Shahira Hammad is an architect, artist, and designer based in New York, whose work explores the intersections of scent, materiality, and space. Grounded in architecture, her practice investigates how sensory perception shapes our understanding of place through site-specific inquiry, material experimentation, and foraging. She explores how memory and transformation unfold across human and ecological timescales, often bridging the built and natural worlds. One recent project guided visitors through the historical phases of a site in Venice using scent as a medium for spatial storytelling. In addition to her independent work, she contributes to collaborative projects in architecture and exhibition design. Her work has been exhibited internationally at various venues, including Olfactory Art Keller, Outsider Art Fair New York, Plexus Projects, and Gypsum Gallery.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Hide and Seek II, Le Petit Versailles, NY (2025)
Hide and Seek I, AWAI, Venice (2025)
Volatile Derivatives, Olfactory Art Keller, NY (2025)
The Weight of Words Forming in the Mouth, New York Studio School (2024)
Gui/Gooey, Plexus Projects, Brooklyn, NY (2024)
Poots, Citigroup, New York, NY (2024)
Minimal Scents, Olfactory Art Keller, New York, NY (2023)
Art by Architects, Center for Architecture, New York, NY (2023)
“Nature” Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial/ New York, NY (2019-2020)
ICARCH Architecture Festival/ Hinterland Gallery/ Vienna, Austria (2017)
Paper Trail, Gypsum Gallery, Cairo, Egypt (2017)
Outsider Art Fair New York, NY (2016)
Experimental Architecture Biennial Volume #1, Prague, Czech Republic (2013)
The Essence 12, Vienna Künstlerhaus, Vienna, Austria (2012)
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