Hey, I’m Razan.
I work with businesses and cultural projects to create human-centered experiences through research, curation, writing, and project leadership.
My Approach
Human-Centered & Culture-Led
I start every project by getting close to people, their habits, stories, and the worlds they move through. My work is grounded in anthropology and design research, but driven by curiosity and care. I take time to understand context before shaping experiences that actually resonate.
Research-Led and Narrative-Driven
My work starts with research and grows through storytelling. I use ethnographic methods and qualitative insight to turn complex ideas into clear, engaging experiences, always shaped by context, audience, and purpose.
ITHRA (King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture) - HQWS
Co-curation of Baseqat, a multi-zoned temporary exhibition exploring the palm tree as a cross-cultural study of materiality and material culture, encompassing research, narrative development, the selection of objects and artists, and integrated spatial storytelling.
Case Studies
Abu Dhabi Media Office - BOND
Ethnographic research and cultural insight for the Government of Abu Dhabi, bringing together collective knowledge from across the Emirate to inform and write a signature coffee table book and practical toolkit guiding the creation of future Abu Dhabi experiences.
The Executive Council (TEC - Dubai) - IPSOS
Qualitative evaluation of customer journeys across Dubai government entities, supporting the Services 360 initiative to improve integrated and proactive public services.
What I’m Speaking About
"I approached my research process by looking at the palm tree as a living cultural system, one that shapes and reflects the values, rituals, and creative practices of the people who live with it. I wanted to connect the symbolic and the material, to explore how the palm tree’s identity extends beyond ecology into memory, spirituality, and social formation. The research evolved within the curatorial framework tracing the life of the palm through its anatomy, from roots to fronds, from structure to symbolism, revealing how deeply it is woven into both tangible and intangible heritage."
Baseqat: The Palm Tree Exhibition, Ithra
"When we look at the palm through an anthropological lens, it reveals itself as a natural architectural system: the trunk as column, the fronds as roof, the husk and fibers as wall. Across the world, from the Middle East and North Africa to Africa, the Caribbean, Polynesia, Central and South America, South and Southeast Asia, and even parts of Europe and the United States, the date palm has long been used as an indigenous architectural material. These practices show us that the palm is not simply a resource, but part of a deeply rooted relationship between people, ecology, and place. Anthropology helps us read these systems of knowledge and invites architects and designers to reimagine the palm as a living, cultural medium for the present and future."
Khoos Residency Program, Ithra
Let’s Connect!
Get in touch to talk through your project, ideas, or questions.
