About this Event
Join Sarah Elawad, Reema Abu Hassan, and Nada Elkharashi for a series of focused perspectives on sustainability in design. Drawing on their own practices, they will explore preserving cultural traditions, using materials responsibly, and reducing environmental impact.
Sarah examines how design can preserve and build upon the visual traditions of the region. Reema, through ceramics and craft, focuses on material experimentation and responsible making. Nada designs with the environment in mind, considering how materials, everyday use, water, and climate all connect. Together, they present sustainability not as an additional requirement, but as a mindset capable of shaping more meaningful design.
The session also offers insight into how varied a designer’s career can look today. Sarah works across design, teaching, consulting, art, and publishing. Reema divides her time between teaching, her own design practice, and running Clay Encounters, her ceramics business. Nada teaches at VCUarts Qatar while also conducting research and design work for real-world clients, consistently keeping sustainability part of the conversation. Their experiences illustrate how designers today often take on multiple roles, including maker, teacher, researcher, business owner, and collaborator, while moving between creative and professional work.
Open to all students, faculty, and staff.
To see the full schedule for Qatar Week 2026, visit the . To discover more VCUarts Qatar programs and news, visit our .
Event venue & nearby stays
Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University, 601 West Broad Street, Richmond, United States
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