The Interior Design Department at the Applied Arts Division of the Faculty of Fine Arts, An-Najah National University, organized a specialized academic workshop entitled:
“Sustainability in Interior Design within the Palestinian Context: The Philosophy of Hassan Fathy and Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil,” on Saturday, 20 December 2025.
The workshop targeted Interior Design students from the third year and above and was delivered by Ms. Aya Sawalha, who addressed sustainability concepts from architectural and cultural perspectives, linking heritage-based roots with contemporary interior design practices within the Palestinian context.
The workshop covered several key themes, including the philosophy of sustainability and its historical development, the architectural thought of Hassan Fathy and the concept of spatial justice through a case study of New Gourna Village in Egypt, as well as Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil’s methodology of architectural authenticity through a case study of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in the United Kingdom. The session also analyzed the specific characteristics of the Palestinian context and the sustainable design criteria it requires.
The workshop featured distinguished professional participation by Engineer Wafaa Qadri, architect and founder of Gardenia 4 Design, and an accredited green building assessor with the Palestinian Engineers Association. She praised the depth of the discussion and emphasized the importance of linking sustainability with Palestinian cultural identity, highlighting the role of such initiatives in building sustainable professional awareness among students.
Students expressed strong engagement with the workshop, noting its academic value, cultural impact, and the applicability of the acquired concepts and skills in their future academic and professional projects.
At the conclusion of the workshop, Ms. Aya Sawalha extended her sincere thanks and appreciation to
Dr. Monther Dweikat – Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, for his continuous support of distinguished academic activities that contribute to the development of the educational process and the enhancement of students’ professional awareness.
She also expressed her appreciation to Dr. Ahmad Abu Al-Rub, Head of the Interior Design Department and Director of the Applied Arts Division, for his efforts in supporting, organizing, and ensuring the success of the workshop, and for his commitment to advancing the academic and professional standards of the specialization.
This workshop reflects the Faculty of Fine Arts’ commitment to strengthening the connection between theory and practice and to embedding sustainability and cultural identity within the educational process, contributing to the preparation of a new generation of designers capable of addressing the challenges of the contemporary Palestinian context.
