The hammock, an object we associate with comfort, becomes menacing. Made of barbed wire instead of rope, the familiar is alienated, and the hammock holds a new meaning. It is used as an analogy for displacement and feelings of alienation on both an individual/ personal and a larger political scale.

‘Exile is more than a geographical concept. You can be an exile in your homeland, in your own house, in a room’ – Darwish

An interactive metal cage reflects the contrasting emotions of liberation and confinement that humans face due to the transitory nature of political barriers. It explores the notion of a border/barrier/wall as a physical and psychological construct. ‘Mohasir-Mohasar’, which translates as ‘Besieger-Besieged’ can be interpreted in many ways. The cage is a metaphor for a two-way siege, with the bars of the cage forming a seat while protruding both outward and inward, inviting the besieger and the besieged to swap positions, have a seated conversation, and experience together a new perception of space.

In order to juxtapose the feeling of confinement with one of independence, an opening on the roof of the confined is designed to indicate that though one can be geographically confined, that person could be enjoying freedom of thought.

This project is a reflection on the checkpoints, apartheid wall, roads and other architectural elements of segregation and control used by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian territories.

Using threads and dissolvable fabric, ‘Takkayof’ draws on the ever-changing notion of borders in both a geographical and poetic sense. The installation’s ephemeral quality – it is affected by water, movement, light – reflects on the fragility and transience of borders.

The threads, uprooted from their original environment (the fabric), remain intact and adapt to their new environment (the air), creating an analogy for displacement and adaptation.

Aida fabric (an open, even-weave mesh traditionally used for Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery) gradually frays, emblematic of the concept of smooth and striated space and notions of barriers/ borders.

Full thesis publication can be downloaded through this link: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/5868/

Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and oppression of the Palestinian people has manifested itself in countless ways. The built environment, fueled by spatial theory, has been transformed into an instrument of war that serves a military agenda. In this context, the physical environment is not simply the arena of conflict, but a weapon wielded by occupying forces. This research investigates spatial control through seemingly mundane architecture and military practices, which are deployed deliberately to strangulate Palestinian livelihood and prosperity. Derived from Deleuze and Guittari’s delineation of smooth and striated space, with an emphasis on walls and barriers, this thesis subverts the spatial weaponization by envisioning design as both a retaliatory and reparative force. In doing so, it critiques and protests against the status quo. 

Full thesis publication can be downloaded through this link: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/5868/

These digital artworks manipulate Israel’s physical structures of power and control in Palestine’s urban landscape to imagine and speculate an alternative future. The depiction of architectural instruments of war (the apartheid wall, watch towers, checkpoints, etc.) in a utopian, surrealist manner allows us to start a discussion about the role urban architecture plays in shaping human behavior and activity in places of oppression and apartheid.

Balance bench is an interactive public artwork that reflects on the notion of borders in both a physical and a metaphorical sense. Backrests divide the spherical form into four seats that face away from one another. Users activate the bench as they interact verbally and can only balance it through collective effort. The bench’s divided form and instability are emblematic of ever-changing political, social and emotional barriers, specifically during the coronavirus pandemic.

This project explores the formal and textural qualities of architecture through chocolate that is reminiscent of classic and contemporary architects’ styles. Placed on a white topographic tray, the chocolates resemble structures from pioneers of modernist architecture like Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as Frank Gehry’s deconstructivist buildings and Zaha Hadid’s parametric forms. The project questions whether a texture/ sensation in our mouth can have an effect on our perception and understanding of architecture. It intends to explore the opportunities we have as designers to use mouthfeel or the form and texture of food as a territory for learning and teaching. 

2017

Flawbulous captures and solidifies the fleeting moment of blowing air into molten glass. Irregular deformations are designed on what is commonly a symmetrical surface and are highlighted through the illumination of light. The imperfect quality of the lantern is further emphasized by the unpredictable nature of the process; inevitable quirks that arise during the production– such as trapped air bubbles, accidental color spots, and subtle seam marks –all left unrefined, shifting our perspective from one that pursues perfection to one that embraces and celebrates what is.

10 x 10 x 17cm, 2018

Photographs by Raviv Cohen

Neonatal umbilical sepsis and other umbilical cord complications account for as much as 10% of newborn fatalities in humanitarian settings and emergencies.  A typical clinic needs more than 100 umbilical cord clamps a month. Currently these needs are met by donations of clamps from First World Countries, however that means that the supply is costly and can be easily disrupted. There have been cases where local string from shoelaces have been used instead of clamps, however these increase the likelihood of sepsis and can also jeopardize the health of newborns if the cord is not closed properly. LATRA Innovation Lab suggests the use of 3D printers to produce as many as 200 umbilical cords a day, using high-quality medically specified filament, providing hygienic and inexpensive solution to a major problem in emergencies.

Design and Installation by Majdulin Nasrallah and Sultana Jesmine

2018

(وَوَجَدَكَ ضَالًّا فَهَدَىٰ (٧

Scattered triangles gradually find a direction in this prayer rug; a reminder that solace and strength can be found in Allah (SWT) by seeking guidance through prayer. The rug is inspired by the Quranic verse “And He found you lost and guided you” [93:7].

Felted wool and camel hair, 2017

This project responds to the concerns of externally displaced Syrian orphans by designing a holistic center/ orphanage that aims to help them channel their experience of trauma and adversity into something greater. It focuses on post-traumatic growth and recovery through a human-centered and research-based design approach. The proposal is influenced by Kintsugi, a Japanese notion of viewing trauma. The Japanese believe that when something has suffered damage and has a history behind it, it becomes more beautiful. As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. This philosophy evoked an interesting question; if such beauty can emerge from the ruins of a shattered object, could a similar transformation also be possible with the parts of people we believe are shattered beyond repair?

To view thesis booklet: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/878002006/

Melanin is the natural pigment responsible for our skin color. Melanin mask celebrates diversity at a time of adversity and is a commentary on colorism and racial discrimination.

The technique and process of one-line drawings is invested in this ring. It explores alternative ways to grip a drawing tool and make a mark without lifting the pen off the paper, using parts/ joints of the hand and arm that we don't usually use for drawing.

Laser cut plywood/ clear acrylic, 2017

This handmade wooden clock is the outcome of a thorough exploration of woodworking tools, techniques and processes.

2017

The project combines the functions of a tray and a bookmark and becomes specifically functional for a ceremony of coffee-drinking and reading on your bed.

3D Printed Prototype, PLA, 2017

Severe climate and lack of water and fertile soil in Qatar make agricultural production difficult, thus Qatar is highly dependent on agricultural imports. The project looks at local materials and their potential uses in the agricultural industry, particularly using date palm leaves to produce charcoal (biochar). This kind of charcoal improves soil pH, increases water absorption, draws toxins out of the soil, soaks up nutrients and promotes beneficial bacteria and fungi. The designed tool is a functional object that is aesthetically reflective of the main issue- the 'swollen' storage area is suggestive of Qatar's lack of self sufficiency. The tool considers areas to insert the palm leaf charcoal and organic fertilizer in the storage area, a mechanism to control the flow of material, and a rake that simultaneously applies the product in the ground.

2017

Using Arduino, pressure sensors and servos, this pillow is hacked to interact with and disturb its users once they apply pressure to it. The project looks at object-oriented ontology (OOO) as it questions and explores the reality, agency, and “private lives” of  objects, and rejects the privileging of human existence over the existence of nonhuman objects. 

2018

Dune is a bookend inspired by Qatar’s sand dunes and the local Dune bashing experience. Tire traces are left on the dune, creating an image that becomes very specific to Qatar and casting one's mind back to the inland sea adventures. One Dune can be used to support a row of books, such as in a half-filled bookshelf, or a pair can be used to sandwich a row of books.

2017

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This project is a commentary on how we are tethered to social media - It is a device that eliminates our need to always be cognitive of our digital lives. Digitalog is an anthropomorphic buddy that allows its user to be fully present in their environment without being distracted by a phone, while simultaneously capturing and storing video/ audio from the user’s perspective to view later on. It challenges this generation’s constant need to capture and share the moment with their phones, that they end up missing out on the experience. The device uses an Arduino and a motion sensing system (9 degrees of freedom sensor that houses a 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, and 3-axis magnetometer) to measure angular velocity, acceleration, and heading, and then maps the user’s head movements into three servos. A small camera is mounted on the top servo to document the full experience.

2018