My name is Hudaa Roshan. I am currently a 4th year Architecture undergraduate at the America University of Sharjah (AUS). For the past semester I had been involved with many organizations that pertain to sustainability such as BEE’AH, AUS-SUSTAINABILITY and DROP IT YOUTH by Goumbook. Having worked with them made me realize how we as architects need to actively take the next step of designing in a more sustainable manner…even for studio projects. I started realizing (the hard way) that we don’t have the luxury to shamelessly use resources the way we can slap them on renders.
 
I believe Focus 2019 will help bring that discussion of design and sustainability to the forefront and open various topics that I think needs to be debated on. Is LEED REALLY a good initiative? How do we as designers make sure to separate capitalism from sustainability? Can sustainability be an independent form of design and environmental ethic, and not some form of political propaganda? These are some of the discussions that I think we need to be a part of and exchange ideas from various standpoints.
 
In terms of projects, my latest project for studio entailed a stadium in a former landfill in Nigeria (as part of an entry for ARCH OUT LOUD’S WASTE COMPETITION). As part of our material studies, my partner and I created a wall paneling system out of PET Plastic. The process led us into understanding the properties and types of plastics that can be recycled. It was a shocking revelation knowing how little can is done at the local recycling plant and the amount of money involved in doing so. It takes practical experience to fully understand the circumstances we are dealing with in terms of climate change.