Merate Barakat:
is an architect with international experience, media designer, and academic researcher. She has worked for PMA (Prescott Muir Architects), based in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she worked on numerous projects that have received design awards by the AIA (American Institute of Architects). She has attained an MArch from the University of Utah, an MSc in Computer Science from the University of Nottinghamshire, and BSc for the Arab Academy of Science in technology, Alexandria- Egypt Campus. Currently, she is exploring her main research interest, urban acoustics, as a PhD candidate at the Architectural Association school.[URL]
Ahmed AbouElkheir:
is an architect and researcher. His research interest lies in computational design and digital fabrication techniques focusing on the mathematical and material logic of natural systems. After receiving his MSc in architecture from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Alexandria University in 2008, Ahmed received his M.Arch degree; with project distinction; from the Design Research lab at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London in 2011. Currently, he is a PhD student at Paris-Malaquais school of Architecture working on the development of sand behavior toward an ecological tectonic system.
Ahmed is founder and associate architect at Encode design studio in Alexandria, where he collaborate with Encode team to develop the design industry and production in Egypt by linking practice and education through research and prototyping.
Ebtissam M. Farid:
is an Associate Professor at Faculty of Fine Arts, department of Architecture. She is an architect and researcher where her research interests lies in Design education. She is investigating various digital and physical computational tools exploring the potentials of digital design and fabrication techniques to correlate education, profession and design industry. She has received her PhD in architecture from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Alexandria University that discusses Mass customization and the future of Housing.
Ebtissam is a founder at Encode design studio in Alexandria, Egypt, where she collaborates with Encode team to develop the design industry and production in Egypt by linking practice and education through research and prototyping. She is also working on Building a Multi-Disciplinary Design Network to include Egypt on the international creative design Map and offering an opportunity to discuss the value of design to innovation and build communications with other teams and professional practices.
Ali Farzaneh:
is an architect and theorist. He is currently a PhD Candidate at the Architectural Association in London. His research focuses on mathematical models that inform digital morphogenesis, exploring a subset of concepts and techniques from mathematical biology for their potential incorporation into the design process. He has a Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Architecture and has worked at Coop Himmelb(l)au in Vienna and SOM in DC and has taught at the University of Oklahoma.
Kensuke Hotta:
( Beng + Meng + Msc), AA School, phD in Design (2009~). He is an architect, and researcher based on Tokyo / London, currently belongs to PhD in Architectural Design at the Architectural Association. He was born in Japan, received his degrees from Kyoto University, Tokyo University, and Bartlett School (UCL). He was honored from Union Foundation, and got prizes on several international competitions, and he is teaching as a lecturer, and tutor in several associations and schools. His favorite food is a queen crab. [URL]
Mohamed Zaghloul:
holds a Msc degree in architecture and works as an assistant lecturer at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University ‐ department of Architecture. He is founder and associate architect at Encode studio. His current research interests are on design through awareness of integrating Mathematics, Geometrics and Physics with Architecture. Moreover, his recent research focuses on integrating generative and performative criterion in the design process. He developed a Mathematica add‐on tools for Grasshopper/Rhino dubbed Mantis.
Rana Zureikat:
is an architect, researcher and musician. She is currently working as a full time lecturer at the German Jordanian University, located in Amman, Jordan. She obtained her BSc from the University of Jordan in June 2008, her music education from the National Music Conservatory in Jordan, and her Master’s degree majoring in Architecture and urbanism (DRL) from the Architectural Association, London in January 2012.
Her work at the AA, supervised by Patrick Schumacher, focused on investigating the organizational relationships and hierarchies associated with a typology, scripting and simulating interactions of time, geometry and users, mapping similarities and distinctions that occur using a set of rules and tuning of parameters. As a young educator, she is exploring with groups of students fresh to the topic, the potentials of computation as a design and research tool, as well as the possibilities of fabrication in the Middle East, due to the limitations present, cultural mindsets and technological advancements.
