Dezeen School Shows: a cultural centre informed by Qatari heritage is among the architecture projects by students at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar.
Also featured is an audio and visual experience exploring the dynamic between food and family, and an interiors project designed to reconnect displaced Palestinian children with their cultural roots.
Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar
Institution: Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar
School: School of the Arts
Courses: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design, Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Painting and Printmaking, and Bachelor of Arts in Art History
Tutors: Christopher Fink, Ali Khan, Federica Visani, Radha Dalal, Jochen Sokoly, Holiday Powers, Bethany Simpson, Monica Merlin, Neelima Jeychandran, Somaia Dorzadeh, Teslim Sanni, Stéphane Ipert, Mohammad Nabil Suleiman, Haithem El-Hammali, Johan Granberg, Liam Colquhoun, Matthew Holmes-Dallimore, Sherin Karawia, Simone Carena, Marwa Abdelmonem, Mariam Al Sarraj, Alaa El Khatib, Hagar Farag, Hala Amer, Hamoda Youssef, Jennifer Davis, Pornprapha Phatanateacha, Sabir Numan, Tala Zawaydeh, Astrid Kensinger, Basma Hamdy, Law Alsobrook, Leland Hill, Maryam Al-Homaid, Deebi Aissa, Futtaim-Abu Habeeb, Saadi-Al Hana, Obaidly Al Khalifa, Perrone Michael, Murillo Mejia Natalia, Welz Peter, Khayyat Rola and Montoya-Betancur Sebastian, Michael Hersrud, Peter Martin, Sharaf Mohammad – Designer in Residence: Reham Mohamed – Adjunct: Bahia Shehab, Reem Al Thani – TAs: Destarte Prieto, Fae Siddiqui, Maha Al-Khater, Naima Almajdobah, Natasha Fernandes, Selma Fejzullaj.
School statement:
“The VCUarts Qatar Class of 2025 presents a compelling showcase of creativity, passion and thoughtful exploration. This graduating cohort invites viewers into their world, where each project tells a personal and powerful story.
“Their works span diverse themes – displacement, colonisation and duality – while also delving into the complexities of expat experience.
“Some projects reflect on life in Qatar, drawing from its rich traditions and cultural landscape. Others celebrate identity through memory, sound, language and visual heritage, offering intimate reflections on the past and present.
“This exhibition is not just a display of final outcomes, it’s an invitation to witness the process and the personal journeys that shape each piece.”
Herfatona: Echoes of Nature; Lebanese handicrafts center in Qatar by Haneen Mohssen Darwichby
“Lebanon’s traditional handicrafts, once a vibrant part of everyday life and central to the country’s cultural and economic fabric, are now under threat due to ongoing economic struggles and political instability.
“As interest in cultural heritage continues to grow, this project sets out to create a warm, engaging space in Qatar where Lebanese craftsmanship can be preserved and celebrated.
“Blending nostalgia with interaction, the space envisioned invites visitors to connect with these traditions through storytelling, hands-on experiences, and a curated selection of handmade pieces.
“The project is about keeping these crafts alive — not just as artefacts, but as living expressions of identity, memory and community.”
Student: Haneen Mohssen Darwich
Course: BFA in Interior Design
Kintsugi: A rehabilitating school for Cairo’s street children by Arwa Mohammed Elgammal
“Kintsugi – a Japanese term meaning “golden joinery” – is the art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum.
“Symbolically, Kintsugi embraces the idea that healing and resilience create something even more beautiful than the original.
“Inspired by this philosophy, Kintsugi is the name of a transformative boarding school designed for Cairo’s street children. Much like the art form, the school offers a second chance – mending broken childhood with care, dignity and creativity.
“The school is envisioned as more than just an institution – it’s an immersive journey of growth. The space is designed to be open, interactive and emotionally supportive.”
Student: Arwa Mohammed Elgammal
Course: BFA in Interior Design
Ayah Akl by Darna: our home
“This project is designed to help displaced Palestinian children reconnect with their cultural roots by offering a deeply immersive and nurturing environment.
“At its heart, the initiative weaves together stories of the past and present, allowing children to rediscover a sense of identity, belonging and pride in their heritage.
“Through thoughtfully designed spaces and interactive group activities, the project uses spatial storytelling as a powerful tool to spark memory, conversation and connection.
“Children are invited to explore their culture in meaningful and personal ways, encouraging lasting emotional bonds. In doing so, the project plants a seed of hope and resilience, offering these young individuals a renewed sense of purpose and a shared vision for a brighter, more rooted future.”
Student: Ayah Akl
Course: BFA in Interior Design
Na’oud: a cultural center reviving Qatari music and unity by Ayah Abdelwahab
“Na’oud is a visionary project inspired by the rich rhythms and melodies of Qatari folk music, reimagining tradition through a contemporary lens.
“Na’oud captures the essence of Qatar’s musical past and brings it into the present in a form that can be seen, felt, and learnt about.
“Evolving into a vibrant cultural centre, Na’oud serves as both a performance space and a hub for learning. It invites the community to engage with traditional music not just as listeners, but as active participants.
“Through workshops, interactive installations, and live performances, it bridges generations and fosters a renewed appreciation for the cultural narratives embedded in sound.”
Student: Ayah Abdelwahab
Course: BFA in Interior Design
Where to: documenting identity through the eyes of Uber drivers by Aiman Mohammed
“Where to? is a visual project that explores the lives of migrant Uber drivers in Qatar, focusing on the transient nature of their work and the fleeting yet meaningful encounters that occur within city journeys.
“It highlights the liminal spaces they occupy – between destinations, cultures, and identities – and documents how they adapt to their new environment.
“Through photography and personal storytelling, the project captures the artefacts and symbols found in their cars – objects that reflect memory, belonging, and cultural roots.
“These small details offer insights into the complex realities of migration and the emotional landscapes of those navigating life in a foreign land.
“Where to? sheds light on broader themes of movement, identity, and cultural exchange, encouraging a deeper understanding of the human stories behind the ride.”
Student: Aiman Mohammed
Course: BFA in Graphic Design
Is It Just Food: five sisters, five memories, five meals, five perspectives by Yomna Wael Mohamed Abdelkader Abdellatif
“Is It Just Food? is a multimedia project that explores how food carries meaning beyond taste and nourishment. Centred on five sisters, the project uses video and audio recordings to document their reflections on specific dishes and kitchen objects.
“As they describe these items, their words reveal more than recipes — they uncover memories, emotions and the subtle dynamics of their relationship with their mother.
“What begins as a conversation about food slowly unfolds into a narrative about care, loss, longing and connection.
“Is It Just Food? asks viewers to consider how something as simple as a meal can become a vessel for unspoken feelings and shared history, turning ordinary ingredients into deeply personal symbols of love and memory.”
Student: Yomna Wael Mohamed Abdelkader Abdellatif
Course: BFA in Graphic Design
77 Years, 77 Symbols: a visual library of Palestinian Resistance Symbols by Rawan Odeh
“The Palestinian identity is grounded in collective memory, resilience and ongoing resistance.
“Over generations, Palestinians have developed a strong visual language — symbols like Handala, the keffiyeh and the watermelon have come to represent not only cultural pride but also the enduring fight for justice and self-determination.
“These icons speak volumes, silently carrying the weight of displacement, struggle and survival. This thesis documents, archives and reframes both historical and contemporary Palestinian symbols, preserving their meanings while exploring their evolution through design.
“By doing so, it ensures these powerful visuals remain relevant and understood by future generations, not just as motifs, but as living emblems of identity and resistance.”
Student: Rawan Odeh
Course: BFA in Graphic Design
Reverie by Ghada Abdulla Alkuwari
“Reverie is a series of large-scale oil paintings that delve into psychological and deeply personal themes, with the human figure at the core of each composition.
“Through expressive brushwork and layered imagery, the artist explores the complexities of emotion: how internal states take shape and become visible through the body.
“Reverie invites viewers to pause and reflect on their own emotional landscapes, creating a quiet yet powerful space where the intangible becomes tangible and inner worlds find form on canvas.”
Student: Ghada Abdulla Alkuwari
Course: BFA in Painting and Printmaking
Childhood Melodies by Fatima Al Moftah
“This project is rooted in childhood memories as it explores oral traditions of an era gone by. Qatari childhood melodies represent a vital form of intangible heritage.
“Melodies that were part of growing up, being heard and repeated within classrooms and later on within the confines of homes and in the safe arms of grandparents, these melodies are soon becoming obsolete and the designer tries to hold on to the now obsolete memories by bringing them back one more time.
“The songs carried values, memory and imagination. Through this project, the designer explores how these playful songs still shape cultural identity through sound, even as their transmission and meaning evolve with time.”
Student: Fatima Al Moftah
Course: BFA in Art History
Let’s Boardgame Q-Night! by Saif Al-Ansari
“This project explores the cultural and social significance of board games in Qatar through autoethnographic research.
“By immersing himself in local gaming communities, the designer engages in critical self-reflection and conducts participant observations during game nights.
“The board games are used as a tool for social connection, cultural exchange and identity formation within Qatar’s diverse and multicultural society, creating safe places for friendships in a country that might not always be your own.”
Student: Saif Al-Ansari
Course: BFA in Art History
Soaring Changes: The Evolution of Falconry in Qatar by Maryam Khalid Al Kubaisi
“In this project, the transformation of material culture in falconry in Qatar is focused on while tracing the shift from traditional handcrafted items – such as leather gloves, carved hoods, and woven anklets – to contemporary tools made from synthetic materials and equipped with advanced technologies like GPS tracking systems.
“Through an analysis of these evolving artefacts, the artist examines how long-standing practices of craftsmanship are reinterpreted in the face of modern demands, convenience and efficiency.
“This study highlights how tradition is not static but continuously adapts to innovation, revealing a dynamic interplay between cultural heritage and contemporary technology.
“In doing so, the project reflects on broader questions of authenticity, identity, and continuity within one of the Gulf region’s most iconic cultural practices.”
Student: Maryam Khalid Al Kubaisi
Course: BFA in Art History
Desert Rose by Asmaa Hamad AL-Kubaisi
“Desert Rose is a collection inspired by AL-Kubaisi’s grandmothers and her long-standing love for traditional Qatari clothing. She has incorporated personal and cultural elements from her grandmothers’ style and reimagined them with a modern touch.
“The result is a collection that feels nostalgic, elegant and emotionally meaningful. Both warm and effortlessly chic.”
Student: Asmaa Hamad AL-Kubaisi
Course: BFA in Fashion Design
Soul Upon My Soul by Halah Murad Mahmoud
“Soul of my soul blends Palestinian Tatreez embroidery with contemporary fashion, honouring the heritage and cultural resilience of Palestine.
“In collaboration with Hazati, a group of Gazan women, each piece is hand-embroidered, weaving strength and meaning into every stitch. Inspired by olives symbolising resilience, with white fabric representing purity and hope.”
Student: Halah Murad Mahmoud
Course: BFA in Fashion Design
Nafas by Bashair Jamal AlKhulaifi
“Nafas is a crossdisciplinary installation that emerges from a recurring nightmare of drowning – an experience deeply tied to the student’s identity and a childhood spent surrounded by water.
“At its centre is a steel bed frame, draped in flowing fabric, layered with cyanotypes and oil paint to evoke the sensation of submersion and loss of control.
“Climbing vines weave through the structure, hinting at decay, erosion, and the passage of time. The work navigates themes of fluidity, memory and transformation, blurring the line between the real and the surreal.
“Through this immersive, dreamlike environment, AlKhulaifi becomes a visual and emotional exploration of inner turbulence – of being caught between past and present, surface and depth.
“It reflects an ongoing search for meaning and self through a practice that merges material experimentation with symbolic imagery.”
Student: Bashair Jamal AlKhulaifi
Course: BFA in Painting and Printmaking
Partnership content
This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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