Zena's CV
Zena Alshawa
Interior Architect and Designer
Profile summary
Accomplished Interior Architect and Designer with 5 years of experience in interior architecture and academic research across multiple countries including the UAE, Turkey, Italy, and Saudi Arabia, specializing in technical documentation, spatial planning, and 3D visualization. Trilingual in Arabic, English, and Turkish, with hands-on GCC experience delivering retail, workplace, and residential projects. Relocating to Dubai; available from 03 2025; requires visa sponsorship.
Career highlights
Retail Technical Documentation: Produced full technical documentation for a retail barbershop project in Business Bay covering joinery, finishes, lighting layouts, and construction details.
Academic Research and Instruction: Developed 3+ years of expertise in data analysis and academic instruction through research on interior design impacts and mentoring undergraduate students.
Key skills
Professional experience
Reports to senior design leads within a 3 team structure, managing technical documentation and visual presentations for commercial interiors. Coordinates drafting standards and software workflows across AutoCAD, Rhino 3D, and Adobe InDesign.
- Drafted CAD packages for floor plans, sections, joinery drawings, and schedules using AutoCAD.
- Produced technical documentation for a retail barbershop project in Business Bay covering joinery and finishes.
- Developed 3D design concepts using Rhino 3D and SketchUp to support client presentations.
- Created client presentation decks and design boards in Adobe InDesign for aesthetic direction.
Managed spatial planning and visual execution for architectural projects, overseeing client requirements from concept to completion. Coordinated design documentation and interior specifications across project phases, collaborating with contractors on site realization.
- Designed optimized layouts for both floors of a two-story café in Çayyolu, improving functionality and aesthetic appeal.
- Contributed to the interior renovation of a commercial space, executing detailed 3D visualizations for client review.
Guided studio projects for undergraduate interior architecture students while investigating how interior design affects cognitive processes such as divergent and convergent thinking. Managed laboratory experiments and presented findings to academic and professional audiences.
- Designed and executed experiments analyzing cognitive impacts of interior design using IBM SPSS and Microsoft Excel.
- Mentored undergraduate interior architecture students on studio projects and proctoring examinations.
Guided architectural research initiatives focusing on inclusive urban spaces and child-friendly design methodologies. Translated complex behavioral requirements for autistic children into actionable spatial strategies for active play areas.
- Executed research-to-implementation workflows across two distinct public space projects.
- Integrated developmental findings into architectural designs for accessible children playgrounds.
- Contributed to planning and design phases for a high-end residential villa, ensuring luxury and functionality.
- Developed detailed AutoCAD plans that organized spatial layouts and streamlined project execution.
Education
Environmental Psychology and Design
- Thesis: The Influence of Creative Space Types on the Design Thinking Process
- Thesis Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Halime Demirkan
Interior Architecture and Environmental Design
- Graduated with Honors (Cum Laude)
Languages
Arabic · Native
English · Professional
Turkish · Intermediate