"Al-‘ar·d" Team

Al-‘ar·d is an interdisciplinary Think-Tank and collective based in Berlin. The team brings together architects, environmental researchers, urban planners, and policy analysts committed to sustainable and community-rooted reconstruction in post-conflict environments—particularly Damascus, Syria. Our work bridges academic research with real-world implementation, combining circular construction, ecological restoration, and participatory design.
Our team includes:
- Qusay Amer, architect and PhD candidate at TU Berlin, focuses on urban poor-built environments and participatory planning.
- Angham Daiyoub, PhD candidate at ICTA-UAB, researches environmental justice in conflict-affected regions.
- Mudar Obaid Dabbous, architect, graphic designer and visual storyteller, explores public space and socio-political reconstruction through design.
- Kinan Deep, earth-based material expert, at Kéré Architecture, specializes in low-tech, community-driven construction.
- Walaa Haj Ali, environmental designer, works at Transsolar in Stuttgart, where she develops climate-responsive strategies for the urban environment.
- Mohammad Salloum, geospatial analyst, investigates climate change impacts in Syria using GIS and remote sensing.
- Zakaria Al Shmaly, policy analyst and doctoral fellow at UNU-MERIT, focuses on migration, governance, and reconstruction policy.
- Tameem Emam, civil engineer and urban development practitioner with an MSc from UCL, has led housing and infrastructure projects in Syria and the UK, focusing on property rights, field engineering, and community-centered recovery.
Together, we aim to develop replicable models of resilient post-war rebuilding through low-tech solutions, local knowledge, and environmental responsibility. Our combined expertise enables us to operate across research, education, field implementation, and policy engagement.