Iyas Shahin is a Syrian researcher with a PhD in Architecture and the founder of IWLab. His work covers architecture’s response to crises, cultural heritage preservation, spatial justice, urban design, and city cognitive mapping. He emphasizes participatory approaches and art as tools for innovation. With experience from cultural scholarships and projects across Britain, Finland, Italy, and the Arab region, Shahin’s notable contributions include Informality, The City Incarnation, M3 of Damascus, and Spatial Justice—Damascus.

Since 2021, he has explored experimental documentaries to critique and analyze urban architecture, focusing on Damascus and its evolving spatial dynamics. He is currently involved in revitalizing a village in northern Syria, addressing developmental and urban challenges, while continuing his research into recovering the memory of a southern Syrian village destroyed in 1967. His work reflects a deep commitment to preserving Syria’s cultural identity and addressing the social and spatial dimensions of architectural heritage.