Architecture Portfolio - 2023

“The Sun does not realise how wonderful it is until after a room is made” - Louis Kahn

REJENA Nasraween

Architecture started as a passion for drawing and painting, and with time evolved into creating spaces with unique experiences and feels.

In 2010, I started my studies at the School of Architecture and the Built Environment at the German Jordanian University.

My professional practice began in the Consolidated Consultants Group as an intern. I took part in the execution drawings of the Housing Bank branches. Later on, I took part interning in the planning of a prefab residence with the Prof-Eng Engineering and consultancy office. Throughout my exchange semester in Germany I also contributed to the surveying and schematic design of the Integrative Drogenhilfe at the hgp. Architekten. I became part of the A+P architects and Engineers head office in 2015. Currently working as a Project Architect in mostly hospitality and residential projects.

Intercontinental Hotel by IHG

Aqaba - Jordan

In this rehabilitation project, the scope of work included full interior design services to rehabilitate and enhance certain zones and spaces within the existing structure of the hotel to meet the new standards of The IHG (Intercontinental Hotels Group). The design evaluated the current conditions of the included zones and measured it against the new IHG standards and ISO 22000. The approach was sensitive to the culture of the city whilst maintaining a sense of modernity to create a high quality, landmark building, which will add a distinctive touch to the city of Aqaba.

The rehabilitation of this 34,000m2 project included 265 guest rooms with various room types such as family rooms and royal suites, F&B outlets, lobbies, and services. The existing structure was upgraded to new sleek modern spaces with open, light-filled, floating contemporary furnishings with light tones of wood and shades of blue.

Lobbies with their deli cafe were designed by myself. Materials were selected with specific suppliers as well as the movable furniture selections.

F&B spaces include the all day dining, the piano bar, executive lounge, specialty restaurant as well as the lobby’s deli. Those spaces were coordinated with a specialist for the equipment specification and selection and logistics.

Rooms in the hotel include a variety of double / king rooms, family connected rooms, and suites including presidential and royal suites. Design, selections, and working drawings were executed by myself.

Ayla Beach Apartments

Aqaba - Jordan

A medium to high density seaside housing, as part of the development of Oasis 6, one of Ayla’s subdevelopments in Aqaba, south of Jordan. This gated community comprises of private residential compounds with a built up area of 22,000m2 including a private beach, public areas, service facilities, BBQ areas, play areas, landscaping, and a street network for vehicular circulation.

On site, there are 8 stand-alone buildings up to 2.5 floors high, and complex buildings that are 3.5 and 4.5 floors high with a total of 183 apartments, ranging from 1 to 2.5 bedrooms fluctuating from 60m2 to 100m2.

The project strives to achieve the optimum number of apartments whilst avoiding congesting the site and maintaining construction costs. It endeavored to use cost effective construction methods such as modular systems, simple materials and repetitive components in tandem with achieving lively, and rich architecture without compromising the investment needs.

Sofitel Hotel by ACCOR

Amman - Jordan

Located in Shmeisani,this project aims to re-brand the distinguished Le Grand Amman hotel. The existing building is about 70,000m2 consisting

of two towers and a podium. The project houses a one of a kind 360-degree rooftop that offers views of the city’s skyline from all sides.

The floor is float slab made timber and a small section of the rooftop has a retractable ceiling and walls which turn into indoor space throughout the wintertime.

The Levant Palace Hotel

Amman - Jordan

Located on Queen Rania Street, the building consists of two existing buildings. Building A comprises of 13 floors and building B comprises of 15 floors. However, both are connected with a steel structure from the Ground Floor up to the 10th floor. The design intent was to transform this abandoned property into a 20,000m2 3+ star hotel, through a contemporary approach. On the ground floor, the main entrance leads to a waiting lounge and receptions.

There are a total of 175 guest rooms in the hotel from the second to the eighth floor. The ninth floor contains 3 specialty restaurant outlets, a swimming pool and Jacuzzi with a pool bar and services.

My scope compromised of the all day dining with a challenging fire retardant corridor passing between the spaces. Design included use of rough stone cladding and copper sheets and a division in ceiling with smooth metal louvers or plain gypsum ceilings.

Jordan Commercial Bank

Multi-branches - Jordan

We were challenged with the task of creating an interior identity for the Jordan Commercial Bank in 11 different branches dispersed across the Kingdom of Jordan.

The design intent was to create a brand that is unique enough to be recognized all over and that reflects the characteristics of the JCB branches. We resolved all systems such as technology, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems up to a very high standard of professionalism and coordination.

Despite the sizes of the branches varying from 200m2 to 600m2, the layouts were similarly divided into distinct areas, unified branding without compromising the privacy where needed as banks require more security.

Ministry of Justice Court Complex Competition

Saudi Arabia

The court complex compromised of 5 different courts including labor, executive, appeal, judicial, and commercial courts all within the 500,000m2 complex.

The complex was designed to create a transparency between the judicial entity and the people. The massing had to reflect the transparency and welcoming of the people, as it made to serve them.

The entrances had to have separate secure gateways for the convicts to reach their cells, and eventually a pathway to their court. Another entrance for the judicial body, their parkings, offices and entryway into the courts. Last but not least, entrances and circulation for the general public.

The zones had to accommodate the large influx of circulation, have openness as well as shading from the hot weather.

The main composition of the masses holds a cube with a transparent base. A mass within is subtracted to create the entrances. Sides are created with fair-face concrete of different finishes, all at an angle to deflect the sun rays but also provide correlation between inside and outside.

Residential Interiors

I specialize in interior works and material selection for residential dwellings. Most of the residences are new construction but few include a scope of interior renovation. All of the projects are coordinated with other MEP disciplines and are assured a high precision of functional and aesthetic final outlook.

Internship

My internships were conducted in Jordan, Lebanon and Germany. The following are a few samples of my works throughout.

Integrative drug treatment

Explore, test and pave new paths in the drug treatment.

The building is owned by the city of Offenbach and has an area of approximately 96,85m².

The club Integrative drug assistance e. V. in Frankfurt am Main is known as a pioneer in the development of alternative concepts and services aimed at low-threshold drug services. An important focal point of the club is the basic research to combat drug addiction. For more than twenty years, researches promote the idh integrative methods and approaches in drug work and deals with current issues, selfhealer theme, alternative approaches to drug therapy and self-help options.

The consumption space in Frankfurt is used by drug users, who are in an acute phase and addiction in extremely precarious state of health. They can consume their illegal substances brought under hygienic conditions here. The staff of the consumption room are always present and can react quickly in crisis situations.

The harm reduction work plan focuses on health prevention and the means of

survival. Besides hygienic consumption possibilities and syringe exchange data subjects are informed about safer use and safer sex and transmission routes and risks of infectious diseases elucidated. The specially trained staff of the consumption room specifically promote and motivate to change the drug users and manage demanddriven first steps. The mediation in substitution programs, detoxification and therapy is an integral part of the work. The “idh” offer regular office hours with treatments, blood draws and vaccinations.

Going back in history of the building the ground floor changed its use from a shop to a health room in 1997. The first to fifth floor has been an office use and the sixth floor has been residentially classified since 1952.

The roof also dates back to the same year as a film archive room.

The building as it was first observed had a design that no more suits its current function. The façade with its large display windows reflected the building’s old function and, as described by the client, it became a hassle for the employees to keep out unwanted costumers and deprived privacy to the inside activities. The façade also suffered from cracks and wear and due to inappropriate material use being unadaptable with its users’ behaviors, it became stained and esthetically inadequate. Moreover, some problems used to occur as the costumers have been having too much privacy in the toilets allowing exchange of drugs or other behaviors.

Vertical Refugee Camp

Graduation Project

Located in the heart of Amman, the downtown, the Vertical Refugee camp is a result of problem solving. Al-Jora, being the land plot for this project, is 5586m2 in total and is situated by Quraysh and Italian Street. It’s a piece of land under the street level, also known as Babouq’s hole, which used to be a river bed once civilization started in Jordan, currently called Sakf al-Seil.

to decrease the culture clash between locals and immigrant workers, create job opportunities, create an open space to involve the community, and have night supervision over the area to also make use of the tremendous amount of vacant upper floors. Thus the idea of involving new foreign force living in a disciplined environment could somewhat help the area with a discursive narrative solution.

In the past years Jordan has been exceeding its limits to provide a sanctuary for the huge influx of refugees that it somehow created a clash between the incoming refugees and the local vulnerable layer.

The area maintains its rich features composing our heritage from the Italian hospital to the Husseini mosque and citadel. Quraysh street is famous for its peddlers and ground floor commercial shops

According to primary data collection the area includes overcrowded streets from random vendors, which were forbidden to work by the Great Amman Municipality decision of 2013 and now work illegally. The area also suffers from a high crime rate; drug dealing, stealing, prostitution in the vacant upper floors, and bullying. To decrease the rate of these problems we need

Neither of these layers however is treated fairly. The concept is based on the idea of gathering both layers to help them build themselves up from small works of art being sold on the site or simply a product of a craft they practice, to exchanging small amounts of vegetation they grow around their house and eventually provide hope for those in need.

The downtown area is always in need of new potentials. Potentials refugees have. The area already has schools which are deteriorating with time. Incoming funds for refugees could renovate them, giving benefit to both layers of the society.

The program of humanity where those vulnerable layer are placed at first in the Jora (the site) for a certain period of time. They would then be provided with the basic needs of life. Afterwards, those people

would move into the empty floors of downtown. Slowly decreasing their dependency on helping parties. Last but not least they could move out of these floors and into the society where they can lead a normal life.

Al-Jora could be one of the many pockets planted within the city. It’s somewhat a prototype which helps the refugees’ huge influx.

Project Definition

But not provided for

Vulnerable Locals

This creates conflict +Vulnerable Locals

Objectives: use skills of users for the improvement of their own environment. Sustainability is a must. Merging of vulnerable layers of society together and providing aid for both.

Importance: aid provided by external parties will enhance infrastructure, schools and hospitals in the area. Thus, providing a better quality of life for locals as well as the refugees.

Once the refugees are provided with all means of a decent life there will be no longer need to lead for negative behaviors for money. They are in need of shelter, health, education, food and drinks. On average a person needs 10 liters of water, 2100 calories made of cereal (rice/wheat), pulse (beans/lentils), fat or oil.

Vision: The use of the project to provide temporary housing for 6 months with the help of the UNHCR and then refugees will move into the vacant unused spaces and then eventually be integrated into the society. The project must fulfill refugee needs and locals also and must be interactive and flexible.

Roof gardens are made on each building with rental upper floor apartments. Promoting trade between the community and the markets and within the community.

Al Hesbeh Theives’ market

Upper floors used for "storage" could be used as a longer but also temporary residence until the families are capable of being financially completely independent of external aid or NGOs.

Al-Jora

Second-hand market

Italian Hospital

Basement

Second floor plan Third floor plan

Fourth floor plan Fifth floor plan