Rana Abughannam is a Palestinian architect, researcher, and educator. Her research interests revolve around the socio-political conditions that govern architecture and urbanity. Rana is concluding her doctoral research in the School of Architecture and Urbanism at Carleton University, built on the traditional, unceded territories of the Algonquin nation. Her PhD dissertation, supported by a SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, focuses on built heritage rehabilitation in Hebron, Palestine, as a counter-colonial project. Through her doctoral research, she has worked collaboratively with grassroots organizations on various rehabilitation and design projects. Rana’s research works towards paradigms of counter-colonization exemplified in indigenous, bottom-up, and constant practices of resistance against ongoing colonial projects. Rana is a registered architect in Palestine and Jordan. She obtained her professional degree in Architectural Engineering from Birzeit University in Palestine and received her post-professional Master in History and Theory of Architecture from McGill University.  Rana has taught history of architecture courses and design studios at the Canadian University Dubai and Birzeit University. Rana was also a contract instructor at Carleton University, teaching both graduate and undergraduate design studios, as well as history and theory seminars.

Education

PhD in Architecture- Carleton University (ongoing)
Post-Professional Master of Architecture, History and Theory of Architecture – McGill University (2013)
Bachelor of Architecture – Birzeit University (2012)

Selected publications

Book Editor:  Abughannam, R. Desrochers-Turgeon, É. Swaranjali, P. Goffi, F (Eds). (2024) Architectures of Hiding: Crafting Concealment | Omission | Deception | Erasure | Silence. Routledge

Book Contribution: Hilal, S., & Abughannam, R. (2018). Return to Gaza – Agency. In A. Petti & S. Hilal (Eds.), Permanent Temporariness (pp. 329-337). Art and Theory Publishing 

Journal Publication: Nazer, S., Abughannam, R., & Khasib, S. (2018). “Landscape change in Ramallah – Palestine (1994-2014)”. Landscape Research. DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2018.1495184