Experimental Labs: Grafting Al Asmakh

Grafting Al Asmakh poses the question: How can the wider area surrounding Liwan Design Studios and Labs be reimagined and grafted?

The first phase of Experimental Labs: Grafting Al Asmakh explores how Al Asmakh can be grafted and moulded into an urban environment with rich texture, one that reflects its history while allowing for flexible uses and adaptation by the communities in the area. Bringing together some of the region’s most inspiring and innovative architects and designers, the project weaves vernacular knowledge and contemporary urbanism, exploring ways to balance preservation with thoughtful transformation.

Architecture, even at a modest scale, plays a mediating role in addressing interconnected challenges, from cultural impoverishment and environmental urgency to the social right to the city. The exploration is rooted in the places under study and informed by the perspectives and knowledge of leading architects.

With a shared interest in "architecture of care", adaptive reuse and spatial resilience, the project investigates indigenous materials and site-specific techniques in response to global challenges, moving beyond purely aesthetic considerations.

What happens when cities are shaped not by masterplans, but by layered memories, continuous adaptation and the informalities of everyday life?

Led by sociologist Isabella Rossen and architect Reem Al-Muraikhi, Experimental Labs: Grafting Al Asmakh brings together architects and design practices from across the region: Raza Ali Dada (Lahore), ZAV Architects (Tehran), Brick Lab (Jeddah), Altqadum (Muscat) and Moez (Riyadh).

The outcomes of Grafting Al Asmakh are presented as part of the Bu'ed Nadhar exhibition, bringing the project's explorations of Al Asmakh, its urban fabric and its possibilities for transformation into the exhibition space.

Curators:

Reem Al Muraikhi is an architect working on projects in Qatar, contributing her expertise to the Public Works Authority and exploring the intersections of social landscapes and architectural psychology. She engages with the politics of deconstruction and reconstruction through cultural theory, spatial fiction and environmental ethics. Al Muraikhi focuses on narratives that empower communities and drive positive urban change.

Isabella Rossen is a sociologist specialised in urban development and heritage activation. As a head of programming at Qatar Museums, she leads an urban field lab that convenes architects, designers, and policymakers to research urban spaces and develop design interventions. She has worked for and conducted research at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Hong Kong and Rotterdam.

Participating Architects:

Raza Ali Dada, one of Pakistan’s most well-regarded architects and educators in the field. He is currently a managing partner at Nayyar Ali Dada & Associates. The firm has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Raza has 10 years of extensive experience with various building typologies in New York, USA. A supporter of eco-conscious practices, he has actively worked on sustainable projects and raised awareness regarding local heritage and the environment. He is a visiting professor at the Beaconhouse National University and is on the board of the Lahore Conservation Society. Raza’s artistic interests have led him to work on custom objects such as furniture and lighting. His key interest is to explore how these design investigations impact and affect our relationship with our physical surroundings.

Altqadum, a design studio and collective founded in 2017, is led by Marwan AlBalushi, Najd AlBalushi, and Abdulrahim Alkendi. The studio is based in Muscat, Oman, and is known for its research-driven approach that honours Omani culture while addressing contemporary design needs. Altqadum's projects include the Bab Al Salam Mosque, which has been recognised as one of Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places of 2024, and the interactive installation ‘DumTukTuk’ at Oman Design Week. The studio's work spans architecture, interiors, and furniture design, and they are currently working on various projects across the UAE, including a mosque in Sharjah.

Fereshteh Assadzadeh is an architect, researcher, and writer based in Tehran and a collaborator with ZAV Architects, where she works across design, research, writing, and international programs. Her work with ZAV includes the Majara Complex and Community Redevelopment, which was awarded the Aga Khan Award in the 2023–2025 cycle. Alongside her practice with ZAV, Fereshteh co-founded Conj-Cav, a research and narrative direction studio that partners with architects and organisations to develop study-based design processes and narrative approaches. She is actively involved in architectural pedagogy, teaching as a design instructor at Studio Nakameli alongside director Mohamadreza Ghodousi at the Contemporary Architects Association in Tehran.

Bricklab, a studio for architecture, design and experimental research based in Jeddah. It navigates the interplay between material research, practical design, and the built environment. Their portfolio—from cultural architecture to urban design and consulting, public space interventions, to scenography and installations—reflects a thoughtful response to the changing contexts of each project. The studio was formed in 2015 by Abdulrahman and Turki Gazzaz. Over the years, their team has expanded to include architects and designers from different backgrounds and interests.

Moez Chatmen, a Senior Architect and Associate Design Director, leading MATERIA’s Development Management Department, currently based in Riyadh. With extended international experience across Europe and the Middle East, he aligns design vision, strategy and execution for complex institutional and urban projects that link real estate with cultural, social and heritage-led development. Recently led multidisciplinary landmark projects with renowned architectural practices, including the Oasis Agricultural Campus with Francis Kéré and the Kingdoms Institute with David Chipperfield for the Royal Commission for Al Ula, as well as key regeneration strategies in Doha and Al Khor with Qatar Museums.