Funded Research

Securing more than a £2,000,000.00 of academic and consulting research funds, Ashraf Salama led and collaborated with colleagues on a number of significant research projects with grants received from the Aga Trust for Culture in Geneva; British Council/Newton Funds; Centre for Inquiry-Based Learning, University of Sheffield; European Commission; Qatar National Research Fund; Scottish Funding Council; United States Agency for International Development; and Various Private Agencies and University/ Institutional Competition Schemes.

Selected Research Projects

  • 2020-2021, Principal Investigator/Project Lead: From Crises to Urban Resilience, Health, and the Environment in Europe. In collaboration with UN Habitat. Funded by World Health Organization, WHO European Region – WHO Europe Office, Bonn/Brussels.

  • 2020-2021, Co-Investigator: Navigating COVID-19 related transitions and transformations of economically marginalised women entrepreneurs within urban poor communities of the Greater Cairo Region in Egypt (GCR). In collaboration with Katerina Nicolopoulou,, Christine Samy, Sherine Mohamad, Horgan, Donagh Horgan, Caroline Whitfield. Scottish Funding Council – Global Challenge Research Fund.

  • 2018-2020, Co-Investigator: KA07 – EU+, PhD students’ mobility with the University of Belgrade, Serbia. In collaboration with Branka Dimitrijevic and David Grrierson, and colleagues at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Erasmus+, European Commission.

  • 2018-2019, Co-Investigator: Re-enterprising the ‘Forgotten Villages’ of Greater Cairo through Female Micro-Entrepreneurship. In collaboration with colleagues of the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, Strathclyde School of Business. Scottish Funding Council, GCRF Pump Priming 2018/19.

  • 2016-2019, Principal Investigator: BC-SDBE: Building Capacity: Sustainable Development of the Built Environment. In collaboration with University of East London. British Council Newton Institutional Links Project, United Kingdom.

  • 2016-2018, Co- Investigator: Knowledge Labs for Sustainable and Resilient Environments (KLABs). In collaboration with colleagues from the University of Strathclyde, 3 European countries, 7 West Balkan countries. European Commission.

  • 2015–2018, Lead Principal Investigator: Investigating Housing Typologies in Multi-cultural Societies of the Gulf Region. In collaboration with Qatar University. NPRP-National Priorities Research Program, Qatar National Research Fund-QNRF, Qatar Foundation.

  • 2015/16-2020, Primary Investigator: 4 fully funded PhD Studentships Competitive Awards of 3 PhD students (internal): a) Characterisation of Architecture and Urbanism of Cities in the Global South, b) The Quality of Urban Life in Sub-Sharan African Cities, c) Contextual Characteristics of Housing Transformations in North African Cities.

  • 2011-2014, Lead Principal Investigator: Investigating the Qualities of the Urban Environment in Emerging Regional Metropolis. In collaboration with Alain Thierstein of Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany. NPRP-National Priorities Research Program, Qatar National Research Fund-QNRF. Qatar Foundation.

  • 2014-2014, Principal Investigator: Commissioned to develop a chapter and visual material for the Catalogue of the Pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain at the Venice Architecture Biennale --2014. Chapter title: A century of architecture in the Arabian Peninsula: evolving Isms and multiple architectural identities in a growing region, Ministry of Culture, Kingdom of Bahrain.

Full List of Funded Research Projects

(list of academic and consulting research projects - dropdown)

  • 2020-2021, Principal Investigator/Project Lead: From Crises to Urban Resilience, Health, and the Environment in Europe. In collaboration with UN Habitat. Funded by World Health Organization, WHO European Region – WHO Europe Office, Bonn/Brussels.

  • 2020-2021, Co-Investigator: Navigating COVID-19 related transitions and transformations of economically marginalised women entrepreneurs within urban poor communities of the Greater Cairo Region in Egypt (GCR). In collaboration with Katerina Nicolopoulou,, Christine Samy, Sherine Mohamad, Horgan, Donagh Horgan, Caroline Whitfield. Scottish Funding Council – Global Challenge Research Fund.

  • 2018-2020, Co-Investigator: KA07 – EU+, PhD students’ mobility with the University of Belgrade, Serbia. In collaboration with Branka Dimitrijevic and David Grrierson, and colleagues at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Erasmus+, European Commission.

  • 2018-2019, Co-Investigator: Re-enterprising the ‘Forgotten Villages’ of Greater Cairo through Female Micro-Entrepreneurship. In collaboration with colleagues of the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, Strathclyde School of Business. Scottish Funding Council, GCRF Pump Priming 2018/19.

  • 2016-2019, Principal Investigator: BC-SDBE: Building Capacity: Sustainable Development of the Built Environment. In collaboration with University of East London. British Council Newton Institutional Links Project, United Kingdom.

  • 2016-2018, Co- Investigator: Knowledge Labs for Sustainable and Resilient Environments (KLABs). In collaboration with colleagues from the University of Strathclyde, 3 European countries, 7 West Balkan countries. European Commission.

  • 2015–2018, Lead Principal Investigator: Investigating Housing Typologies in Multi-cultural Societies of the Gulf Region. In collaboration with Qatar University. NPRP-National Priorities Research Program, Qatar National Research Fund-QNRF, Qatar Foundation.

  • 2015/16-2020, Primary Investigator: 4 fully funded PhD Studentships Competitive Awards of 3 PhD students (internal): a) Characterisation of Architecture and Urbanism of Cities in the Global South, b) The Quality of Urban Life in Sub-Sharan African Cities, c) Contextual Characteristics of Housing Transformations in North African Cities.

  • 2011-2014, Lead Principal Investigator: Investigating the Qualities of the Urban Environment in Emerging Regional Metropolis. In collaboration with Alain Thierstein of Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany. NPRP-National Priorities Research Program, Qatar National Research Fund-QNRF. Qatar Foundation.

  • 2014-2014, Principal Investigator: Commissioned to develop a chapter and visual material for the Catalogue of the Pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain at the Venice Architecture Biennale --2014. Chapter title: A century of architecture in the Arabian Peninsula: evolving Isms and multiple architectural identities in a growing region, Ministry of Culture, Kingdom of Bahrain.

  • 2012-2013, Co- Investigator: The Nature of Architecture and Public Space in Globalized Cities. UREP-Undergraduate Research Experience Program, Qatar National Research Fund-QNRF, Qatar Foundation.

  • 2010-2011, Principal Investigator: Exploring Active and Experiential Learning Mechanisms in Architectural and Urban Education. UREP-Undergraduate Research Experience Program, Qatar National Research Fund-QNRF, Qatar Foundation.

  • 2009-2010, Principal Investigator: Incorporating Inquiry Based Learning-IBL into a Lecture-Based Module in Architecture, CILASS-Center for Inquiry Based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences, Higher Education Academy and the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom.

  • 2007-2008, Principal Investigator: Awareness Based Assessment Methods of School Buildings in Qatar. UREP-Undergraduate Research Experience Program, Qatar National Research Fund-QNRF, Qatar Foundation.

  • 2007-2008, Co-Investigator: Assessment of Spatial and Sustainable Design Characteristics of the Architecture of Shopping Malls in Qatar. UREP-Undergraduate Research Experience Program, Qatar National Research Fund-QNRF, Qatar Foundation.

  • 2006-2007, Principal Investigator: A Post Occupancy Evaluation POE-Study of Qatar University Campus Outdoor Spaces: An Examination of the Existing Physical Condition and Users Reactions. Qatar University Internal Grants. Doha, Qatar.

  • 2006-2007, Co-Investigator: Evaluation of Drivers' Perception of 3 D Highway Alignments. UREP-Undergraduate Research Experience Program, Qatar National Research Fund-QNRF, Qatar Foundation.

  • 2007-2007, Lead Researcher: Developing a Multiple Criteria Matrix: Identifying and Evaluating Construction Systems for Fast Track Architectural Projects. Barwa Real Estates and Construction, Doha, Qatar.

  • 2005-2006, Regional Editor: An International Survey of Architectural Education and Practice in the Developing World. Harvard University and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture-AKTC, Geneva, Switzerland.

  • 2004-2005, Principal Investigator: An Innovative Approach for Investigating Affordable Housing in Saudi Arabia. Innovation Grant; College of Environmental Design, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals-KFUPM, Dhahran, KSA.

  • 2004-2005, Principal Investigator: An Exploratory Investigation into Housing Affordability versus Housing Preferences: The Case of Jeddah. Al Saedan Chair on Affordable Housing Fund, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals-KFUPM, Dhahran, KSA.

  • 2004-2005, Co-Investigator: Developing Criteria for a Collaborative Project Delivery Process of Affordable Housing in Saudi Arabia using Virtual Reality Systems. Al Saedan Chair on Affordable Housing Fund, KFUPM, Dhahran, KSA.

  • 2001-2004, Lead Investigator: Sustainable Design Guidelines for Minnesota State Public Building (The Project Delivery and Public Input Components). Minnesota State-Department of Administration, St Paul, Minnesota, USA. Consultant w/ Adams Group Architects: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.

  • 2000-2001, Regional Correspondent: Development of Textual and Visual Content for Archnet: An Online Community for Architects and Designers Aga Khan Trust for Culture-Geneva, Switzerland: developed by MIT College of Architecture and Planning, Cambridge, MA, USA.

  • 2000-2000, Project Leader: A Demonstration Project for Sustainable Tourism Facilities/Ecolodges in the Red Sea Region, Egypt. Tourism Development Authority in Egypt and Hagler Bailley Services, Arlington, Virginia, USA (US-AID funded).

  • 1997-1998, Project Leader: Guidelines for Environmentally Friendly Tourist Facilities in Coastal Regions. Environmental Quality International, Cairo, Egypt (US-AID funded).

  • 1996-1997, Project Leader: An Action Plan for the Redevelopment of the Historic Core of the City of Quseir, Egypt. Winrock International Environmental Alliance and Environmental Quality International, Virginia, USA (US-AID funded).

Project Reports

(list of reports - dropdown)

  • Salama, A. M. (2021). European Cities: Building Better Urban Futures. WHO-Europe Office, WHO-Bonn, Germany.

  • Salama, A. M., Ibrahim, H. G., Wiedmann, F. (2019). Housing Typologies in Multi-cultural Societies of the Gulf Region. Qatar National Research Fund, Doha, Qatar.

  • Dimitrijevic, B, Salama, A. M., and Grierson, D. (2018). Knowledge Labs for Sustainable and Resilient Environments’ (KLABs), European Commission, Brussels, Belgium.

  • Salama, A. M., Wiedmann, F., Thierstein, A. Conventz, S. and Al Qattan, W. (2014). Investigating the Qualities of the Urban Environment in Emerging Regional Metropolises. Qatar National Research Fund, Doha, Qatar.

  • Salama, H.S. and Salama, A. M. (2013). The Nature of Public Space in Globalizing Doha. Qatar National Research Fund, Doha, Qatar.

  • Mathew, L. and Salama, A.M. (2012). The Impact of Spatial Qualities on Employees Satisfaction and Productivity in Work Environments. Qatar National Research Fund, Doha, Qatar.

  • Salama, A. M. (2010). Incorporating Inquiry Based Learning-IBL into a Lecture-Based Module in Architecture, CILASS-Center for Inquiry based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom.

  • Salama, A. M.; Hasson, R.; Al Nest, B.; and Al Ramahi, H. et al. (2008). Learning from Experience: Evaluating Sustainable and Spatial Characteristics of the Architecture of Shopping Malls in Qatar. Qatar National Research Fund. Published online at Q-Science and Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals, 2012 (1), Doha, Qatar.

  • Salama, A. M.; Sated, T.; Shorouk, B.; and Al-Khalifa, M; et al. (2008). Sustainable Learning Environments: Awareness Based Assessment Methods for School Buildings in Qatar. Qatar National Research Fund. Published online at Q-Science and Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals, 2012 (1), Doha, Qatar.

  • Salama, A. M. (2007). The Status of Architectural, Environmental Design, and Planning Education in Egypt. Aga Khan Trust for Culture Geneva and Aga Khan Documentation Center- MIT Libraries, Cambridge, MA. United States.

  • Sayed, T.; Salama, A.M.; and Al-khalifa, M. et al. (2007). Evaluating Driver Perception of 3D Highway Alignments. Qatar National Research Fund. Published online at Q-Science and Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals, 2011 (1), Doha, Qatar.

  • Salama, A. M. and Amir, A. (2006). An Innovative Approach for Investigating Affordable Housing in Saudi Arabia, Innovation Grant: College of Environmental Design, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran Saudi Arabia.

  • Reffat, R. and Salama, A. M. (2006). Developing Criteria for a Collaborative Project Delivery Process of Affordable Housing Utilizing Virtual Reality Systems. Innovation Grant: College of Environmental Design, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran Saudi Arabia.

  • Salama, A. M. (2005). Architectural Education in Saudi Arabia: Chronological Development, Curricula Models, Position Statements, and Architecture Departments Objectives (Summary), Aga Khan Documentation Center- MIT Libraries, Cambridge, MA. United States.

  • Adams, W. G. and Salama, A. M. (2003). Sustainable Design Guidelines for Minnesota State Public Building (The Project Delivery and Public Input Components). Center for Sustainable Building Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. United States.

  • Salama, A. M. (2000). A Demonstration Project for Sustainable Tourism Facilities/Ecolodges, Tourism Development Authority, Egypt, and Hagler Bailley Services, Arlington, Virginia. United States.

  • Salama, A. M. (2001). Technical Review of El Oued Housing Project-400 Housing Units, Biskra, Algeria, Aga Khan Award for Architecture, Aga Khan Documentation Center- MIT Libraries, Cambridge, MA. United States.

  • Salama, A.M. (2001). Technical Review of Wilad Djallal Housing Project-200 Housing Units, Biskra, Algeria, Aga Khan Award for Architecture, Aga Khan Documentation Center- MIT Libraries, Cambridge, MA. United States.

  • Salama, A.M. (1998). Technical Review of Mosque and Cultural Center of Rome of Paolo Porteghesi and S. Mousawi. Aga Khan Award for Architecture, Aga Khan Documentation Center- MIT Libraries, Cambridge, MA. United States.

  • Patterson, A.; Salama, A. M.; Winter, N.; and Abdelfattah, R. et.al (1999). Guidelines for Environmentally Friendly Tourist Facilities in Coastal Regions. US-AID, United States Agency for International Development, Washington, DC. United States.

  • Salama, A. M. (1996). An Action Plan for the Redevelopment of the Historic Core of the City of Quseir. US-AID, United States Agency for International Development, Washington, DC. United States.