The Department of Interior Design at the American University in Dubai was invited to participate in the Exhibition accompanying the 'Tasmeem Doha 04' conference.

The Department decided to pursue the Student Design Project in order to meet the organizers aims, which included the design of projects or product ideas within any design discipline that in some way contribute to a sustainable situation. This sustainable situation can occur within natural, community, cultural or information environments.

Dr John Alexander Smith, Chair of the Visual communication department at AUD, said that "Dr Eman Asaad, the department's expert on conservation, ecological and sustainable design topics, encouraged her students to endeavor a collaborative design. Consequently, a group of four students, Marie Laurent, Maysam Ghaffari, Samera Elsamna and Deepa Gurnami, worked over a three week period under Dr. Asaad's supervision, and developed a theme for 'Rethinking Housing' based on the design characteristics of the buildings comprising the Bastakya district of Dubai. In this way, wind and light 'catchers' were utilized to give character and performance to an atrium house with excellent thermal insulation and shaded roofing design qualities. A poster summarizing the design was produced, accepted by the organizers and short-listed for display in the conference main exhibition. The students and Dr. Asaad were congratulated by the conference organizers on such an innovative and professional project and hoped that these ideas could be pursued and realized in the built form by an enlightened developer!".