Featured Scholar: September 2024

Dr. Asma Mehan
(Assistant Professor, Huckabee College of Architecture)

What are you watching/streaming?

I’m immersed in Exterminate All the Brutes, a powerful docuseries that reexamines colonial history—a stark reminder of how narratives shape our built environment. I’m also enjoying Architectures on ARTE, a European series that dives deep into iconic structures, showing how architecture intertwines with social and political contexts. On the Eastern side, I’ve been captivated by Tokyo Vice, which offers a raw look into the complexities of modern urban life in Tokyo, highlighting the hidden layers of city dynamics.

What games are you playing?

I’m engaging with Cities: Skylines, reimagining urban futures through the lens of sustainability and public space design—more than just a game, it’s a sandbox for testing urban theories. I’m also exploring Space Syntax simulations, commonly used in cities like London and Tokyo, to analyze pedestrian flows and rethink spatial justice. Anno 1800 takes me back to the Industrial Revolution, blending city-building with historical narratives—a critical reminder of our industrial past and its legacy on modern urban landscapes.

What are you listening to?

My playlist spans continents: from John Coltrane’s jazz improvisations that mirror the unpredictability of urban life, to The Urbanist podcast by Monocle, offering insights into European city design and policy innovations. I’m also tuned into Sinica Podcast, which gives deep dives into China’s urbanization and architectural evolution, providing a critical look at how Eastern cities are reshaping their identities. In the U.S., I’ve been hooked on 99% Invisible, which explores the hidden design aspects of everyday life, feeding my fascination with unnoticed architectural details.

What are you reading?

I’m diving into The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson, a speculative look at climate change that combines geopolitics and environmental activism—a must-read for rethinking urban resilience. In the European context, I’m exploring Ghosts of My Life by Mark Fisher, which critiques the lost futures of modernity, while Climate Change Is Racist by Jeremy Williams highlights the intersection of environmental justice and urban design. From the East, I’m reading Tokyo Utopia by Toyo Ito, exploring how visionary architecture can redefine urban living in megacities.

What are you writing/thinking about?

My writing is centered on the adaptive reuse of industrial heritage, from London’s Battersea Power Station to oil refineries in West Texas, and former textile factories in Eastern Europe. I’m exploring how these spaces can be transformed into sustainable hubs, blending historical narratives with modern needs. I’m also deeply engaged in examining how architecture can serve as a tool for socio-environmental justice, inspired by the radical urbanism of cities like Rotterdam, Tokyo, and New York—challenging us to rethink how design can empower communities.