She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Applied Arts Vienna, where she graduated with distinction from the Excessive studio. Her graduate thesis was widely recognized across several online publications as a polemic against hyper-rationalized spaces, institutionalism, and natural destruction. Shahira has worked globally for firms in New York, Vienna, and Alexandria. Highlights include the Skydeck experience at the Willis Tower completed in 2022 and the ongoing Shedd aquarium renovation project. In 2018, she helped create the Monarch Sanctuary project as part of a research fellowship with Terreform ONE. This project was a main exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Triennial: Nature. She currently works for renowned design firm, Thinc Design, located in New York City.
Shahira continues to explore through fine art and experimental architecture and design. Her works are found in exhibitions and publications that include Olfactory Art Keller, Outsider Art Fair NY, Kunstlerhaus Vienna, Evolo, Designboom, among others.
EXHIBITIONS
June 15 - August 5 2023
Minimal Scents - Olfactory Art Keller, New York, NY
https://www.olfactoryartkeller.com/exhibitions/minimal-scents
March 3 - March 4 2023
Art by Architects - Center for Architecture, New York, NY
August 1 - August 31 2017
ICARCH Architecture Festival - Hinterland Gallery, Vienna, Austria
May 22 - September 6, 2017
"Paper Trail" group show - Gypsum Gallery, Cairo
May 21, 2016 - July 2, 2016
Blueprints group exhibition - Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center
21-24 January 2016
Outsider Art Fair - New York, NY
- "VERTUMNUS" tower selected and displayed at the curated space: BABEL - 3d Printed Metropolis. (3d printed by Voodoo Manufacturing in Brooklyn)
outsiderartfair.com/fair/1651/program
26 April -26 May 2013
Experimental Architecture Biennial Volume #1 - Prague, Czech Republic
- "Asemic Forest" thesis project displayed at the Excessive Studio (Hernan Diaz Alonso) section of the exhibition
eabiennial.com/volume1/
27 June–15 July 2012
The Essence 12 - Vienna Künstlerhaus, Austria
- Asemic Forest (M.Sc. thesis project) displayed at the annual die Angewandte exhibition (architecture section)
www.dieangewandte.at
March 5-12 / 2011
d3 Sketch Exhibition - Universidad de Monterrey, Mexico
- Sketches displayed at the opening exhibition, Sketch, for Tadao Ando’s lecture.
www.d3space.org/sketch/
EDUCATION
2012 - Master of Science (dist.) - Excessive Studio, Institute of Architecture, University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria
2008 - Bachelor's Degree in Architecture (hons.) - AAST, Alexandria, Egypt
AWARDS
2008
WA Awards, 20+10+X (World Architecture Community)
- First cycle winners
Marine Research Complex: Cited by the honorary members of WA.
(www.worldarchitecture.org)
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS/ PRESS
2017
Nature Studies
Asemic Forest and Other Natural Wonders by Architect Shahira Hammad
2016
Modelo
Asemic Forest - Westbahnhof Train Station
Marine Research Complex
2015
Pit, crit
Asemic Forest - Westbahnhof Train Station
Westbahnhof U-bahn
Marine Research Complex
2014
Asemic forest featured in Highlike Book (printed and launched in December 2014)
2013
Dichotomy Journal, Issue 19:UGLY
(University of Detroit Mercy, School of Architecture)
- Thesis project cited/featured in:
The Elephant Man Under Intensive Care: Aesthetics, Technology, & Architecture
The Hive Mind Magazine
Contributed and featured in issue 01 “Forgotton Landscapes”.
2012
evolo magazine
Asemic Forest - Spontaneous Order and Architecture
suckerpunch
Asemic Forest
designboom
Asemic Forest - Westbahnhof Train Station
arch2o
Asemic Forest - Westbahnhof Train Station
Westbahnhof U-bahn
Marine Research Complex
3d dreaming
Asemic Forest - Westbahnhof Train Station
anonymous.d
Asemic Forest - Westbahnhof Train Station
The Pop up City
Asemic Forest - The Decaying Decadence of Vienna’s New Train Station
Weburbanist
Asemic Forest - Urban Train Station Infiltrated by the Spontaneous Order of Nature
Futureplus
Asemic Forest - Westbahnhof Train Station
ASK Magazine (print)
Asemic Forest featured in December 2012 issue.
SUPER ARCHITECTS
Thesis Special - Asemic Forest - Westbahnhof Train Station
Localflux
Interview - Spontaniety and Afterthought