbanism
→From Conventional Cities to Smart Cities
Rapid urbanization, climate change, and increasing pressure on energy and infrastructure systems have exposed the structural limitations of conventional urban planning and management models. With more than 70% of the global population projected to…
Thoughts and Urbanism
→Kura Hulanda Museum: Reclaiming a Stolen Memory from the Margins
In the heart of Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao, amid its brightly colored façades that evoke a calm Caribbean-European charm, stands the Kura Hulanda Museum. Yet this place does not welcome visitors with beauty…
Engineering & urban development
Structural engineering, cities, infrastructure, planning, and applied knowledge.
Explore engineering and citiesA career joining engineering, knowledge, and public service
Dr. Alaa Mahmoud Al Tamimi is an Iraqi-Canadian structural and urban engineer, author, lecturer, and former Mayor of Baghdad. He was elected Mayor (Amin) of Baghdad in 2004. His career brings together engineering practice, university teaching, major industrial and infrastructure projects, municipal leadership, urban studies, and public writing.
Explore the profile →
Born in Iraq, 1952
Civil and structural engineering studies in Iraq.
Doctorate at the Sorbonne, 1985
Advanced studies in France in engineering.
Atomic Energy Organization, 1987 to 1992
Head of the Design Authority, major scientific and industrial facilities.
University teaching and planning
Teaching, regional planning, and advisory work.
Mayor (Amin) of Baghdad, 2004 to 2005
Municipal administration, reconstruction, services, and planning.
Canada, Urban Reform Consultant
Founder and President; writing, lecturing, and professional education.
Baghdad & public service
Dr. Alaa Mahmoud Al Tamimi was elected Mayor (Amin) of Baghdad in 2004. His public service brought together municipal administration, reconstruction, services, and planning during 2004 to 2005.
Explore Baghdad and public serviceBooks
Works in Arabic, English, and French covering engineering, Baghdad, history, and memoir.
Lectures & media
Conferences, seminars, webinars, interviews, and selected recordings on engineering, cities, and knowledge.
Explore lectures and mediaUrban Reform Consultant
Founded and led by Dr. Alaa Mahmoud Al Tamimi, Urban Reform Consultant brings together engineering, consulting, urban development, research, and professional education. On URC-organized events, Dr. Alaa Mahmoud Al Tamimi participates as speaker, author, or engineer; URC is the organizing institution.
Visit Urban Reform Consultant
For lectures, publishing, research, and professional inquiries, we welcome your message through the contact page.