A whole set deeply informs every practical act of theories and perspectives. So, the question is not whether we are practical or theoretical, but instead, whether we are implementing practice in full awareness of the theoretical frameworks — the worldview and value systems that inform our practice. Taking a design-based approach can help us to make our method more theoretical and our theory will be more practical. Design is at the nexus of theory and practice. Design is where art and science meet. It integrates information from almost all the disciplines into which we have separated human knowing and doing. The results in design discipline are how we can acknowledge the past influences and give birth to visions of a different future.

Research Team

1. Abeer Elshater
2. Ghada Farouk Hassan
3. Sami Afifi
4. Marwa Khalifa
5. Gehad Megahed

Related Journal Publication List

1. Abusaada, H., & Elshater, A.* 1(2021). Competitiveness, distinctiveness and singularity in urban design: A systematic review and framework for smart cities. Sustainable Cities and Society, 68, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.scs.2021.102782.
2. Abusaada, H., & Elshater, A.* (2021) Revealing distinguishing factors between Space and Place in urban design literature, Journal of Urban Design, 26:3, 319- 340, doi: 10.1080/13574809.2020.1832887.
3. El-Metwally, Y., Khalifa, M., & Elshater, A. (2021). Quantitative study for applying prospect-refuge theory on perceived safety in Al-Azhar Park, Egypt. Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 1-14. doi:10.1016/j.asej.2021.04.016.
4. Abusaada, H., & Elshater, A.* (2020). Urban design assessment tools: A model for exploring atmospheres and situations. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Urban Design and Planning, 173 (6): 238-255. doi: 10.1680/jurdp.20.00025.
5. Abusaada, H., & Elshater, A. * (2020) COVID-19’s challenges to urbanism: social distancing and the phenomenon of boredom in urban spaces, Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban.
6. Sustainability, doi: 10.1080/17549175.2020.1842484.
7. Samih, B., Hassan, G. F., Serag, Y., & Elshater, A. (2020). Mostar versus Beirut Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Argumentative Review. Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, 67(6), 1455–1473.
8. Megahed, G., Elshater, A., & Afifi, S. M. (2020). Competencies urban planning students need to succeed in professional practices: Lessons learned from Egypt. Archnet-IJAR, 14(2), 265-287. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARCH-02-2019-0027.
9. Elshater, A. * 2018. The Power of Photography in Urban Design Discipline: A Module Catalogue. ArchNet-IJAR, 12(2), 182-208. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.26687/archnetijar. v12i2.1594.
10. Elshater, A.* 2016. The Ten-Minute Neighbourhood Is [not] a Basic Planning Unit for Happiness in Egypt. ArchNET-International Journal of Architectural Research, IJAIR (Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT) 10 (1): 344-357. doi.org/10.26687/archnetijar. v10i1.878.
11. Elshater, A. * 2015. Urban Design Redux: Redefining a Professional Practice of Specialization. Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 6 (1): 25-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2014.08.004.
12. Elshater, A.* 2014. Prosperity of Thought versus Retreat of Application: A Comprehensive Approach in Urban Design Teaching. ArchNET-International Journal of Architectural Research (Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT) 8 (3): 45-63. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.26687/archnet-ijar.v8i3.302.