FACULTY BIO

Dr. Fatema Al Hammadi has a strong background in architecture, urban design, and planning. Before joining the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture as a Teaching and Research Assistant from 2009 to 2018, she gained valuable practical experience at various engineering offices. In 2023, she completed her PhD in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Newcastle, United Kingdom. Her doctoral research examined the relationship between socio-cultural aspects, physical characteristics, and the influence of designers and local authorities on walkability in open spaces in Bahrain—a topic that had not been previously explored in the region. Her study highlighted how open spaces, both in historic and newly designed cities, affect pedestrian and vehicular movement. Dr. Al Hammadi’s research interests focus on urban studies, with a particular emphasis on understanding how the social and cultural values of different community groups shape the use of public spaces. Throughout her career, she has received several notable recognitions. She was awarded first place in the Nasser Bin Hamad Prize for Youth Innovation for her mosque renovation design in 2012. She was also part of the team that won first place at the Venice Biennale in 2010 for a study on reclamation in Bahrain. Additionally, she earned the Best Master’s Graduation Project award from Leeds Metropolitan University in 2011. Currently, Dr. Fatema serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design, where she teaches courses in Architecture, Urban Design, and Landscape Architecture. In September 2024, she was appointed as the Coordinator for the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program