Areas of Expertise
- Urban morphology/ Urban Form and socioeconomic functions
Education
- PhD in Urban Morphology
The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, London
- Master's in Urban Affairs
Boston University (BU), Boston
- Bachelor's in Architecture (B.Arch)
Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston
Biography
Award-winning Bahraini architect and academic with over 20 years of experience in architectural education, research, and consultancy. A leading regional voice in urban heritage, spatial analysis, housing research, and public space design. Notable for merging Space Syntax methods with culturally grounded design in Gulf contexts. A contributor to strategic national and international initiatives, including the Golden Lion–winning Bahrain Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Biennale. Skilled in bridging academic insight with community-driven, policy-relevant design solutions.
Achievements
- Award-Winning Architect: Contributed to the Golden Lion–winning Bahrain Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale for outstanding work in urban research and spatial design.
- Academic Leadership: Founded the Urban & Housing Lab at the University of Bahrain, fostering interdisciplinary research on housing, public space, and sustainable urbanism in Gulf contexts.
- Strategic Advisory Roles: Served as consultant and lead researcher for national initiatives with the Ministry of Housing, Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, and UN-Habitat, influencing housing policy, urban heritage, and spatial equity planning.
- International Research Impact: Active contributor to major collaborative research projects including the Colouring Cities Project with UCL and the Alan Turing Institute, and studies on modern heritage and urbanism in Germany and the UK.
- Distinguished Speaker & Thought Leader: Invited keynote and panelist at global conferences including AUB/UCL, Space Syntax GCC, and BSE Golden Jubilee, recognized for expertise in spatial analysis and post-COVID urbanism.
- Recognized Educator & Mentor: Delivered courses and lectures for the Bahrain Prime Minister’s Fellowship Program, integrating public service innovation with spatial planning education.
- Published Author: Authored and co-authored multiple scholarly works on urban morphology, housing, and spatial analysis, including publications with IEEE, UCL Press, and Bononia University Press.
- Peer Recognition: Member of prestigious organizations such as ISOCARP, ISUH, and AUDI; peer reviewer for leading architectural research journals.
Affiliations
- Member, International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) – since 2020
- Member, International Society for Urban Health (ISUH) – since 2020
- Member, Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) – since 2025
- Peer Reviewer, International Journal of Architectural Research (AIJAR)
- Journal Reviewer, Urban Design International (UK)
- Advisory Role, King Charles Fellowship on Sustainable Urbanism
- Contributor and Lecturer, Bahrain Prime Minister’s Fellowship Program
Grants & Contracts Awarded
- Principal Researcher, Salman Town Housing Project – Ministry of Housing, Bahrain
(Contracted research on spatial evolution of housing typologies in Bahrain)
- Consultant & Research Contributor, Manama and Muharraq Urban Heritage Projects – Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities (BACA)
(Commissioned studies on cultural urbanism and redevelopment strategies)
- Co-Investigator, Colouring Bahrain Cities – In partnership with UCL and the Alan Turing Institute
(Part of the international Colouring Cities Research Programme; funded through collaborative academic grant)
- Research Participant, Modern Heritage in the Gulf – University of Liverpool
(Collaborative research under heritage research framework for GCC region)
- Urban Analytics Advisor, UN-Habitat & Ministry of Housing Bahrain Urban Indicators Project
(Contracted technical input for spatial data and urban policy integration)
Publications & Presentations
Selected Publications
- “Generic Patterns of Urban Villages”, 12th International Space Syntax Symposium, Beijing (2019)
- “Urban Complexity & Design”, AMPS Conference Proceedings, University College London (2020)
- “The Generic Patterns of Urban Village Space and their Social Implication”, AMPS–UCL Press (2021)
- “The Village in the City”, in Space Syntax: The Analysis of the City as a Network, Bononia University Press, Italy (2021)
- “The Ugly Side of Integration: Power of Choice in Urban Villages”, Space Syntax Symposium (2019)
- “The Future of Laborers’ Housing Post-COVID”, IEEE Conference Proceedings (2022)
- The Village and the City: A Diagnostic Study of the Spatial Patterns in Villages Absorbed by Cities in Bahrain, PhD Thesis, UCL (2024)
Presentations & Conferences
- Keynote Speaker – Networked Complexity: COVID Urbanism, AUB/UCL (2021)
- Chair – Sustainability & Resilience Conference, University of Bahrain
- Panelist – Space Syntax GCC: Sustainable Cities
- Speaker – BSE Golden Jubilee Conference, Bahrain
- Moderator & Speaker – Bahrain Innovation in Social Housing Summit 2025
- Invited Lecturer – Bahrain Prime Minister’s Fellowship Program (Urban Space, Evidence-based Policy)
- Participated in global workshops on spatial equity, smart cities, and academic publishing
