Associate Professor Dr. Dhirgham Alobaydi, Head of the Architectural Department, and Associate Professor Dr. Abdulhussein Abdulali Al-Askari participated in the PhD thesis defense of researcher Sama Juma Yassin. The thesis, titled “Spatial Activity in Forming Identity,” addresses the weaknesses in spatial organization and its impact on identity in historical areas, as well as the influence of social life developments on the functions and local identity of old buildings. The thesis hypothesizes that the relationship between identity and place contributes to maintaining the uniqueness of historical places and reshaping identity through the use of virtual and augmented reality technologies.
The thesis aims to study the dynamics of spatial activity in shaping the local identity of future architecture through virtual reality technologies to repurpose historical buildings. The research employed a qualitative methodology, including observation, surveys, questionnaires, and analysis of respondents’ feedback from the study sample. The thesis concluded that spatial identity is formed and sustained through people’s interaction with the place via various activities, and that using augmented and virtual reality technologies can significantly contribute to reviving identity and preserving the cultural and architectural heritage of historical areas.
The examining committee consisted of:
1) Prof. Abbas Ali Hamza
2) Abdullah Saadoun Salman
3) Assoc. Prof. Abdulhussein Abdulali
4) Assoc. Prof. Younis Mahmoud Mohammed
5) Assoc. Prof. Dhirgham Alobaydi
6) Prof. Ibrahim Jawad Kazem
7) Prof. Saad Fawzi Tuma
The student successfully defended her thesis. We extend our best wishes to the researcher and all our graduate students for success and prosperity.
