AUK Faculty Presents Research on Design Education and Cultural Preservation at ADRC 2025

AUK announced the participation of Associate Professor Rita Merheb in the Architecture & Design Research Conference (ADRC) 2025, held in Jeddah, KSA from December 4 to 6. During the conference, Merheb presented her research poster titled ‘Design Documentation in Education: AUK Student Projects Preserving Regional Visual Culture’, followed by an academic Q&A session focused on design education and cultural heritage.

The research examines seven capstone projects developed by students in AUK’s Graphic Design Program and explores how design education can contribute to the documentation and reinterpretation of Gulf and regional visual culture. Through publications, illustration, interactive media, and children’s storytelling, the projects demonstrate how students engage with oral histories and local narratives, translating cultural knowledge into contemporary visual and interactive formats within a higher education setting.

Merheb’s study positions design students as active contributors to cultural preservation and highlights the role of academic institutions in fostering community-oriented and research-driven creative practice. By integrating design documentation into the curriculum, the research underscores the potential of design education to support cultural continuity while advancing critical thinking and visual communication skills.

AUK commended Rita Merheb for representing the university at a prominent regional academic conference and for contributing to ongoing scholarly conversations on design pedagogy and cultural stewardship.

Rita Merheb is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design in the Art & Design Department at AUK. Her research poster is currently available as a conference submission file, and a PDF version can be shared upon request. The full research paper is accessible through the official website created for the study.

https://sites.google.com/view/ritamerheb/abstract