YU -AlKhobar

Dr. Mayas Ahmad Taha

Associate Professor

Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture at the College of Engineering and Architecture (COEA), Al-Yamamah University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Specializing in architectural design, heritage conservation, and urban design, her scholarly work explores the intersection of historic preservation and contemporary urban development.

Dr. Taha earned her Ph.D. in Architecture in 2017. Her dissertation examined the challenges of conserving architectural and urban heritage amid urban growth, with Damascus as a primary case study. Before this, she completed her M.Sc. in Architecture in 2012, focusing on transitional zones surrounding heritage centers—a research area that bridges preservation theory and urban planning.

With a career spanning over a decade in academia, Dr. Taha has held teaching and research positions at several institutions, including Damascus University, Aleppo University, Al-Yarmouk Private University, and Al-Etihad Private University. Her instructional portfolio encompasses architectural design, landscape and site planning, heritage conservation, and architectural history. Beyond teaching, she has contributed to academic administration, supervised numerous student projects, and organized workshops and professional activities to advance the field of architecture.

Her research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, exploring the intersection of design, sustainable urban development, heritage conservation, heritage branding, and architectural education. She actively engages in regional and international research, publishes with leading publishers, and frequently participates in global conferences.

At Al-Yamamah University, Dr. Taha continues her dedication to shaping future architects through rigorous education and advancing her research interests.

  • “The role of social representation in producing public spaces: Amman as a case study”, Urban Governance, Journal, 2025-06, DOI: 10.1016/j.ugj.2025.06.004, URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ugj.2025.06.004
  • “Visionary Women’s Mobility Behavior a Tool for Women’s Inclusion in the Built Environment with Special Discourse on Riyadh City”, Sustainability, 2025-06-17 |Journal article, DOI: 10.3390/su17125584,URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125584
  • “Unlocking Walkability in Car-Oriented Cities: Assessing Built Environment Features Affecting Walkability in Riyadh's Neighborhoods”, Journal of Architecture and Planning, Vol. 37, (1),1, Mars,2025, DOI: 33948/jap-ksu-37-1-5
  • “Balancing Heritage Preservation and Regeneration in Riyadh: Objectives and Considerations”, Proceedings of REAL CORP 2024, 29th International Conference on Urban Development, Regional Planning and Information Society. pp. 59-71. ISSN 2521-3938,

DOI: 10.48494/REALCORP2024.1015

  • “An Overview of Factors Influencing Formation Transformations of Residential Building Facades in Riyadh” Journal of Architecture and Planning. 35, NO.4, 04 Dec 2023. doi:10.33948/JAP-KSU-35-4-4

https://jap.ksu.edu.sa/ar/Vol_35-4

  • • “Branding heritage in multicultural societies, with special references to preservation discourses” HBRC Journal .Published online: 06 Nov 2023, publisher: Taylor &Francis, VOL. 19, NO. 1, 337–354, https://doi.org/10.1080/16874048.2023.2272076
  • "Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Armed Conflicts in the Arab World", Conservation of Architectural Heritage, Conference proceeding, pp 181-197, 01 January 2022, publisher: Springer, the Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation book series (ASTI),

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-74482-3_15

  • “The advantages and disadvantages of online architecture teaching compared to traditional teaching, according to the perspective of professors in colleges of architecture in private universities in Riyadh” Arab Journal of Science and Research Publishing (AJSRP),. the second issue, fifth volume, 30-6-2021.

DOI: 10.26389/AJSRP.M250121

(PDF) Standards and mechanisms for urban and architectural heritage documentation The reality of heritage documentation in Syria: a case study (researchgate.net)

  • ” Classification system of registered buildings on National Heritage List. Analyzing the British situation and projecting it onto the Syrian situation” Damascus University Journal of Engineering Sciences , the (2nd) issue, VOL.32. 2016

(PDF) Classification system of registered buildings on National Heritage List Analyzing the British situation and projecting it onto the Syrian situation (researchgate.net)

  • “The protection of the built cultural heritage in armed conflict situations- cases The Syrian World Heritage-listed sites during the crisis as a case study”. Aleppo University Journal of Engineering Sciences the (16th) issue, 03.02. 2016.
  • "Study on the methodology used for the certification of cultural property in the World Heritage List" Baghdad University, Journal of Studies in History and Heritage, 7.2016.
  • “The Architecture of Transitional Areas in Syria Reality - Problems – Solutions Damascus - Aleppo Model” Aleppo University Journal of Engineering Sciences (1st) 22.12.2012
  • the 6th edition of the "Urban Regeneration and Sustainability" (URS) conference, In Collaboration with Sapienza Università di Roma, 25, Nov / 27, Nov 2025.
  • The Saudi Forum for Scientific Councils: From Reality to Contemporary Challenges (2025). Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
  • KEEP ON PLANNING FOR THE REAL WORLD. Climate Change calls for Nature-based Solutions and Smart Technologies. REAL CORP 2024 REAL CORP 2024, 29th International Conference on Urban Development, Regional Planning and Information Society, Manheim, Germany,24-27-April 2024.
  • Architecture and Design Teachers Forum, 09-March 2024, organized by the Ministry of Culture.
  • The Earthen Architecture Symposium at Prince Nasser Palace, At-Turiaf. Riyadh, KSA, 07- December 2022.
  • The ICCEA'22 conference, which held in in Hanoi, Vietnam on December 16-18, 2022, at Seoul National University, on line .
  • Conservation of Architectural Heritage (CAH) 4th Edition, Egypt, 31-Jan to 3Feb, by research paper "Legal mechanisms for the conservation of architectural heritage in situations of armed conflict, and the assessment of their compliance in certain World Heritage sites in the Arab world"
  • AL- Yamamah university, YUGEN conference, "The landscape elements of university buildings in Saudi Arabia, and its impact to provide a suitable environment for its users", research paper, 2019.

Attended workshops:

  • Workshops on Full Proposal Submission - RDI Authority Grants 2025
  • Workshops about “Cityscape Global Future Leaders Hackathon 2025”,12-24October, 2025, Online.
  • BEAM product workshop” October 1st, 2025, Al-Yamamah University
  • “The Urban Governance workshop” 30-31-December, 2024, Prince Sultan University.
  • Workshop about “Academic Advising” June 8 to June 23, 2021, Al-Yamamah University
  • Workshop about “design thinking workshop”, Al-Yamamah University.
  • Workshop about “How to Upgrade for an Uncertain Future” Al-Yamamah University.
  • Workshop about “Writing CLOs in line with PLOs”, Al-Yamamah University.
  • Workshop about “CLOs Assessment and Analysis”, Al-Yamamah University.
  • Workshop about” training on the software tool SPSS”, Al-Yamamah University.
  • Workshop about” Basic SBC 201, IBC and NFPA101 Application in Architectural design –Space planning”, Al-Yamamah University.
  • Workshop about “Fundamentals of Passive fire protection – Fire stopping system”, Al-Yamamah University.

Currently Teaching

  • ARC511 Graduation project
  • IARA425 Landscape design (Elective course)

Undergraduate Teaching

Architecture department

  • Graduation project
  • ARC 401: Architectural Design V
  • ARC 411: Architectural Design VI
  • ARC402: Landscape and Site planning
  • ARC 403: Working drawings1
  • ARC 413: Working drawing 2
  • ARCA 425: Architecture Conservation. (Elective course)
  • ARC 203: History of Architecture I.
  • ARC213: History of Architecture II.

Interior Architecture

  • IAR 404: Detailing and Specifications and Codes
  • IAR 414: Conservation, Preservation, Renovation, and Restoration
  • IAR 401-Interior Arch Working Drawings -2

Practical experience
- Between (2020-2022): Landscape design projects in KAFD, and other landscape design projects for private homes, preparing a site plan and landscape design, for the external spaces, by discussing with clients, engineers, and then preparing site plans, specifications tables, and cost estimates, after Analyzing the environmental conditions, (KAFD project –zone 5.06) to choose the main finishing material for the site paving, and the suitable landscape features.
- Between (2018-2020): Architecture design for many residential buildings, private villas, and many industrial units in al-Shaikh Najar industrial city in Syria, Aleppo, and Supervising the implementation of these projects.
- Architecture design for other projects in Saudi Arabia with "Al Turath Engineering Consulting Office"
- Urban design project: traditional Souq in Jeddah, (the entrance to Jeddah, from Mecca)
- Medical center (dental clinics) in AL- Medina
- Between (2013-2018) : Architectural Design and interior design projects on the campus of Damascus University, redesign many offices in many colleges there supervised by Central Affairs Engineering. reviewing architectural plans, sections, elevations, of many administration buildings in Damascus university campus, and tables of specifications, sketches, and ideas on developing interior and landscape designs, as being the chair of the Design Study committee at Central Affairs Engineering.
- Between (2007-2012): Assistant teacher in Aleppo & Damascus university, & architect in Department of Affairs Engineering / Faculty of Fine Arts/ Aleppo university& Central Affairs Engineering / Damascus University, Supervising several projects and constructions on the university campus.

Organizing committee
- Technical Program Committee of the ICCEA'22 conference, which will be held in in Hanoi, Vietnam on December 16-18, 2022, co-sponsored by Vietnam Institute of Building Materials, technical supported by Innovation Centre for Engineering Education at Seoul National University.
- Member of examination committee, College of Architecture, Al-Yammah University (2019-2020)
- Member of research committee, College of Architecture, Al-Yammah University (2018-2020)
- Member of transfer committee, College of Architecture, Al-Yammah University (208-2020)
- Member of graduation committee, College of Architecture, Al-Yammah University (2019-2020)
- Member of develop the annual program committee, Arch. Coordinator, College of Architecture, Al-Yammah University (2018-2019)
- Chair of Practical exams moderation committee, College of Architecture,
Al-Yammah University (2018-2019)
- Member of Permanent Engineering committee, College of Architecture, Al-Yammah University (2018-2020)
- Member of grade appeal committee, College of Architecture, Al-Yammah University (2018-2020)
- Member of graduation committee, College of Architecture,
Al-Yarmouk University (2014-2017)
- Member of Student Training Program, College of Architecture,
Damascus University (2014-2017)

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