GHASSAN ALSERAYHI
MSc. Arch, M. Arch, B. Arch, Assoc. SCE
ARCHITECT + EDUCATOR + RESEARCHER
I am an architectural researcher, educator, and designer whose work moves between history, theory, and experimental practice. Trained in architecture at the University of Michigan (M.Arch and MS.Arch) and currently serving as a Lecturer at King Khalid University, my work investigates how architecture operates as both a material construct and a cultural medium.
My research centers on questions of digital materiality, representation, and authorship. I am interested in how media—whether drawing, modeling, scanning, fabrication, or digital environments—reshape architectural thinking and reconfigure the relationship between the physical and the virtual. Rather than treating technology as a purely technical advancement, I approach it as a historical and theoretical condition that transforms subjectivity, agency, and spatial experience.
Alongside my scholarly work, I remain deeply engaged in pedagogy. I teach design studios and history-theory courses that encourage students to question assumptions embedded in architectural tools, images, and narratives. My teaching and research are closely intertwined: both ask how architecture constructs meaning, how it mediates collective memory, and how it operates within broader political and cultural systems.
My work has been presented at venues including the National Conference on the Beginning Design Student (NCBDS), the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), and Politecnico di Milano’s For the General Public symposium, among others. Across peer-reviewed publications, international conferences, and public scholarship in both English and Arabic, I seek to bridge intellectual rigor with material inquiry—positioning architecture not only as a building practice, but as a cultural and epistemic project.
Curriculum Vitae
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
As an individual deeply committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, I embrace these values in every aspect of my life. My experiences have taught me that diversity is not just a concept, but a rich tapestry that enhances our collective human experience.
I believe that every person's story, background, and identity bring invaluable dimensions to our shared existence. I celebrate diversity in all its forms – cultural, racial, gender, sexual orientation, age, and more – understanding that each unique perspective contributes to a more vibrant and understanding world.
Inclusivity for me is more than a principle; it's a way of living. I strive to ensure that everyone I interact with feels seen, heard, and valued. This commitment to inclusivity influences my approach to relationships, community involvement, and professional engagements, where I advocate for equitable treatment and opportunities for all.
Recognizing that the journey towards understanding diversity is continuous, I actively seek opportunities to expand my awareness. This includes engaging in conversations that challenge my perspectives, educating myself on issues affecting various communities, and participating in initiatives that promote equity and inclusivity.
My life's experiences have underscored the importance of empathy and understanding in bridging divides. By putting myself in others' shoes, I've gained deeper insights into the challenges and triumphs that shape our lives. This empathy guides my interactions and decisions, allowing me to contribute positively to the world around me.
I am not just a believer in diversity and inclusivity but also an advocate for change. I actively work to dismantle barriers and biases, both in my personal circles and broader communities. By speaking out against injustice and supporting policies and practices that promote diversity, I hope to contribute to a more equitable and just society.
As an individual deeply committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, I embrace these values in every aspect of my life. My experiences have taught me that diversity is not just a concept, but a rich tapestry that enhances our collective human experience.
I believe that every person's story, background, and identity bring invaluable dimensions to our shared existence. I celebrate diversity in all its forms – cultural, racial, gender, sexual orientation, age, and more – understanding that each unique perspective contributes to a more vibrant and understanding world.
Inclusivity for me is more than a principle; it's a way of living. I strive to ensure that everyone I interact with feels seen, heard, and valued. This commitment to inclusivity influences my approach to relationships, community involvement, and professional engagements, where I advocate for equitable treatment and opportunities for all.
Recognizing that the journey towards understanding diversity is continuous, I actively seek opportunities to expand my awareness. This includes engaging in conversations that challenge my perspectives, educating myself on issues affecting various communities, and participating in initiatives that promote equity and inclusivity.
My life's experiences have underscored the importance of empathy and understanding in bridging divides. By putting myself in others' shoes, I've gained deeper insights into the challenges and triumphs that shape our lives. This empathy guides my interactions and decisions, allowing me to contribute positively to the world around me.
I am not just a believer in diversity and inclusivity but also an advocate for change. I actively work to dismantle barriers and biases, both in my personal circles and broader communities. By speaking out against injustice and supporting policies and practices that promote diversity, I hope to contribute to a more equitable and just society.
My teaching operates at the intersection of history, theory, and design practice. I approach both the studio and the seminar as spaces where architectural knowledge is not simply applied, but examined. Teaching, for me, is less about delivering information and more about constructing intellectual frameworks through which students learn to ask better questions.
Each course is structured around a clearly defined problem—conceptual, historical, or material—rather than a predetermined outcome. Instead of treating design as the production of form alone, I encourage students to understand architecture as a cultural practice shaped by representation, media, and systems of thought. Drawings, models, digital tools, and texts are not neutral instruments; they actively organize how architecture is conceived, communicated, and legitimized.
A central concern in my pedagogy is the role of representation in shaping architectural imagination. Students are asked to interrogate how media influence authorship, agency, and meaning, and how contemporary digital environments transform these relationships. By situating design decisions within broader intellectual and technological contexts, they learn to see architecture not only as construction, but as a mode of world-making embedded in history.
In seminar settings, I emphasize close reading, conceptual clarity, and disciplined argumentation. Students engage theoretical texts carefully, unpack assumptions, and develop their own positions with precision. The aim is not agreement, but rigor.
Ultimately, I seek to cultivate architects who are critically self-aware, historically grounded, and intellectually independent—capable of navigating architecture as both a material and cultural practice.