I am an interdisciplinary urban scholar based at University College London.

With a background in architecture, art, and migration studies, my research focuses on the ways urban spaces and infrastructures work to exclude certain residents — particularly non-citizens. In trialling ways the built environment and urban services can be reshaped to create a city that meets everyone’s needs, I frequently use participatory and creative methods. This means I work with local residents who may not have a formal educational background, and collaborate with artists or designers to pilot new interventions in city space. This kind of experimentation allows us to jointly imagine the city otherwise.

I hold a PhD in Architecture from Cambridge, an MSc in Refugee Studies from Oxford and a BA in Art History and History of the Middle East from Barnard College. My research has been funded by the Gates Foundation, the Mercator Foundation, the Leverhulme Trust and the British Academy, among others. I am also an editor for the journal City. Beyond academia, I have worked on human rights and urban development issues with NGOs and the UN in different locations in the Middle East and South Asia. Cities I have worked in and on include Beirut, Berlin, Colombo, Delhi, London, Jerusalem and Johannesburg.

If you would like to learn more about my work or have ideas for a new collaboration, do reach out!