Ashraf M. Salama is academic, scholar, and Chair Professor in Architecture. He is Professor of Architecture and Head of the Department of Architecture at the University of Strathclyde Glasgow, UK (2014-2020). Professor Salama was the Founding Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning at Qatar University (2009-2014). Earlier, he has held permanent, tenured, and visiting positions in Egypt (Misr International University and Al-Azhar University), Italy (University of Naples_Federico II), Saudi Arabia (King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals), and the United Kingdom (Queen's University Belfast). He is the Chief Editor of ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, collaborating editor of Open House International, editorial board member for International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment, International Journal of Islamic Architecture, among several others. He is a regular reviewer for several international journals including Fabrications, Journal of Urbanism, Habitat International, Cities, Journal of Design Research, Journal of Architectural Education, and Urban Design and Planning. He also serves on the scientific and review boards of several international organizations in North America, Europe, and South East Asia. Professor Salama chaired and led three schools of architecture over the past 20 years in Egypt, Qatar, and the United Kingdom. He is a licensed architect in Egypt since 1987 and has practiced in Egypt (1987-92) and was the Director of Research and Consulting at Adams Group Architects, Charlotte, North Carolina (2001-04). He has been a consultant to a number of Authorities in Egypt (1996-2000) and development agencies in the Gulf region (2004-06). His research interests and experience cross the boundaries of disciplines and involve theories and methodologies of design studio teaching in architecture and urban design; typological transformations in traditional architecture/urban spaces; sustainable design processes; environmentally sustainable tourism development; sustainable schools; workplace environmental quality; assessing designed environments from socio-cultural and users' perspectives; adaptive urbanism and the spatial practice of cultural groups in rapidly growing contexts; livability and diversity in urban environments; and investigating architecture and urbanism in emerging cities in the global south.
Visit:
CRAUCGS: Cluster for Research in Architecture and Urbanism of Cities in the Global South
BEEAPRU: Built Environment Education and Architectural Pedagogy Research Unit
His academic experience includes PhD and Masters supervision and teaching courses on architectural programming/briefing, research/design methods and theories, applications of socio-behavioral studies in design, sustainable urban conservation, and architectural, urban, and community design studios. His teaching places emphasis on evidence-based design, critical inquiry, and active and experiential learning. His teaching approach adopts the position that architectural education is not simply the imparting of knowledge and skills necessary for practice, but it involves the development of values, ideologies, and cultural and philosophical positions. It emphasizes that future professionals need to be able to comprehend the environment as having multiple realities by understanding values, preferences, and lifestyles of people, as individuals and in groupings—people who will perceive, live, learn, work, and entertain in those environments.
