The signature: Monzer Hourani

By Elina T Htun | Paddock magazine meets Monzer Hourani – the engineer, innovator, architect, music conductor, and the businessman.

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The businessman

Mr Hourani attended the University of Texas in Austin, where he earned the degrees in structural engineering and architecture, a degree in Architectural Studies, and a Physics Degree from French Institute.

Founded in 1971, M Hourani & Associates Consulting Engineers had been involved in engineering innovations for many building techniques and engineering concepts, which have had a great impact on the construction and economy of the building industry in the US. Leveraging healthcare project experience and relationships, in 1974 Monzer Hourani founded Medistar Corporation as a medicine-focused real estate development company that has a stellar reputation to date. As the Texas Medical Center in Houston grew into the world’s largest medical district, Hourani and his associates earned selection to a growing number of complex, medical projects.

Hourani’s work ethic and discipline exemplifies his philosophy to develop, design, and construct cutting-edge buildings that advance the latest in both technology and medicine.

The innovator

Mr Monzer Hourani has been a pioneer and a leader in the world of construction.

He has several patented inventions, including an oil skimmer for major oil spills. His latest invention is the Hurricane Window Brace, strong enough to resist hurricane forces over category 4 or 5. His innovations have a great impact on the economy of the building industry in the United States.

His latest invention is the Hurricane Window Brace, strong enough to resist hurricane forces over category 4 or 5.

The architect

Over the past 35 years, Hourani and Medistar Corporation has designed, engineered, constructed, developed over 54 major building projects and provided structural engineering services on 590 commercial buildings in 43 states and four countries outside the US.

A talented architect at heart, this year Monzer Hourani added a beautiful, very modern, deluxe, also mighty efficient 22-story building to Houston – the InterContinental Houston Medical Center, a 353 guestrooms and suites hotel located adjacent to the Texas Medical Center, considered the largest medical complex in the world.

The philanthropist

If a person’s life is a message to the nation, Monzer Hourani has truly made it an inspiring one. Evidence of his altruism can be seen in his numerous diverse charitable causes, including St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Feed the Children Foundation, United Nations Development Program for Cancer Research, and many others.

Most significantly, arising out of his deep love for classical music, he is the major underwriter of Virtuosi of Houston, a premier young artists’ chamber orchestra aimed at educating and developing the city youth, talented musicians – aged 10 to 18 – into true professionals who would pursue a musical career as performers, educators, and advocates of classical music. Virtuosi of Houston students are among the top winners of city and national music competitions. Following their two-tour “stand up acclaimed” performances in France, UK, and in the USA, Virtuosi of Houston youth orchestra gained national and international recognition.

The musician!

In spite of their young age, not once but many times the Virtuosi of Houston youth orchestra impressively deliver the difficult Beethoven’s symphony pieces led by Mr Hourani, a self-educated and truly inspiring composer and conductor.