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ASU and University of Leeds document new approach to reusing Jordan’s architectural heritage
The joint project explores how digital documentation and architectural education can reinterpret Jordan’s historic design elements for contemporary use
- PUBLISHED: Wed 2 Sept 2026, 11:20 AM
Applied Science Private University (ASU) and the University of Leeds have documented a joint educational project exploring how Jordan’s historic architecture can inform contemporary design.
The project, titled The Heritage Re-Made Project: A Manifesto for Living Architecture, was developed through ASU’s Special Topics in Architecture course as part of the UK-Jordan International Partnership Hub for Digital Heritage Futures and Sustainable Development (HiB).
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Led at ASU by Dr Reem Albarakat, assistant professor of digital architecture and humanities in architecture, the studio introduces students to digital methods for documenting historic buildings and examining architectural elements for their potential contemporary applications.
Students studied historic buildings in Jordan dating largely from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Their work included field investigations, architectural drawings, photography and 3D point-cloud modelling to examine the geometry, materials and functions of individual architectural features.
The resulting designs demonstrate how elements of historic buildings can be adapted into contemporary products. Tala Samara, for example, developed a wall-mounted lighting fixture based on the ornamental fanlight of Falah Al-Hamad House in Al-Salt. Mohammad Jamous used the geometric patterns and arches of the wrought-iron window grille at Beit Yaish in Amman’s Jabal Al-Weibdeh as the basis for a contemporary lounge chair.
The project has now been formally documented in a report authored by Dr Albarakat and Professor Gehan Selim of the University of Leeds. The report was published through White Rose Research Online on July 28, 2026.
The collaboration forms part of HiB, led by the University of Leeds in partnership with ASU and supported by Research England (UKRI). The initiative connects digital heritage research with architectural education, sustainable development and contemporary design practice.
The report presents the studio as a model for incorporating digital heritage documentation into architectural education while encouraging students to examine historic design elements through contemporary applications.
Project source: Albarakat, R. & Selim, G. (2026), The Heritage Re-Made Project: A Manifesto for Living Architecture, University of Leeds / White Rose Research Online.
For more information, visit: ASU official website.