VCUarts Qatar student’s research enters international design conference 26 Apr 2021 - 9:28
Aia Zaina
The Peninsula
Doha: Research conducted by Aia Zaina – a Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) student – has been accepted for the Environment Design Research Association EDRA52 conference to be held in Detroit, US, in May this year.
Her thesis titled ‘Prioritizing Place for a Fuller Understanding of Homelessness, highlights the need for further understanding into homeless shelters, and explores the problem of homelessness as one that goes beyond rooflessness.
For her research, the VCUarts Qatar Interior Design senior studied existing dwellings for the homeless around the globe, and gathered information to show that architects, interior designers, built environment experts, and policy makers need to focus on dwelling designs that foster emotional connectivity, a sense of belonging, and identity, among occupants.