The College of Engineering at the University of Baghdad hosted the public PhD dissertation defense of Maysaa Izyara Mohammed, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Architecture, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Mohammed Makiya Hall. The dissertation, titled “The Impact of Digital-Computational Thought on the Architectural Product,” was supervised by Asst. Prof. Dr. Amjad Mahmood Al-Badri.
The dissertation aimed to explore the influence of digital-computational thought on architectural production, focusing on the paradigm shift from traditional to computational design. The research sought to establish a clear theoretical framework to understand the historical, philosophical, and conceptual foundations of this transformation. It further analyzed the role of digital-computational principles in shaping contemporary architecture, highlighting key concepts, components, vocabulary, and mechanisms of digital architectural thought, and identified prominent trends and the architectural ideologies that underpin them.
Key objectives of the study included:
-
Evaluating contemporary architecture from a computational perspective.
-
Developing a clear conceptual framework, methodologies, and epistemology to support innovative strategies in architectural practice.
-
Offering a roadmap for future research aimed at producing a mature, coherent theory for digital-computational design that integrates people, environments, rules, and objects to address issues of performance, productivity, and efficiency.
Key Recommendations:
-
Emphasize the integration of computational and algorithmic thinking across architectural education, including design, computing, and theoretical courses such as mathematics.
-
Develop educational tools grounded in problem-solving methodologies to enhance architectural design instruction.
-
Keep pace with advancements in digital-computational fields by embedding such specialization into postgraduate architectural programs.
-
Embed digital-computational design principles in academic curricula and promote further research into its philosophical and practical dimensions.
-
Adopt digital tools to foster creativity and enhance efficiency, while balancing technological innovation with architectural expression.
-
Investigate the implications of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in digital architecture.
-
Explore the role of digital-computational design in promoting sustainability and smart architecture.
Defense Committee Members:
-
Prof. Dr. Ghada Mousa Razuqi – University of Baghdad, Dept. of Architecture (Chair)
-
Prof. Dr. Abdullah Saadoun Salman – University of Technology, Dept. of Architecture (Member)
-
Asst. Prof. Dr. Ghada Mohammed Ismail Kamona – University of Baghdad, Dept. of Architecture (Member)
-
Asst. Prof. Dr. Osama Abdul-Munem – University of Baghdad, Dept. of Architecture (Member)
-
Asst. Prof. Dr. Zainab Khalid Ahmed – University of Baghdad, Dept. of Architecture (Member)
-
Asst. Prof. Dr. Amjad Mahmood Al-Badri – University of Baghdad, Dept. of Architecture (Supervisor)
Following a thorough academic discussion and evaluation by the committee, the candidate was awarded the PhD degree in Architecture.
