Dr Beniamino Polimeni is an architect, conservation specialist and Senior Lecturer in Architecture at the University of Hertfordshire, where he directs the Professional Doctorate in Design. His research focuses on architectural representation, heritage conservation and Islamic architecture, with particular emphasis on the Mediterranean and North Africa. His recent work examines migrant communities and adaptive reuse in England, linking socially engaged design with the sustainable preservation of heritage. Widely published by Springer, Thames & Hudson and other leading presses, he also serves on the editorial boards of Disegnare Con, Tribelon, Quaderni di Architettura e Design and The Saharan Journal, as well as acting as an ARB accreditation visitor.
Yasser Megahed is an educator, researcher and practitioner, and Senior Lecturer at the Welsh School of Architecture. He is also an Associate Architect at Design Office, Newcastle, shortlisted for the RIBA North-East Award (2019), and was named in the Architects’ Journal’s “40 under 40” (2020). His research interrogates contemporary architectural practice, bridging design research and professional practice, with special interests in design fiction, graphic novels, and contemporary mosque typologies. His work has appeared in journals including JAE, Interstices and arq, and culminated in his book Practiceopolis: Stories from the Architectural Profession (Routledge, 2020).