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Mrs. Ayesha Agha Shah

Lecturer

Architecture and Interior Design - Architecture Program
S17-202
aashah@uob.edu.bh

Areas of Expertise

  • Building Conservation
  • Cultural Heritage
  • Architecture Design

Education

  • Bachelor of Architecture, University of Karachi
  • MSc in Historic Building Conservation, University of Portsmouth, UK
  • PhD in Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Biography

Ayesha Agha Shah is an architect, academic researcher, and heritage conservation consultant. Her research focuses on heritage conservation, authenticity assessment, documentation, and sustainability in urban contexts. She has contributed to projects with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, Portsmouth City Council (UK), and the Ministry of Culture, Sindh (Pakistan). She received a 2025 research grant from the Ministry of Culture, UAE, for the project “Humanizing Urban Heritage: Revitalizing Al-Satwa through Human-Centered Design.” A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK), she is a member of ICOMOS and its International Scientific Committee on Theory and Philosophy of Conservation and Restoration (TheoPhilos), serves as Chair of DOCOMOMO Bahrain, and has been teaching at the University of Bahrain since 2012.

Affiliations

  • Associate Member — ICOMOS International Scientific Committee
  • Chair — DOCOMOMO Bahrain
  • Coordinator — Landscape Architecture Program
  • Fellow — Higher Education Academy (UK)
  • Member — Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planning

Grants & Contracts Awarded

  • 2025–2026 — Research grant from the Ministry of Culture, UAE, as Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI), focusing on modern heritage in collaboration with Ajman University, UAE

Publications (Journal Articles)

  1. Shah, A. A. (2025). Expertise Under Question: The Shifting Authority of Heritage Professionals in the Context of Heritage Developments in Pakistan. Protection of Cultural Heritage, (24), 17–32. https://doi.org/10.35784/odk.8306
  2. Soomro, Tania Ali., Shah, Ayesha Agha (2025). Revisiting and assessing the historic urban landscape of Empress Market and its historic environs in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCHMSD-09-2024-0205
  3. Soni, L., Iqbal, A., Shah, A.A (2025). The concept of sponge city as a nature-based solution for urban resilience: Insights from stakeholders in Karachi, Pakistan. Habitat International, Elsevier, Vol. 165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103564
  4. Soni, L., Iqbal, A., Waheed, F., Shah, A.A., Akbar, N. (2025). Challenges and considerations of applying nature-based solutions for future mega-cities: Implications for Karachi as a Sponge City. Human Settlements and Sustainability, 1(1), 50-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hssust.2025.02.002
  5. Shah, Ayesha A., Soni, Lubaina (2024). Sustainable Development employing Cultural Tourism via insight from the South Asian Forts. Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition, Vol. 20 (8). https://www.xisdxjxsu.asia/V20I08-58.pdf
  6. Shah, Ayesha A. (2023). Peer Observation of Teaching: A Powerful Tool in Reflective Practice. Pakistan Journal of Educational Research, 6(1). https://pjer.org/index.php/pjer/article/view/718/255
  7. Shah, A.A (2022). Applying Action Research to Structure Interactive and Engaging Design Studios in Architecture Studios: A Case Study of University of Bahrain. Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning, Vol. 32, Issue 1. https://jrap.neduet.edu.pk/arch-journal/JRAP_2022_1_a2.html
  8. Akbar N, Abubakar IR, Shah AA, Al-Madani W. (2021). Ecological Embeddedness in the Maya Built Environment: Inspiration for Contemporary Cities. Land, 10(12):1360. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10121360
  9. Soomro, Tania A., Shah, Ayesha A. & Pasha, Yasira N. (2020). The current State of Built Heritage in Karachi. Journal of Art, Architecture and Built Environment, 3(1). https://journals.umt.edu.pk/index.php/JAABE/view/551
  10. Shah, Ayesha A. (2019). Relevance of Authenticity in the Revival of Heritage Buildings in Cities: Insights from Bahrain. Cities People Places, Vol. 4, Issue 1, pp. 17-30. http://doi.org/10.4038/cpp.v4i1.42
Presentations
  1. Paper Presented: “Expertise Under Question: The Shifting Authority of Heritage Professionals in the Context of Heritage Developments in Pakistan” — ICOMOS TheoPhilos ISC Conference, Liege, Belgium (Nov. 2025)
  2. Paper Presented: “From Concrete to Code: Digital Tools for Documenting and Revitalizing Manama’s Modernist Heritage” — International Conference on Sustaining Heritage, University of Bahrain (Nov. 2025)
  3. Paper Presented: “Authenticity in Context: Bridging Quantitative Metrics with Conservation Practice” — ICOMOS TheoPhilos ISC Conference, Thessaloniki, Greece (Nov. 2024)

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Mrs. Ayesha Agha Shah

Lecturer

Architecture and Interior Design - Architecture Program
S17-202
aashah@uob.edu.bh

Areas of Expertise

  • Building Conservation
  • Cultural Heritage
  • Architecture Design

Education

  • Bachelor of Architecture, University of Karachi
  • MSc in Historic Building Conservation, University of Portsmouth, UK
  • PhD in Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Biography

Ayesha Agha Shah is an architect, academic researcher, and heritage conservation consultant. Her research focuses on heritage conservation, authenticity assessment, documentation, and sustainability in urban contexts. She has contributed to projects with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, Portsmouth City Council (UK), and the Ministry of Culture, Sindh (Pakistan). She received a 2025 research grant from the Ministry of Culture, UAE, for the project “Humanizing Urban Heritage: Revitalizing Al-Satwa through Human-Centered Design.” A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK), she is a member of ICOMOS and its International Scientific Committee on Theory and Philosophy of Conservation and Restoration (TheoPhilos), serves as Chair of DOCOMOMO Bahrain, and has been teaching at the University of Bahrain since 2012.

Affiliations

  • Associate Member — ICOMOS International Scientific Committee
  • Chair — DOCOMOMO Bahrain
  • Coordinator — Landscape Architecture Program
  • Fellow — Higher Education Academy (UK)
  • Member — Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planning

Grants & Contracts Awarded

  • 2025–2026 — Research grant from the Ministry of Culture, UAE, as Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI), focusing on modern heritage in collaboration with Ajman University, UAE

Publications (Journal Articles)

  1. Shah, A. A. (2025). Expertise Under Question: The Shifting Authority of Heritage Professionals in the Context of Heritage Developments in Pakistan. Protection of Cultural Heritage, (24), 17–32. https://doi.org/10.35784/odk.8306
  2. Soomro, Tania Ali., Shah, Ayesha Agha (2025). Revisiting and assessing the historic urban landscape of Empress Market and its historic environs in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCHMSD-09-2024-0205
  3. Soni, L., Iqbal, A., Shah, A.A (2025). The concept of sponge city as a nature-based solution for urban resilience: Insights from stakeholders in Karachi, Pakistan. Habitat International, Elsevier, Vol. 165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103564
  4. Soni, L., Iqbal, A., Waheed, F., Shah, A.A., Akbar, N. (2025). Challenges and considerations of applying nature-based solutions for future mega-cities: Implications for Karachi as a Sponge City. Human Settlements and Sustainability, 1(1), 50-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hssust.2025.02.002
  5. Shah, Ayesha A., Soni, Lubaina (2024). Sustainable Development employing Cultural Tourism via insight from the South Asian Forts. Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition, Vol. 20 (8). https://www.xisdxjxsu.asia/V20I08-58.pdf
  6. Shah, Ayesha A. (2023). Peer Observation of Teaching: A Powerful Tool in Reflective Practice. Pakistan Journal of Educational Research, 6(1). https://pjer.org/index.php/pjer/article/view/718/255
  7. Shah, A.A (2022). Applying Action Research to Structure Interactive and Engaging Design Studios in Architecture Studios: A Case Study of University of Bahrain. Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning, Vol. 32, Issue 1. https://jrap.neduet.edu.pk/arch-journal/JRAP_2022_1_a2.html
  8. Akbar N, Abubakar IR, Shah AA, Al-Madani W. (2021). Ecological Embeddedness in the Maya Built Environment: Inspiration for Contemporary Cities. Land, 10(12):1360. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10121360
  9. Soomro, Tania A., Shah, Ayesha A. & Pasha, Yasira N. (2020). The current State of Built Heritage in Karachi. Journal of Art, Architecture and Built Environment, 3(1). https://journals.umt.edu.pk/index.php/JAABE/view/551
  10. Shah, Ayesha A. (2019). Relevance of Authenticity in the Revival of Heritage Buildings in Cities: Insights from Bahrain. Cities People Places, Vol. 4, Issue 1, pp. 17-30. http://doi.org/10.4038/cpp.v4i1.42
Presentations
  1. Paper Presented: “Expertise Under Question: The Shifting Authority of Heritage Professionals in the Context of Heritage Developments in Pakistan” — ICOMOS TheoPhilos ISC Conference, Liege, Belgium (Nov. 2025)
  2. Paper Presented: “From Concrete to Code: Digital Tools for Documenting and Revitalizing Manama’s Modernist Heritage” — International Conference on Sustaining Heritage, University of Bahrain (Nov. 2025)
  3. Paper Presented: “Authenticity in Context: Bridging Quantitative Metrics with Conservation Practice” — ICOMOS TheoPhilos ISC Conference, Thessaloniki, Greece (Nov. 2024)

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