Born in Edmonton, Canada in 2001, my earliest memories are shaped by nature: crisp air, endless green, and snow days that felt like small miracles. In 2007, my family moved back to Doha, Qatar. At the time, I did not fully understand that this return was permanent, and my initial resistance to home took time to soften. What changed everything was proximity to family and the intimacy of their homes.

I became fascinated by how similar houses could feel so different. My relatives’ homes felt warm and alive, not because of their style, but because of the people within them. Their generosity, shared meals, celebrations, and even the smells and sounds left behind over years revealed something powerful to me: buildings carry memory. Walls absorb life, and spaces are shaped as much by inhabitants as by design.

When my family settled into our own home, its bold colors and layered aesthetics subtly trained how I perceived space. Rooms became emotional and sensory markers rather than functions alone. Over time, this awareness turned analytical. I began to understand space as experience, not decoration.

That realization led me to architecture. Not as an interest in objects, but as a fascination with how built environments shape feeling, memory, and belonging. Seven years later from this realization, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, driven by the belief that thoughtful design has the power to turn structures into homes, hubs and places for growth.