VC U Q ATA R • 5 1 0 2 Y A • 3 – 23 M N O I T I B I H X E
CONTENTS
4 d e a n’s sta te me nt
6 fa s h i o n design
40 g ra p h i c design
84 i nte r i o r design
118 p a i nt i n g & p r i nt ma k i n g
132 design
On behalf of Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, it is my pleasure to present the class of 2014. At VCUQatar we understand the significant expectations that stand before our graduates when they enter professional roles in Qatar, the region and throughout the world. We prepare them for that future. Our graduates have learned to engage in ideas through demanding creative processes that require research, collaboration, innovation, fabrication, visualization and courage. As educators, we recognize that the university experience is transformational and that learning continues past graduation. The transition from university to the next stage in life opens up new opportunities for our graduates. We trust in their intellectual and creative abilities to help them achieve all they envision, while continuing to learn with each new challenge. I would like to thank Qatar Foundation and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser whose commitment to education supports the incredible opportunities our students have been privileged to enjoy. Allyson Vanstone Dean
FASHION DESIGN
AISHA AL SUWAIDI
Fashion Thesis Collection TITLE
Textile MEDIUM
2015 D AT E
fashion design
8
Expressing myself in the form of fashion, to me, is the utmost idea of “Art”. Being a shy, introvert my whole life, I found myself constantly struggling with ways of expressing my ideas and passions. Fashion, I found, rapidly became an outlet where I can express myself and show my true passion. Inspired by spring’s bloom, this collection was created with pastel colors that reflect lightness and innocence. The fabrics and colors chosen are the essence of spring with the floral beading and light colored polka dots. The unique pieces presented in this collection reflect my passion for 1960s fashion with a modern twist. The ‘classic with modern twist’ characteristic reflects my personality as a designer. In a more general outlook, fashion has eternally been one of the most effective forms of expression. Throughout the years,
we have been able to interpret history through different cultures’ fashion. From the gothic influence in the Romantic era, to the Victorian era, and more recently the Hollywood Glamour era up to the present, fashion has been able to tell its own story throughout history. The immense influence fashion has as a form of expression has always been my inspiration and drive as a designer and fueled my continued interest in fashion.
fashion design
9
fashion design 10
DYLON ADONIS
Fashion Thesis Collection TITLE
Textile MEDIUM
2015 D AT E
As I look back at my present and previous design pieces, there remains one constant element—nature. From my first sketch as a child, to my latest collection, I have always drawn upon nature for inspiration. Moreover, there is an underlining desire for humans and nature to coexist.
My senior collection embodies the triggered metamorphosis found in nature when the young blithe animals evolve into a more guarded, reserved being. In essence, our lives follow the same standard as we age and society no longer deems certain characteristics appropriate. We start off being creative, innovative and contemporary but morph into products of what society deems apt. My collection is not a social statement to stand against society’s expectations but, instead, serves as a reminder of the sequence of events.
11
fashion design
Once a wall or border is put in place, we separate ourselves from our surroundings. We continue to focus on our differences and only mix with the individuals inside the walls. However, nature knows no bounds. A wall does not stop a bird from flying over and a border does not prevent an insect from crawling into a different country; yet a wall and border sometimes stop us. Conflicts arise amongst people due to the different borders and walls set in place; we divide and stick to our differences as we kill our fellow species over a border determined hundreds of years ago. We ought to follow nature’s wisdom and stop raising walls to separate not only us from nature, but also, us from one another.
KINDA MORSHED
Fashion Thesis Collection TITLE
Textile MEDIUM
2015 D AT E
fashion design
12
Film and theater productions are not just an act of entertainment to me. I view them as other realms, created by the most fertile imaginative minds, into which we escape from the dullness of our own world. I have always favored period and fantasy movies. Period movies in my world are time capsules that take us back to simpler times free from the imprisoning bars of technology that surround us nowadays. Back to times when people really appreciated beauty and gave true value to the meaning of life. Fantasy movies snip us from our reality to places where all is possible and you get to walk along flying fairies in enchanted gardens amongst magical creatures, greeted by the roses to your side. “Evil Queens are princesses that were never saved.” When I read this quote it completely twisted the sanctity of fairytales for me, carrying me to the other side of the river where I became an admirer of Evil Queens, and with that, my muse has always been the strong, powerful woman, one who doesn’t need but is rather needed.
Women, in my opinion are God’s most beautiful creation, and so my silhouette is the delicate female body, with a little bit of magic dust, executed with vintage techniques from classic days. Those were the ingredients that harmoniously worked in creating my collection: Elizabeth.Haunted.
fashion design
13
fashion design 14
MALIA BENNETT HENRY
Fashion Thesis Collection
Growing up, I found that the best way I could express myself was through art. Four years at VCUQatar brought me to the knowledge that I am a designer of activism—that my forte is to bring my designs into contact with personal messages of struggle. It is, I have come to know, who I am. For my final collection, I feel it is necessary to follow through with this theme.
The expressive Jackson Pollack-like print was created using the monoprinting press—a collaboration with two students from the painting and printmaking department. Each print is unique and slowly progresses to angrier and more manic lines. Using knit meant that it would be constricting but still comfortable. It is based on the idea that while depression is unbearable, the sufferer becomes so used to dealing with it that it becomes a crutch, a sort of safety blanket.
Textile MEDIUM
2015 D AT E
15
fashion design
This collection discusses a topic that society continues to keep hidden—depression. It is a very common disorder riddled with societal miscomprehension and personal guilt and self-judgment. It depicts the different stages of depression—how it slowly consumes a person’s very being—from the inner physical pain to the point when nothingness prevails.
TITLE
MARWA AL SAID
Fashion Thesis Collection TITLE
Textile MEDIUM
2015 D AT E
fashion design
16
Motivation is the fuel for our greatness; and I was motivated by the glory of NYC for my F/W 2015 collection. I breathed the freshest air while observing the colorful nature and absorbing the unique sense of fashion in every social class. Attire does not represent class or status. I realized this in the magnificent city while looking at street-style; it was an eye opening experience. I noticed elements from fashion through the decades incorporated in a modern way. In addition, the city added its own print that still influences fashion to date. I find inspiration in the smallest and most unique details of my surroundings. I fell in love with the prevalent and minuscule features of the Big Apple; from the lights of Time Square to the camouflage colors of an old tree’s trunk in Central Park.
fashion design
17
fashion design 18
TITLE
Textile MEDIUM
2015 D AT E
The best designers are usually the ones who pay attention to the smallest details. As a fashion design student I have always been precise in designing and producing garments. For my senior collection, I am working on my own individual style – which is playful yet emphasizes attention to detail and precision that I enjoy. It is a very experimental collection, with several different contrasting details. This is achieved by mixing oversized abstract floral prints with solids, experimenting with volume and unusual edgy cuts. Aside from university I have a business of making and selling handmade accessories. I established MBM’s Collection four years ago and have found a large interest from the Qatari market. The skills and experience I gained from university and my own business has enriched my knowledge and abilities in the field of fashion.
19
fashion design
MARYAM AL DARWISH
Fashion Thesis Collection
SORAYA TESCHNER
Fashion Thesis Collection TITLE
Textile MEDIUM
2015 D AT E
fashion design
20
I had wanted to be an architect, and so I grew up doing sculpture, making furniture and woodworking. My father was a philosophy professor so I grew up asking a lot of questions. Fashion seemed to be the place where I could solve them creatively. I wanted to ask: What is sacred? What is feminine? What is powerful? What is timeless? I probably have read the following quote by the writer Carlos Castaneda a million times: “The spirit of a warrior is not geared to indulging and complaining, nor is it geared to winning or losing. The spirit of a warrior is geared only to struggle, and every struggle is a warrior’s last battle on earth. Thus the outcome matters very little to him. In his last battle on earth a warrior lets his spirit flow free and clear. And as he wages his battle, knowing that his intent is impeccable, a warrior laughs and laughs.”
I wanted to create an image of a modern warrior, a new image of strength that was soft, feminine and even romantic. The virtues that are embodied in the warrior are courage, honesty, humor and a sense of tranquility. I aimed to express these virtues in the quality of the fabric, in the shape and size of sculptural forms in belts, hoods, collars, pleats, skirts, seams and hemlines. The virtue of the romantic is expressed in the play of design elements that reveal and conceal the body beneath the cloth, its strength, gracefulness and movement. Knitwear allows the fabric to move with the body, and elements of leather unite strength and softness. The silhouettes of this collection suggest the armor of a warrior while retaining the curves and lines of the female.
fashion design
21
fashion design 22
TAMADER AL SULTAN
Fashion Thesis Collection TITLE
Textile MEDIUM
2015 D AT E
Here I am, a senior in fashion design at VCUQatar, an “almost” graduate. This is the furthest I could plan for myself and this is where my plan stops. Finally, as I am now free of “the plan,” I have a myriad of options lying on the table for me … I could do anything; I can be anything.
My senior collection is a metaphorical representation of my journey. In my four years at VCUQatar I had been planting this seed, and growing it, until it finally blossomed, and now it is spring, my spring. This is the spring where I give myself the chance to bloom and to explore.
23
fashion design
Up until now, my life has been structured. Ever since teachers in elementary school started asking us about our career path, I knew I wanted to become an artist who creates beautiful art. As I grew up, I developed an affinity towards fashion. I was able to see the art, passion and limitlessness of fashion. Consequently, I finalized my decision to be a part of the VCUQatar community to study fashion design; I planned my future and I knew exactly where I was going.
grap hi c
d e si g n
”As you graduate, we cherish the bonds that we
”I believe your talents are full of promise and
have forged through experiences in teaching
surprise that will take you to great places in life …
and learning. We look to this class to change
go out there and design your future. It will be a
the world! You are well prepared with knowledge,
struggle, at times, but nothing really worth it is
that of the theoretical underpinnings that
easy. It has been a pleasure. Congratulations!“
will guide your communication realizations.
Law Alsobrook
We are cheering you on in this next stage of
Assistant Professor
your careers.“ Muneera Spence Chair, Graphic Design Department
”We have given you the tools to start on the path you choose. Remember, you can accomplish so much by keeping in touch with everyone who
”Read more, eat less sugar, Facebook less, dream
has been with you at VCUQatar. This will feed
big, take risks, and never stop trying. Dreams
your potential, as a designer, in the development
only come true if you pursue them. No matter
of Qatar. Treat every day as a learning
how dark a tunnel is, there’s always light at the
experience. Wishing you the best.“
end of it!“
Leland Hill
Basma Hamdy
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor ”I am proud to see these students grow into ”Congratulations Class of 2014! Your future
designers who recognize the significance of
endeavors are guided by the belief that design
their creative force that can act to make critical
can make a positive impact and that you can
changes in people, and a positive impact in
“be the change.” Treasure whatever comes your
the world.“
way and cherish each stage of the journey.
Levi Hammett
Wishing you a future filled with happiness
Assistant Professor
and success!“ Denielle Emans Assistant Professor
”Congratulations! Graphic Design seniors. I’ve enjoyed getting to know all of you over the past three years. You all have creative personalities
”Sustain your culture and support your
that come through in your work. As you move
community through design. Your growth as
forward, don’t give in to the expected way of
critical and creative collaborators will enable you
doing things; keep being a little weird, fun and
to navigate new opportunities with confidence
great things will happen.“
and innovation. You are valuable assets to
Michael Hersrud
the local and global creative domain. You are
Assistant Professor
remarkable young designers!“ Diane Mikhael Assistant Professor
”These graduates bring us closer to a society in which inspired young people apply design processes to innovate sustainable valuebased information, narratives, identities, and interactions that support the health, wealth, and wisdom of its individuals, families, communities, and environment.“ Peter Martin Assistant Professor
AISHA AL THANI
Autobiography TITLE
Print MEDIUM
14.8 x 21 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2013 D AT E
graphic design
26
Being a graphic designer has made me discover aspects about myself that have been enriched and brought to surface. Graphic design has instilled in me the value and passion to explore creativity, which can lead to limitless experimentation that is barely controllable. However, throughout my journey in this field, my approaches and appreciation for individuality and innovation have increased. I have learned to take on challenges and find solutions to problems through visual communication while staying true to myself. This is important because our environment is constantly changing, and with the pervasive attempts of globalization it is difficult to hold on to our individual history and goals for our society. It is imperative that we advance our technologies, but keep our objectives clear and our values grounded because our identity is something we do not want to lose.
Finding a solution to a problem might cause another, but the graphic design process involves discovering, analyzing and solving problems that overcome obstacles through visual learning. This is why I want to keep on the energy and ambition to design, because I’m inspired by my surroundings. I’m enthusiastic to encourage others to design and develop innovative concepts that progress Qatar’s creative industry.
graphic design
27
graphic design 28
Mixed Media MEDIUM
20 x 20 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2013 D AT E
29
I learned the importance of communication while living in Paris. I realized that graphic designers are often anonymous designers as they create everyday things to enhance someone else’s day, thoughts and actions. Unfortunately, graphic designers are not rewarded for their work because good design happens without anyone noticing. When I entered Charles De Gaulle airport, I reached my destination without trouble. I never stopped to observe how and why that happened. In fact, I reached my destination because thoughtful time has been put in choosing the colors and Frutiger as a typeface for the way finding system. It was then that I realized my desire to pursue Graphic design as a career. I was interested in identifying problems and creatively designing solutions for them. Perhaps the solutions I create would not be detectable to non-experienced designers, however, meticulous planning and effort goes into creating work that serves its purpose.
graphic design
AISHA RASHEED
Nuqtah TITLE
AL ANOUD AL SUWAIDI
Occasions (teacup collection) TITLE
Digital Print MEDIUM
22 x 25 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2013 D AT E
graphic design
30
Design is a process of both an action and reaction. Successful design, for me, is found in the observation of what works and what doesn’t and how the application of design thinking can modify something for the better. It is important for designers to understand the environment they are a part of. We assess the needs of the users of an environment and through the application of the concepts of design try to create something that is useful and influential. As a student of design, I have developed an understanding of my role as designer and the direct influence and relationship between my work and the audience. Good design, I have discovered, should be creative, clear and engaging to an audience so that the communication the designer aims to deliver is understood. As a young designer in Qatar, my role will be to devise contemporary reflections of my culture that present what good design can and should be. It is my intention to contribute to the on-going and developing identity of my country and its culture, all the while sustaining her core values through the processes of design and design thinking.
graphic design
31
graphic design 32
TITLE
Poster MEDIUM
84 x 84 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2011 D AT E
As a designer I take a pragmatic approach to every problem I encounter. I see design as an opportunity to not only solve meaningful problems, but also to explore poetic and expressive solutions. As a process, I incorporate my passion for art and craft into each of my design projects as a way to achieve unique work with a strong impact. In its best form, design guides the viewer towards a different state of mind that can change behaviors in a positive way. In this sense, it plays a crucial role in our lives, a role in which I want to take part.
33
graphic design
AL MAHA AL KUWARI
CMYK Calendar
DANIA JALEES
Antidote (Card Game) TITLE
Print MEDIUM
11.4 x 9.6 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2013 D AT E
graphic design
34
As a graphic designer, I find great power in working towards a joint vision with others. Working collaboratively enables me to gain valuable insight and new perspectives through exchanges with my peers. Within my design process, I keep an open mind and allow room for intuitive processes to emerge. This approach enables me to investigate new ideas that can be expressed through my own unique and unusual visual language. Although the work I create may seem a bit peculiar or playful on the surface, the meaning embedded into the work challenges the user to look at a situation differently. I approach projects without limits and mediums, and instead let the process lead to unexpected results. This has allowed me to explore a variety of possibilities, and helped me channel my thinking into short animations, printed media, games, and interactive experiences. In my opinion, graphic design should help shape the world we live in to be a better place. To achieve these results, however, one might have to take the path least traveled.
graphic design
35
FILZA KHAN
Dialogue: having conversations with qatar TITLE
Digital Publication MEDIUM
1024 by 768 px DIMENSIONS
Fall 2013 D AT E
graphic design
36
Globalization and technology are creating a world in which languages and cultures are being shared through an increasing flow of information. Paradoxically, this discourages meaningful communication and understandings within our communities. In our attempts to manage this overwhelming amount of information we find ourselves often adopting stereotypical ideas of one another that do not support a well-founded empathy for each other. Because I am an individual who has lived within two different societies, I am curious of how people communicate and understand each other within the social context. Back home in the Philippines, I was taught that education is the key to move forward with your life. I have seen less privileged individuals walk for hours just to go to school and study at night in the darkness. These people have strived to attain a formal education as a means to elevate their social standing. When my family migrated to Qatar, I became a part of a society with a more rigid structure. I realized that this social structure was facilitated by persistent stereotypes that force people to interact with one another in a less compassionate way.
During the course of my education, I have become increasingly aware of how the entrenched social hierarchy has created a society where diversity is more of a hindrance than an asset that can be utilized to make this country achieve its own aspirations more effectively. I feel that individual members of this society can address this issue by finding ways to communicate more authentically across existing social boundaries. By utilizing my communication design knowledge, I have begun to explore ways that we can change the flow of communities to transcend the stereotypes and empower each one of us to develop understandings that acknowledge the value and potential that each of us has. My design education has inspired within me a mission to utilize this knowledge to help people connect and work with each other without prejudices, assumptions or miscommunications.
graphic design
37
GHADA AL SUWAIDI
Treasure TITLE
Water color, Digital MEDIUM
20.5 x 20.5 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
graphic design
38
If you asked me what graphic design was four years ago, I would answer: “making posters and logos using a digital medium.� But if you ask me today, I will tell you that graphic design is so much more. It covers everything from social problem solving to constructing sophisticated messages. I learned that design itself is the act of looking at a problem from different perspectives, and creating a meaningful and lasting solution. Throughout my years studying graphic design, I developed a passion for book design, print, branding, typography and video making. I have experimented with different mediums through a variety of projects. Not only did graphic design allow me to discover new interests, but it also allowed me to combine one of my hobbies, which is illustrating, with graphic design and discover new possibilities as a result. I am able to do this through my picture book, Treasure, a story about a boy in search of a treasure who develops new friendships along the way, which, in the end, turn out to be the real treasure.
graphic design
39
graphic design 40
HALA HAMAD
Decoding A Culture TITLE
Digital Publication MEDIUM
42 x 59.4 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2013 D AT E
As an Adult Third Culture Kid myself, I tend to always address design in a universal way. I do think about the significance of my own culture and heritage but I always end up integrating stories of all types and backgrounds. With a big imagination I tend to address cultures that contribute the most diverse tales to the world. Living in Doha challenges the mainstream vision of western graphic design as Qatar contains the traditional aspect of art in addition to the modernity that was brought by its openness to the rest of the world.
Moreover, the large expat community that one would meet everyday showcases this diversity through their upbringing and their global experiences. This contributes to the designer’s personality making graphic design a global career that I take pride in practicing.
41
graphic design
Becoming a graphic designer changed a lot about how I view and practice life. Exploring systems in design gave me the ability to deconstruct any idea, product, or even culture only to recreate it in a new original way. System design helps people view ideas from a whole new perspective. It shines a light on things people would never think about. The beauty of design is that it could easily help highlight a concept that could be considered marginal only to make it more attractive and interesting.
LOLWA AL MOHANNADI
‘Entqlna’ Children Book TITLE
Digital Print MEDIUM
28.28 x 20 x 2 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
graphic design
42
I am Interested in illustrations and designing playful games and products for young kids. Sometimes, I like to involve culture into my designs, since I believe it is part of who I am. However, even when designing for culture, I still believe it should be playful, and fun so people from different ages can enjoy and learn about their own culture or other cultures. Storytelling can be a way of showing different elements of a culture, since our culture consist of who we are and who we were and the different experiences we go through; it is a story by itself. Illustrating stories to tell about our culture, what we eat, what we do, and even how we speak, can help in keeping our culture the same as it is to be taught to this generation and the generations ahead. Dialog to me is also a main part of our
culture, since in the arab region, we have different ways of speaking between one country to another. Therefore, in designing cultural stories for kids or adults, I decide to use the Qatari dialog instead of the formal Arabic language.
graphic design
43
graphic design 44
MACK CORTEL
One Day As A Lion TITLE
Digital Print MEDIUM
59.4 x 84.1 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2014 D AT E
I entered this university with an open mind. Seeking for opportunities to be fluent with this language of design. Wanting to learn more and look at design for what it is. I have realized that design is actually not about making, but rather translating words into ideas, merging thoughts into concepts, incorporating functionality into aesthetics and bridging, creative and perceptive thinking.
This experience has taught me a lot of things. Through my ups and (mostly) downs, from one project to the other, from my mind to the computer, from screen to printer and from printer to paper, design never failed to amuse me as its process naturally unfolds before me. My love for design grew despite the challenges that could have discouraged me along the way. I believe this love will continue to grow as I accumulate experiences, good or bad, as long as it is related to design, I will love every bit of it no matter what.
45
graphic design
As a child growing up, I found myself interested in design and art in general. It motivates my mind to think and explore. I always looked at design as my outlet for freedom of expression and creativity, through the art of communicating my concepts and visual identity.
MAEDA AL HAIDAR
Souq Waqif's Visual Identity TITLE
Mixed Media MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
graphic design
46
Design, and especially Graphic Design, exists all around us, without our recognizing it! It exists on our tiny mobile screens, all over the living room, and even in the nearest supermarket. A designer not only works in the design field, but also is a good collaborator who can work in all fields, in order to solve problems, in creative, yet simple ways. I’m interested in contributing to the environment that I belong to. I recognized that most of my influential projects turned out to be about Qatar! I always try to present Qatar, report on our rich culture, and enhance our identity throughout my projects.
I designed this identity for Souq Waqif, inspired by the elegant architecture of the place and after finding the need for a visual system that can unify it visually. I designed the identity to showcase our cultural character and uniqueness, educate visitors in a subtle way, as well as strengthen the connection between us Qataris and the souq itself. Now, and throughout my last semester at VCUQ, I’ve been working to analyze and redefine what makes Qatar what it is today in 2015.
graphic design
47
graphic design 48
MARAM AL ABDULLA
امون؟ ّ شنو بتسوي TITLE
Digital Print MEDIUM
29.7 x 21 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
My mother is a treasure from whom I have learned to speak. That is why I always focus on the Arabic language and typography in my work. To help the audience understand and appreciate the project, sometimes I make a design decision to use bilingual language to fit the viewer’s needs. I am the person who divides my life into two parts: my home and my education. In my four years of studies I designed different things, but I feel that I excelled at designing children’s books that include illustration and typography, and I also prevailed at creating systems that are innovative and simplistic.
49
graphic design
A designer who admires culture and tradition, I used to do and say everything that my grandmother did. My mother always said that her grandmother deserved the best. My book, امون؟ ّ ( شنو بتسويWhat Amoon will do?), captures the tradition and the pattern of my life. Similarly, my style in my designs is a hybrid between the past and the present.
MARIAM AL JUFAIRI
Reveal TITLE
Mixed Media MEDIUM
400 x 100 x 200 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2014 D AT E
graphic design
50
Graphic designers have a voice that not many people have. It is a part of our job to use that voice in order to create a major impact in the world. Throughout my years as a student, I have been fortunate enough to have been given limitless opportunities to use my various skills in order to design with impact. Being a graphic designer in an Islamic and conservative part of the world, I have learned a great deal about the importance of always taking the audience into consideration when designing. One design can trigger a series of diverse emotions in different people, which leads me to my thesis topic, emotions. Are the emotions that we feel an accurate representation of who we are as human beings? Or can they be a reminder of who we can or want to be? These are all thought-provoking questions that take a great deal of design thinking and problem solving to answer, and I would not have been able to answer them, had it not been for my education at VCUQatar.
graphic design
51
graphic design 52
MOHAMMAD JAWAD
Farm to Landfill
TITLE
Digital Print MEDIUM
59.4 x 84.1cm (A1) DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
I believe design is the balance between opposite extremes, of unity and contrast, composition and raw expression, simplicity and complexity. My curiosity has allowed me to discover a deeper capacity to design that lies beyond visuals and material forms. My design process focuses on the metamorphosis of a simple idea and the use of a multi-disciplinary approach to develop innovative solutions through human interaction. As a visual communicator, my design capabilities revolve around the subjects of sustainability, functionality and adaptation. The outcomes I create are a representation of critical thinking that allows the users to interact, navigate, experience and transform with the designs I create.
My interest lies in re-contextualizing of design language to develop responsive, functional design that creates new meanings and relationships between the user and the environment, the mechanical with the artistic, the rational with the abstract, and the seen with the unseen. 53
graphic design
In a world where everyone strives to be perfect, I find beauty in imperfection by deconstructing the subtle details and making meaning of the mundane. As a designer, I indulge in spontaneity and experimentation with unconventional materials and media, fabricating and merging the traditional with the contemporary to create new dialogues that produce sustainable interventions.
graphic design 54
TITLE
Digital Print MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
I believe that design is a way to share our own perspective and interpretation of the things around us. Turning insignificant things into meaningful and valuable designs, I believe in the power of simplicity within design, and I attempt to reflect my culture, traditions and identity. These sources in particular stimulate me, and are utilized through my design. In Gaadatna (Our Sitting), I intend to look into details of our everyday Qatari belonging, to value and appreciate its remarkable beauty, and thus to hold on to our heritage, since it forms the basis of our identity. This is especially important during this time of rapid change in Qatar because modernization tempts us to forget our beautiful designs and to lose our pride in them. My intention is to continue learning and cultivating my skills as a designer, while utilizing my knowledge and education to serve our country.
55
graphic design
MONA ESSA AL SULAITI
Gadaatna (Our Sitting)
graphic design 56
TITLE
Digital Print MEDIUM
59.4 x 84.1cm (A1) DIMENSIONS
Spring 2014 D AT E
Graphic design is a subject matter of concepts where they look nicer; I believe creative work begins with the depth of understanding and sensitivity of the subject matter. Through my studies at VCUQatar, I have expanded my knowledge and perspective as a designer. I also learned that in graphic design it is rare to find a unique and outstanding idea, which made me enjoy reflecting my personality and myself through my designs. As a graphic designer I believe that design is a composition of raw expression and creativity. I’ve always caught my hunger for experimentation of new ideas, clarity of concepts, and my passion for pushing ideas to the end of the spectrum when paying attention to the visuals and details.
57
graphic design
MOZA AL NASR
MUNEERA AL KHULAIFI
Who am I as a Graphic Designer TITLE
Poster MEDIUM
29.7 x 59.4 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2014 D AT E
graphic design
58
As a Graphic Designer I am passionate about creating clean, sophisticated, fashion forward pieces. Graphic design enables me to express my creative side and help me contribute in shaping society's visual landscape. I am able to express myself most through graphic design. It is a field that merges both my personality, as well as my desire for selfexpression, and grants me a forum on which I can further develop both aspects of myself. Graphic design has reassured me of my own voice, of the potentiality of art, and the impact that I, and many young artists like me, have on society. While I am a bit disillusioned that my four-year journey as a student of design is at its end, I can't help but hope that with the new journey I shall soon start, applying all that I have learned, it will instill a new sense of appreciation for past experiences, and eagerness for new ones. I can’t wait to create exciting innovative work to deliver memorable visual messages through all media in the future.
graphic design
59
graphic design 60
TITLE
Packaging MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Spring 2013 D AT E
My idea of design was very limited before getting into VCUQatar. The Graphic Design Program expanded my knowledge in various design research directions and applications. This expansion helped me look into the field in much more detail, which led me to finding my interests, which are: typography, illustration and packaging. Looking at those outcomes, I also find myself interested in designing for children as audience. This packaging project was what led me to my area of interest and was the start of many following projects in my years at VCUQatar that kept expanding my aspiration to be able to design for a younger audience. I look forward to collaborative experiences that allow me to interact, explore and experiment in order to gain fresh knowledge and insight to deliver a clear visual message.
61
graphic design
NOOF AL MOHANNADI
Package Design
NOOF BINALI
Art vs. Design TITLE
Poster MEDIUM
59.4 x 84.1cm (A1) DIMENSIONS
Spring 2014 D AT E
If merging art with design is a crime, then I’m guilty.
graphic design
62
A lot of people say that emotional approaches should be for artists, who said that a graphic designer couldn’t be an artist? Every semantic element is decided based on emotional purposes from the format to the typeface to the color. For those who claim to be graphic designers and think that emotional approaches are for artists only; try to design a piece that’s only made of card board and see who will care enough to stop and take a look. In my sophomore and junior years, my choice of profession has been questioned and whether I belonged to this department or not, despite how much I love graphic design. The red cloth expresses how I was hiding from this situation. But the main message here is that I’m not hiding anymore and it’s not a shame to be imaginative for whatever reason in graphic design, I wanted to show the sense of daring and courage to go out there through the composition. The choice of color for the cloth was meant to make a bold statement in that respect.
graphic design
63
graphic design 64
NOOR ALTHANI
And then there was Light TITLE
MDF Etched Wood MEDIUM
34 x 138 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
My projects often explore an underlying theme of impermanence; historically, graphic design work was expected to last for years or decades, however, contemporary design today is about the here and the now; a moment that captures our attention and then is gone. In that the work has impact and power but is ephemeral. My work emerges through an exchange of simplicity and complexity as I explore unconventional methods combining physical and digital processes, paying close attention to craft and details, ensuring each element has a reason, story or purpose.
Through each project I challenge myself to learn something new. I believe that research on a topic, brainstorming materials and concepts, organizing my thoughts, planning a direction, and learning by creating enables me to use design thinking to cause an intervention – interjecting an idea or opinion into the every-day, to provoke behavior change.
65
graphic design
I am an experiential designer who engages projects that transcend traditional graphic design outcomes and captivates the audience through interactions using time, motion, space and physical materials. Even conventional identity systems or posters require participatory involvement or systematic processes that materialize through iteration, intuition and transformation.
NOORA AL MELHIM
Creative Imagination Prints TITLE
Mixed Media MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Spring 2014 D AT E
graphic design
66
“An idea can turn to dust or magic, My four years in VCU Qatar was a short depending on the talent that rubs journey of self-discovering as a designer, against it.” and I have grown into a completely different – Bill Bernbach person conceptually and skill-wise. Not having a single style, I always try to push my limits and try different things. I mostly find myself more pleased when designing for children as an audience because there I can go back to my childhood and reflect on what I always wanted to do—just drawing with small stories in mind, which shows my love for illustration and animation. Creative Imagination Prints enabled me to explore different media and different techniques that took me out of my comfort zone. Never satisfied with gray areas, I strive for brilliance of color, always adding rich hues to enliven the design. I aim to achieve elegance, attention to details, sophistication, craft, and playful usage of image in my designs so people can see and immediately associate them with my personality. As a graphic designer I am capable of solving problems, creating solutions and communicating my thoughts visually to a variety of audiences.
graphic design
67
graphic design 68
TITLE
Digital Print MEDIUM
59.4 x 84.1 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2014 D AT E
VCUQatar has taught me how powerful graphic design is. I have established the ability to solve problems through design and critical thinking. I have also learnt that design can be a platform for taking action and causing a reaction. The thought of my work being able to change people’s behavior and thinking allows me to be innovative and ambitious. I don’t think people give design in general as much credit as it deserves. My personality shows through my work. I like to take a minimalistic approach when designing because I believe the simpler something is, the more effective it is. I’m very systematic, structured and organized. Even though my work might look simple from far, there are a lot of layers of complexity to it. When I look at my design process and how my work has evolved from start to finish, I can see a reflection of myself as a designer and how I’ve evolved and progressed. I can see how over the years I’ve learnt to experiment and take more risks. I’ve developed my own visual language and style, and only hope to continue growing and improving as a designer.
69
graphic design
SALMA HAMOUDA
Me, Myself and I
WANOUN YAQOOB
The Companion TITLE
Digital Print MEDIUM
14.8 x 21 cm (A5) DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
graphic design
70
I am a person who searches for truth, value and meaning in life. Honesty, hard work and hope are the guiding principles of my life. I tend to believe in not what is usually seen, rather what lies beyond the seen. To me, design is more than what books and technology has to offer. It is rather a never-ending exploration about “The Self.” It is a deep-rooted process that comes from understanding life, people and experiences that nurtures a designer’s thinking, which in turn impacts his design philosophies and solutions. The idea of “making meaning” or “finding meaning” in the surroundings to evoke an emotional response is something that inspires me. Hence, the power of narrative design to express myself and my experiences steps in and guides all my work. Storytelling, poetry and photography are some of the tools that I use to communicate and express¬ myself in innovative ways. Something that really fascinates me about graphic design is the fact that it is not limited in its nature. It has given me an opportunity to find value in things that I might have been oblivious of. I have learnt that the key for my journey as a designer is to appreciate my values and the environment we breathe in every day.
graphic design
71
in te r i o r
d e si g n
We are entering a new global era which holds
This is resulting in distinguished pedagogic,
much promise for the design discipline and
research and service projects, including, but
suggests holistic paradigms. Our curriculum
not limited to, the building of a teacher’s
extrapolates from the present perspective
house in Muen Phem of the Karen Hill Tribe
bridging the gap between environment,
in Chiang Mai, Thailand; partnering with
behavior and creativity paradigms.
Al Baker Architects to examine and explore
Our interior design department provides
the design of future spas in search of new
students with the appropriate pedagogic
identities and innovation; using immersive
tools to achieve this unique learning
projection in conjunction with Qatar
experience, including interdisciplinary and
Museums Authority for the design of the
multidisciplinary collaboration, real-life
Doha Fire Station; and designing a mobile
projects, internships, study abroad, and
exhibition (MobEx) in a unique collaborative
professional tours.
pedagogic experience that brought together students from VCU Richmond and VCUQatar.
Our students are benefitting from a
While continuing to be the sole CIDA (Council
culturally-diverse body of faculty,
for Interior Design Accreditation) accredited
a fundamental constituent of excellence in
program outside the United States, I
art and design schools.
am delighted about our ambitious and expanding prospects and I look forward to a future full of success and excellence. Mohamed Cherif Amor Chair, Interior Design
AISHA AL NAAMA
Living room TITLE
Digital Rendering MEDIUM
2400 x 1800 px DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
interior design
74
Interior design is not just about selecting furniture or choosing colors. I believe that Interior design can be a much deeper reflection of people lifestyle. In my design I sough to incorporate glimpses of the past as an inspiration. Past is an extension of the present and future, as a designer, I believe that there are many essential lessons to learn from the past that need to be implemented through design. I consider that the best way to understand our future is to remember our past, and whenever we dig into our past we will progress in our future. In my project I tried to come up with a strong concept that originate from the past yet benefit from the modern technology. The concept of the house project seek for new possibilities of architectural and urban forms through new meaning imposed on older ideas. I applied courtyard system that drive from the old houses in Qatar in order to create harmony with the life style, environment, nature and the cultural value of the Qatari people maintain its unique identity.
interior design
75
interior design 76
AMELIE BEICKEN
Grieving Center Capstone TITLE
Sketch MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
Through exploration of our behavior I wish to create an emotion and reaction, challenge the way we inhabit or use our spaces. Furthermore, in my capstone Grieving Center project, I seek to control how a space can help us psychologically and improve our lives. I hope to maintain this approach in future projects, too. Experimentation, an open mind and accepting failure have proven to be the best way for me to improve my designs. Upon these foundations growth ensues.
77
interior design
As an Interior Designer I aspire to combine interiors with human interaction. My motivation is the impact interior spaces can have on the human psyche or behavior and vice versa. Throughout my work aims to understand the psychological and sociological aspect of the client I design for. From then on I can push the boundaries and influences of my design.
ARWA SAFRI
Sports café – a journey inside the café TITLE
Digital Rendering MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
interior design
78
Design to me is like a lavish dinner set on a table. From far, it attracts the person, the aroma of the food fills the nostrils and draws one closer. From close, one gets to touch the rough texture of the bread and the smoothness of the silverware. At last one gets to taste the food. In a similar way, I believe designed spaces can provide a full sensory experience. To me, each corner of the space is carefully thought upon. I believe in ‘designing for a reason and with a reason; design not just for the eye but for all the senses and the mind.’ As part of the process, I believe in analyzing the problem in depth - the ‘what if’s’ open a whole set of possibilities. In addition, I believe with design there
is always a room for improvement and therefore I happily accept criticism. I believe in taking risk and set myself on a journey full of surprises. My work as a designer thrives on a theme, heavily focusing on serving a purpose and fulfilling a function. Spaces that are wellutilized and engaging that draw one to inhabit and activate with their presence.
interior design
79
interior design 80
TITLE
Mixed Media MEDIUM
150cm X 150cm X 50cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
Design is not about creating beauty, but bringing out beauty from unnoticed matter. As an individual I am curious to learn and understand the skills of making things. To me every aspect of Interior Design is exciting, especially as I carry a strong desire to create practical yet beautiful environments, in which people live and work. It is a challenging field that teaches ways to expand design thinking over a broad spectrum of subjects. VCU Qatar provided a design platform where designers are able to work in multidisciplinary fields enhancing their knowledge beyond their majors. Being tested with different projects I developed understanding, of the importance of process work. For me, final result is not the only thing a designer needs to aim for, but rather the most important aspect of designing is the development of the process. I see myself as a designer who wants to explore different fields and possibilities of generating design process and the ‘procedure of process making’.
81
interior design
ASMA HOSNA
Delta
BASHAYER AL MOHANNADI
TITLE
MEDIUM
DIMENSIONS
D AT E
interior design
82
As a designer I love to incorporate elements of my traditional Qatari culture into almost everything I do. I believe that by combining elements of my culture into designs, I am reflecting the aspirations and future of my country. Qatar has so much beauty through its Islamic and Arabic influences and these can create unique designs that incorporate blends of color, style, fabrics, mosaics water, light etc. I like to create spaces that are functional and beautiful. Where are person feels comfortable and well cared for. Where attention to detail is extremely important. My designs try to focus on individualism and character using diversity of colors and styles, culturally- sourced content combined with the use of lighting tries to bring a richness to my work. Careful analysis and application of my design ideas through, I try to produce spaces that show careful thought and planning, and have a very “Qatari sense of place”.
interior design
83
interior design 84
TITLE
Digital MEDIUM
NA DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
“Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.” Robert L. Peters 85
Applying the design process is not a mathematical equation; it is allowing yourself to change your perspective and alter your perception on what a space can be. The word design itself has a personality, it is a combination of my interests and individuality where I reflect a part of myself in my work. My curiosity controls me wherever I go, I analyze my surroundings, my feelings in different places and always try to know what differentiates each emotional reaction. This reflects on my impression in people, if a person expresses their opinion on a certain space, I get curious to know why and how they feel in the same environment. This helps me analyze what each aspect of the setting does to people and how I want to design an experience, not just a three dimensional area. My work reflects transforming an abstract into an environment, experience and hence, a reality.
interior design
DANA AL LADKHI
Resonance
DHIKA KHAIRA
Pockets of Theater TITLE
Foam and illustration board white model MEDIUM
90 x 50 x 10 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2015 D AT E
interior design
86
One behaves in a certain way when one enters a specific space. The ceiling height, the flooring, the room lighting ambiance, or even the minutiae’s, such as tactile materials effect your experiences. The smallest of details, the careful considerations accumulated together by interior designers are what defines the overall atmosphere which directs individuals to behave accordingly. Interior design determines our behavior in every space we enter, yet we take it for granted. I believe in design as a way of living, as a way of communicating, and as a way of narrating stories. Through design, I hope to tell stories and deliver messages through a series of experiences. I believe that clarity and intelligibility are the most important things in design. Clarity in design means that your design communicates in a clear, certain, and direct manner. Design should always have the ability to speak for itself without the need for explanation.
As an aspiring designer, I thrive for more knowledge and opportunities that will help myself grow richer as a better individual when designing in future projects.
interior design
87
interior design 88
TITLE
MEDIUM
DIMENSIONS
D AT E
My thesis project reflects my approach to work and also my personality and style. In this piece I have taken a 1970’s style palace and transformed it into a boutique hotel. In doing this, I have combined classic elements of Qatari tradition encompassing the theme of the Pearl, while still preserving the key elements of the 70’s style and architecture of the space. The irregular lines and iridescent colors one would see in a pearl, are symbolic of my love and appreciation for the heritage of Qatar. As a designer I know I have grown from where I began and that the journey is still continuing. I embrace new opportunities and understand that a world without design would be a very dull place. Thus it is now my vocation to ensure that the beauty and individualism of design is passed on through generations.
89
interior design
DUHA AL SUBAEY
FARAH ZAMRI
Al-Majlis TITLE
Pine and plywood MEDIUM
15 sqm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
interior design
90
"Eventually everything connects people, ideas, objects. The quality of the connections is the key to quality per se." -Charles Eames Design is a universal language. As an Interior designer, we communicate through space. Every space has a narrative, a history left behind, with memories to store. Completing the undergraduate program. Interior Design, enhanced my knowledge to discover a new perspective in design. Space is not just about good design, appealing aesthetics and materials; Interior Design is about the audience, understanding their behavior, representing them and functionality through their requirements. Interior Design has a cinematic personality that engages one to visually imagine the scenarios within a narrated space, similar to a movie set with an endless time frame.
Design brings about a purposeful impact experienced by the audience and myself, since it heightens an imagined space into a functional and everlasting memory. My work welcomes the individual familiar and unfamiliar to recognize and adapt to the designed environment. I will continue to push my research in various other storyboards into action that create similar experiences through Interior Design.
interior design
91
interior design 92
TITLE
Video (2 mins) MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Spring 2014 D AT E
I think it was the places, sights, smells and tastes from my travels that lured me into the field of design. However, what I found most striking is the way our domestic environments are designed to reflect our culture and facilitate how different cultures eat and interact. It is this thirst for understanding cultures and their influence on design and aesthetics which inspired me to train as an interior designer. Studying in VCU Qatar, a diverse environment, I discovered more on culture and how it shapes an individual’s character and influences their thinking. The stories of the past and the dreams of the future are indeed affected by cultureThis is design. Families have legacies, values and recipes which are carried forward from generation to generation which are reflected in our shared behaviors. This effects the way we shape the environment around us. I try to design keeping in mind the environment and the cultural context.
93
interior design
GEETHA RAJESWAR
Segments
MERIEM AIOUNA
QMA project restaurant bar white model TITLE
Bristol paper MEDIUM
55.6 x 24.5 x 7.5 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
interior design
94
Design is honesty. A space makes you feel all kind of emotions. You feel welcomed, immersed, quiet or uneasy the second you enter the space; that’s the power of Design. It is also the reason why I love the field I chose. Being able to implement all sorts of emotions or convey a story in any three dimensional space always intrigued me. Seeing how an idea can come to life from your own hands is the best gift that a designer can get. Ideas are endless, the secret is to just stay curious. To me, design is, at the same time, a scientific and artistic process. The scientific part is the moment where you need to experiment in order to achieve the final creative outcome. The artistic part is the direction where your inspiration and creativity takes you; the end result will always be unexpected and uncontrollable. Design is full of surprises and magic because it’s an uncontrollable experiment. It always makes me feel inspired, creative and wonder about the next step to take…
interior design
95
interior design 96
Sculpture MEDIUM
5X5 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
As an interior designer, I try to be Open minded. I attempt to expose my style of design. I am more creative when build in full scale .also , i get inspire from my traditions, people, books and other designers . Inner patient and self believes are what makes me continue working .lighting and colors in a space make me happy and I love how does the colors effect our mood . It change our feeling and how we see the world. Also colors should be in a right place .at that end I think we design to create feeling from the space throw the colors. “Remember, color is not just color, but mood, temperature and structure.� - Van Day Truex
97
interior design
MUNEERA FAKHROO
Creating Moods TITLE
NAJD AL MESNED
El Baraha TITLE
Digital Rendering MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
interior design
98
Looking at the influence and practice of design in the region, an element that repeatedly stands out to me is how the local culture is romanticized in spaces. Such references are seen in structures and interiors where a user is welcomed into an experience. The symbolic and concrete references are the intriguing element to me as an interior designer. Beyond decorative elements, how can interior design authentically depict culture. This assertion has guided many of my design investigations. Design to me, are informed decisions on what the space aesthetically and functionally is referencing. In response, my thesis project looks into how culture and the ideals of the region are reflected in the hospitality industry. With the common sight of the boundary wall to Qatar’s residents, my thesis questions the social influence of such structures. The El Baraha project integrates a communal approach to tourism.
The desert resort’s design trials ideals on the boundary wall, common ground and privacy that is set among Qatari neighborhoods. Migrating away from the city into the desert, El Baraha utilizes the context of the open landscape and omission of the boundary walls to introduce a communal feel to tourism.
interior design
99
NOHA FAHMY
Social Design TITLE
Mixed media MEDIUM
850 x 600 x 300 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
interior design
100
Despite what people may think, there is more to Interior Design than just a harmonious combination of colors and materials. If I had to define what our profession means to me, I would say the following: interior design is a communication instrument with which the designer tells his story to the world’s subconscious. Interior designers are invisible storytellers. We have the ability to implement design solutions that discreetly appeal to the users, as they can feel, yet not see them. It is this enchanted capability that fascinates me the most about what we do. Every project is an opportunity to tell a story, connecting visual and spatial languages to create meaningful three-dimensional experiences. As an interior designer, I have made it a goal to create memorable, or at the very least, hard to forget impressions on the visitors of my spaces. The challenge I accepted is to apply a deeper meaning to my concepts, by reaching to the core of the stories and appealing to the senses.
interior design
101
interior design 102
NORHAN MOHAMED
TITLE
MEDIUM
DIMENSIONS
D AT E
103
interior design
“If we value our lives, let us abandon it all… I am forever fettered to myself, that’s what I am, and that’s what I must try to live with.” – Frank Kafka Design to me is to tell a story.. I believe that places, over time, affect an individual’s perception. Places act as an indicator of authenticity. Design is a reflection of what people have experienced in the past through incidents and interactions. Design is also a reflection of belief and value that expresses something to the viewer. Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way to accomplish a purpose. Design is not a method of general expression, it is a method of action. Design is not only crafty and artistic, it addresses industrial solutions. The primary conditions for the practice of design is the recognition of the need. A true place welcomes change that adapts with circumstances to accommodate with what the time brings.
OMAIMA ABDULLA
Untitled TITLE
Wood MEDIUM
30 x 50 DIMENSIONS
D AT E
interior design
104
For me “design is not a transformation, its creation”. Designing for me is the experience that extends far beyond the bricks and mortar of the design environment it is to understand the motives behind any design choice; this is true wither it is personal or universal, contemporary or classic, bespoke or generic. To be a great designer I believe that; I need communicate and connect design to the people; to enhance the environment and make it relevant to the cultural and historical background of the surroundings. Designing for me is like a solving a puzzle, I always struggle to find all the pieces but I always complete the picture. As a designer I enjoy expressing myself through many different but interconnected ways through the design process.
interior design
105
interior design 106
TITLE
Ink & marker on paper MEDIUM
40 x 27 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
Design is an eclectic process that is built on combining knowledge of functions, materials, and behavioral science to address and solve an existing problem, while maintaining aesthetic values and functionality. It starts with identifying a need, and then analyzing it from different angles and points of view. I would then put my thoughts together, and work on creating a solution for the issue at hand, and eventually come up with a design that addresses the initial problem from all sides. I prefer to sketch and render manually, as I feel that it brings me closer to the designs I create. The process of mixing and matching colors, considering different hues and saturations, and creating a balance between lights and shadows helps me to bring out the best of my work, and highlight the most important elements in my designs.
107
interior design
OMAR EZZELDEEN
Piano Platform View
interior design 108
REEM AL ADHAM
Bethiye TITLE
Wood Construction MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
109
interior design
The most intriguing and impactful designs are ones that both inspire and fulfill a specific function. Whether it is to provide migrant workers with a place of respite, or to preserve tradition in an old palace, these designs can fulfill a vital function and be aesthetically and psychologically pleasing. In terms of aesthetic design, I think it is important for me to express my energetic and competitive side. This energy is demonstrated in many of my designs that involve vivid colors and sharp, lively themes and elements. I often model and design spaces that are dynamic, interactive and flow, inducing energy into the user. Although my greatest passion in design is for furniture, designing for residential and commercial spaces intrigues me. I believe that every home, restaurant, shop, etc. has its own identity. A space is designed for specific a specific audience and this audience must be comfortable in their own space, you must understand the psychological aspect to understand each functionality required by a client to be able to design for them.
SARA KHIDER
Namaste TITLE
Mixed Media MEDIUM
N/A DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
interior design
110
My interest is how culture influences design. As an Interior Design student at Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar, a main aspect that I decide to focus on while starting and working on a project is how culture can relate to either the interior of a space or even a furniture piece. I am personally interested in furniture design as I feel that a specific furniture piece can say a lot. Learning about different cultures and religions is also very important. “Namaste� was a project that mainly focused on the Asian migrant workers who live in Doha. Creating a seating area for them was a challenge as there was a lot that I needed to learn about. For example, activities that they like to do, how they like to eat and what they like to do in their free time. All of these aspects relate back to my furniture piece. For the future I would like to continue designing interior spaces and furniture pieces for different cultures. Learning about different cultures has made me grow as a person and as a designer.
interior design
111
interior design 112
TITLE
Mixed media (wood and foam board) MEDIUM
80 x 80 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
Design is a language which is interdisciplinary and is primarily about problem-solving. It is able to combine visual sensitivity in order to break the barriers between humans. The concept behind my work evolved from my outlook on the environment and the idea that we can do to help improve the quality of living. Just like life, design is an endeavor that everyone helps to create and maintain together. In order to have a good end result, there should be an interaction between the composition of expression and commitment. I feel comfortable with operating in the digital world as well as the physical world. For me, this is similar to being raised in two culturesPakistan and Philippines. I strive for brilliance of colors. I strive for pushing my ideas towards the end of the spectrum and I strive for paying close attention to the public.
113
interior design
YASMEEN KHAN
Beyond the barriers
p a i n t i n g + p r i n t m a k i n g
As Qatar makes its mark on the world
Students learn to understand, critique and
stage it does so with a huge investment
even transform the cultural landscape
in the visual arts and an expansive
before them, and in doing so play a
museum program. It is our belief that our
significant role in the evolution and
students will not only become part of this
development of society.
development, but will be its instigators. The Painting and Printmaking Program is
So if the many museums that Qatar is
the first visual arts studio practice program
building are indeed to shape its future and
in Qatar’s history and is part of a wider
that of the region they must do so with
development in the visual arts that is seeing
the most inventive, thought provoking,
Doha become a cultural hub, not only in the
and challenging of artists. We believe our
region, but also on the international stage.
program prepares our artists to be just that, and we invite you to partake in their success
We are proud to present the degree show
at this year’s exhibition, the BFA degree
for our very first set of graduates who will go
show of 2014.
on to play a major role in Qatar’s emerging cultural economy. Where most graduates
Rhys Himsworth
find opportunities, ours will create them,
Director, Painting and Printmaking
where most graduates seek answers, ours will dare to ask questions, and where most graduates seek to understand the world, ours seek to change it. From starting up their own studio practice, developing links with museums, curating exhibitions, and setting up their own galleries, the three intensive years in the Painting and Printmaking program has prepared our students to thrive in a fast and unpredictably changing cultural climate.
EMELINA SOARES
Series Process TITLE
Digital prints, fabric and milk MEDIUM
Dimensions variable DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
History is endless but memories help remind us of what we once had.
painting + printmaking
116
My practice revolves around fabricating an orientalist perspective that forms my identity. As a third culture individual of Indian ethnicity with Portuguese ancestry, raised in the Middle East, I have developed a curiosity to examine intercultural influences by using semiotics to bridge that perplexity. My desire to impersonate iconic historical paintings in a digital montage contextualizes the work to contemporary mediums, while juxtaposing the history and cultural anachronisms. By investigating my religion in an Islamic society, I have been clarifying the placement of myself. Abstracting the images to obscure my multicultural ethnicity progressed to a level of the unknown. I hope to attain a better understanding of my identity in a foreign, yet known culture as I proceed both as an artist and individual.
painting + printmaking
117
painting + printmaking 118
TITLE
Multimedia MEDIUM
Dimensions variable DIMENSIONS
Fall 2015 D AT E
My professor asked me to write an artist statement, so here it is. I do not think I should write an artist statement, but I am writing it now to fulfill class requirements. This statement is also for people who require artist statements for their applications, like artist residencies, graduate studies or curators, where artists are obligated to submit their artist statement. It could also be on my website under “About Artist�. I believe that visual art is more powerful than words, and there are not enough words on this planet that can describe it. My art is visual; you should not need to read or listen to me talking about my work; to defend it or to engage the viewer. I think visual art has the power to exercise the brain by making viewers question what the art piece is about. I want people to think about my artwork even after they go home without words killing their imagination.
119
painting + printmaking
HANA AL SAADI
Endless work, unless the power is out
RODA AL NASR
Henna Camel Skull #1 TITLE
Blue foam board, gesso and acrylic paint MEDIUM
40 x 46 x 87 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
painting + printmaking
120
In this world, cultures are not as segregated as they once were. People exchange with each other their rituals; with that, cultural fusion occurs. As such, I feel I no longer can be contained within one culture. I was born in the Middle East, unaware of my original traditions; my family moved to England temporarily when I was a child. Slowly I modified my way of thinking to fit within the European lifestyle. By the time I became a teenager and started discovering myself as a person, my family moved back to Qatar. I was surprised that Doha had become a multicultural city. Still trying to understand who I was as an individual, I would go back and fourth between the Qatari and European cultures. As I explore between these societies, I find myself heading to different paths and discovering new understandings of my own mixed culture – for that I am a hybrid of these societies.
Originally, I would only work with blackand-white, but what fascinated me is once I glitched an image, a rainbow of colors would be generated and a new illustration is formed. Later on, I felt that it was a subconscious decision to work with coding because it related to no culture and it is created by mathematical formulas, a universal language. However, as a Qatari I never felt that I belonged to my community and a question that was always beckoning through my mind is, “how can my work relate to my local culture?”
painting + printmaking
121
painting + printmaking 122
SALMA HASSAAN
Untitled TITLE
Inkjet on German Etching paper MEDIUM
203 x 106 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
My interest in abstraction grew from my shortsightedness. Since I was a child, I have had the urge to compare my vision with and without glasses, which affects the way I outline people and shapes, everyday. In a further attempt to explore this phenomenon, I have been investigating abstract printmaking techniques in contrast with refined photographic imagery.
The gradual progression of the printmaking process also has had great influence on my work. Not only do I experience each step and the different phases of the making, but I also enjoy the unlimited chances of changing and shifting. This is activated through the process of creation. Making connections between points in the process, parallels spatial dis / connections.
123
painting + printmaking
I am drawn to the awareness of the spaces around me, especially to internal perception and its relationship between private and public space. Defining the connection between two places as the existence of a moving figure, the only disconnection between spaces arises from one’s own consciousness of location. In my work, I try to un/blur the lines between different spaces in an attempt to bring them together.
SUMAM AZZAM
Treeman TITLE
Oil on wood panel MEDIUM
122 x 140cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
painting + printmaking
124
As a gamer, fictional worlds become my source of inspiration. After investing time exploring videogames, I incorporated themes in my work that relate to the cyber world of gaming. Throughout the past two years I painted realistic portraits to explore facial expressions and emotions of people. I also painted figures to study the human anatomy and body gestures. I then started exploring textural surfaces and began adding the sense of physicality to my work. In order to engage multiple senses from viewers, I made tangible artwork that triggers the viewers’ sense of smell and touch. By changing the painting style of realism from a 2D illusion, I created forms that rise from flat surfaces and engage with people. Infusing a traditional art aesthetic with a formal approach is helping me create new ideas and methods to explore in painting and installation.
Recently, I discovered the concept of parallel universe and implemented it into my paintings and installations. For my thesis work, I will represent multiple universes, which I have engaged in. When my work is displayed, the sculptural installation will be the focal point that ties all of the paintings together. Viewers will begin to see narratives between the pieces and make connections based on what they understand from the work. Opening these cyber doors to the gaming universe has influenced my work and allowed me to create new worlds.
painting + printmaking
125
masters of fine arts in design
The MFA program defines and inhabits an area between design disciplines. The purpose of the MFA program is to produce designers who are experts at negotiating and utilizing elements of many different fields to construct new tailored experiences. Tomorrow’s designers must be able to understand their audiences, collaborators and patrons in original and authentic ways. Global cultures already experience design in a singular fashion. Our practices combine graphics, interaction, engineering, systems, architecture, fashion and product design into a merged experience. Designers who are able to work outside their individual discipline will be at an advantage. The designers of the future will need to navigate between forms of practice, combining elements and skills to create new products, visuals, environments and interactions.
MALAZ EL GEMIABBY
The abandonment of Voice THESIS TITLE
Plaster, mixed MEDIUM
10 x 7 cm DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
design studies
128
According to UNICEF 2004 report, there were over 143 million orphaned and abandoned children in ninety-three developing countries worldwide, this represents 8.4 % of the total of all children in the world. In Sudan, 110 babies are abandoned in the streets of Khartoum every month, the majority of abandoned children are born out of wedlock, social stigma toward illegitimate pregnancy is considered the main reason of abandonment . In order to understand this phenomenon, I experienced the act of abandonment through metaphoric situations where I give up things of value to me by developing a new tool of using ethnographic performance art studies implemented in design studies.
The objective of these performances is to examine the mechanism and psychology of the act of abandonment from the mother’s point of view in order to bring greater public awareness to the psycho-social complexities of child abandonment.
design studies
129
design studies 130
OTHMAN KHUNJI
Rituals, Our Past, Present and Future: Glimpses of Islamic Enrichment THESIS TITLE
Wood, acrylic, canvas fabric and tracing paper MEDIUM
155 x 77cm x 9.5 cm DIMENSIONS
Spring 2014 – Spring 2015 D AT E
A Muslim should be encouraged to comprehend the benefit and value behind every aspect of Islamic practice and wisdom, and not just practice their religion because they were told so. The interactive experiences proposed in this publication aim to achieve this by inviting, encouraging and engaging a Muslim to practice the five pillars of Islam while comprehending their value through the use of modern means such as Arduino technology, 3D printing and visual computing programing.
131
design studies
Based on my experience as a Muslim, Khaleeji citizen, I am provoked by the mere fact that the circle of Muslim people I am surrounded by and exposed to since childhood in the Gulf region, nowadays belong to one of two extreme stereotypes, either conservative, against or afraid of change, or liberal straying further and further away from our religion’s rituals and traditions. What if we could find a middle ground, a more balanced and stronger synthesis of both extremes, where the value of our religion is embraced in our everyday lives yet allowing us to live in the contemporary world of today that is ever changing and progressing?
PATRICIA DUIGNAN
Dr. WHO: Utilizing Emerging Technological Advancements to Enhance the Performance of Medical Uniforms THESIS TITLE
? MEDIUM
? DIMENSIONS
Spring 2013 D AT E
design studies
132
Unlike the performance sportswear industry, the multi-million-dollar medical apparel industry has not been pushing at the research edge of medical garments and textile technology. In most cases, medical garments meet basic requirements – they clothe the professional in a recognizable way but offer little by way of protection for the patient or the clinician. This is particularly evident in the case of professional apparel for physicians despite evidence indicating that contemporary physician garments can harbor contaminants and facilitate the transfer of these contaminants from patient to patient. Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) are among the most serious problems facing modern medical care and conceptualizing medial garments that will reduce or eliminate the transfer of HAIs is a motivating factor for this research.
With the iconic physician’s white lab coat as a focal point, this research examines the role played by this garment in the transfer of HAIs, and comfort and practicality for the wearer. Informed by these examinations, conceptual designs for future physician lab coats are presented. These conceptual pieces are guided by three objectives: eliminate transfer of HAIs through advances in textiles and digital technology, improve practicality of the garment in the medical environment and comfort for the wearer while maintaining appropriate symbolism to support and facilitate a positive physician/ patient relationship.
design studies
133
design studies 134
SAMREEN ZAHRA
Virsa: The Contemporary Value Chain THESIS TITLE
Rosewood, laquer color, cotton ribbon MEDIUM
7x 15 x 15 inches DIMENSIONS
Spring 2015 D AT E
There are a number of efforts going around the globe to preserve the indigenous crafts of different cultures and, to allow that knowledge to be passed down to new generations. My thesis focuses on studying a specific piece (charpai) from the Jandi craft, its preservation through innovation based on design studies. I highlight the skills and traditions of the artisans to the forefront while designing a new set of products inspired by the craft that would reconnect the artisans to their craft and help these artisans to empower themselves in terms of knowledge and finance.
135
design studies
Handicraft means a useful or decorative object made by a craftsman who has direct control over the product during all stages of production. Handicrafts have always had a greater value, an identity of their own reflective of their place, culture and materials, a sense of belonging to a certain place and time. With the evergrowing mass production that followed the industrial revolution we lost those crafts, particularly because most of the artisans crafting these wonderful products in Pakistan belong in the lower socio-economic circle. Most of them hardly earn enough to survive and fulfill their basic needs, and naturally sought greater economic stability. In hopes of making a better future for their children they send them to schools instead of passing the knowledge of the crafts to them. Hence, the chain of knowledge that had been passed for generations in a family comes to end. This risks the loss of a craft that once used to be a source of pride and joy for these artisans. Moreover, cheaper, industrial-made products have reduced demand for handicrafts.
SHAIKHA AL MAHMOUD
Virtues of Local Traditional Environmental Design in A Contemporary Context THESIS TITLE
3D Max Rendering MEDIUM
? DIMENSIONS
Fall 2014 D AT E
design studies
136
In the Arabian Gulf countries, the majlis is a central part of the house. The most public space within the house, the majlis represents the home’s occupants to society. It demonstrates the household’s social and economic status and determines society’s opinion of the household. The majlis is a unique space in the Arab societies, manifesting cultural and social factors that have a direct impact on the society’s identity . Hence, the design of the majlis and meanings associated with its constituents, is an essential part in the discussion about Qatari’s culture, identity and society between the past the present. There has been a noteworthy change in the way the majlis has been designed and used since the discovery of oil in Qatar. This project explores the evolution of Qatari architecture along side with the changes in social and cultural factors with a focus on the majlis.
design studies
137
FACULTY FASHION DESIGN Sandra Wilkins CHAIR BFA Virginia Commonwealth University Ali Khan ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Denielle Emans ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MGD North Carolina State University BA in Communication Studies University of North Carolina Diane Mikhael ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MA Middlesex University London BA Notre Dame University Law Alsobrook ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MFA Rhode Island School of Design BA University of Alabama
MFA Academy of Art University BFA Academy of Art University
Leland Hill ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Della Reams
MFA Virginia Commonwealth University
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
BA Columbia College
MFA Rhode Island School of Design BS Northern Michigan University Donald Earley ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AS Fashion Institute of Technology Esra Kazem ADJUNCT FACULTY MFA Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar BFA Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar Narita Panji Mattock ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MS Panjab University BS Panjab University Roda Al Marzouqi PROGRAM & TEACHING ASSISTANT
Levi Hammett ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MFA Rhode Island School of Design BFA Oregon State University Michael Hersrud ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MFA Rhode Island School of Design BFA Minnesota State University Peter Martin ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MFA Virginia Commonwealth University BS Cornell University
INTERIOR DESIGN
BFA Fashion Design, VCUQatar Mohamed Cherif Amor CHAIR
GRAPHIC DESIGN Muneera Spence CHAIR MFA Yale University BFA West Virginia State University Basma Hamdy
Ph.D University of Missouri MPhil College of St. John & St. Mark BA Institute of Architecture Johan Granberg ASSISTANT PROFESSOR PhD in Architecture and Design, RMIT MArch Chalmers University
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MFA Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)
Kevin Woolley ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Dana El Ahdab ADJUNCT FACULTY MA Goldsmiths, University of London BFA VCUQatar
MS Utah State University BFA Brigham Young University
Li Han
Ryan Rasmussen
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
MS University of Wisconsin
MFA University of Iowa
BS Tonji University
BFA University of Minnesota
Liam Colquhoun
Roberta Fleming Jeffries
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MA in Communication Design, RMIT BA Napier University Scotland Maja Kinnemark ASSISTANT PROFESSOR BFA University of Design & Craft, HDK Matthew Holmes-Dallimore
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MFA Rhode Island School of Design BFA University of Alaska Anchorage Zachary Stensen ASSISTANT PROFESSOR and studio technician MFA in Printmaking University of Iowa BFA in Printmaking University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MA Middlesex University London BA Middlesex University London
MASTER OF FINE ARTS IN DESIGN
Maysaa Al-Mumin
Pornprapha Phatanateacha
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
ACTING DIRECTOR
AA Dipl., Architectural Association,
MFA Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Architecture
BFA University of Utah Michael Wirtz
PAINTING + PRINTMAKING Rhys Himsworth DIRECTOR MA in Printmaking from the Royal College of Art BA Fine Art from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design Christine Wang ARTIST IN RESIDENCE MFA University of California, Los Angeles BFA The Cooper Union George Awde ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MFA Yale University BFA Massachusetts College of Art and Design
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR HEAD, RESEARCH & LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY MA University of Arizona MFA University of Arizona BFA University of Wyoming BA University of Wyoming Paolo Cardini ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MSc Industrial Design, Politecnico di Milano Richard Lombard ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MATERIALS CURATOR MBA Columbia University BA Dartmouth College Thomas Modeen
Kelley Lowe
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
PhD Loughborough University
BFA Virginia Commonwealth University
MPhil Royal College of Art AA Dipl. (MA) Architectural Association,
Michael Perrone
School of Architecture
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
BFA Parson’s School of Design
MAT Tufts University / School of the Museums of Fine Arts BA Muhlenberg College
About Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar
Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential
VCUQatar is the Qatar campus of the prestigious Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 1998, VCUQatar offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in fashion design, graphic design, interior design and painting & printmaking, a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history and a Master of Fine Arts degree in design.
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF) is a private, non-profit organization that is supporting Qatar on its journey from carbon economy to knowledge economy by unlocking human potential, for the benefit of not only Qatar, but the world. Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir, QF is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
The first campus established in Education City, VCUQatar is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. VCUQatar strives to provide an engaged, learner-centered environment that fosters inquiry, discovery and innovation in a global setting. The University hosts the biennial international design conference Tasmeem Doha and the biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Islamic Art Symposium attracting globally recognized designers, academics and thinkers while fostering sustainable, universitycommunity partnerships that enhance the educational, economic and cultural vitality of Qatar.
QF’s work encompasses education, research and community development. World-class universities are brought to Qatar to help create an education sector in which young people can develop the attitudes and skills required for a knowledge economy. At the same time, QF builds Qatar's innovation and technology capacity by developing and commercializing solutions through key sciences. The Foundation also works to foster a progressive society while enhancing cultural life, protecting Qatar’s heritage and addressing immediate social needs in the community.
EXHIBITION COMMITTEE Curator: Caitlin Doherty Rhys Himsworth Michael Perrone Mohamed Cherif Amor Liam Colquhoun Maja Kinnemark Muneera Spence Leland Hill Sandy Wilkins Della Reams
Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar P.O. Box 8095 Doha, State of Qatar www.qatar.vcu.edu Š 2014 Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar DESIGN: Moza Khalifa Al-Sowaidi
FA SHION DESIGN
Aisha al suwaidi DYLON ADONIS KINDA MORSHED MALIA BENNETt HENRY MARWA AL SAID MARYAM AL DARWISH
AISHA AL THANI AISHA RASHEED AL ANOUD AL SOWAIDI AL MAHA AL KUWARI DANIA JALEES FILZA KHAN GHADA AL SUWAIDI HALA HAMAD LOLWA AL MOHANNADI MACK CORTEL MAEDA AL HAIDAR MARAM AL ABDULLA MARIAM AL JUFAIRI MOHAMMAD JAWAD MONA ESSA AL SULAITI MOZA AL NASR MUNEERA AL KHULAIFI NOOF AL MOHANNADI NOOF BINALI NOOR AL THANI NOORA AL MELHIM SALMA ASHRAF HAMOUDA WANOUN YAQOOB
AISHA AL NAAMA AMELIE BEICKEN ARWA MILLWALA ASMA UL HOSNA BASHAYER AL MOHANNADI DANA EL LADKI DHIKA KHAIRA DUHA AL SUBAEY FARAH ZAMRI GEETHA RAJESWAR HEBA KHALIL MERIEM AIOUNA MUNERA FAKHROO NAJD AL MESNED NOHA FAHMY NOuRHANne MOHAMED OMAIMA ABDULLA OMAR EZZELDEEN REEM AL ADHAM SARAH KHIDER YASMEEN GUL KHAN
PAINTING & PRINTMAKING MA STERS IN DE SIGN
SORAYA TESCHNER TAMADER AL SULTAN
GR APHIC DESIGN
INTERIOR DESIGN
EMELINA SOARES
HANA AL SAADI
ROUDHA AL NASSR
SALMA HASSAAN
SUMAM AZZAM
MALAZ ELGEMIABBY
OTHMAN KHUNJI
PATRICIA DUIGNAN
SAMREEN ZAHRA
SHAIKHA AL MAHMOUD