zainabog@yorku.ca
Zainab Gaafar is an architect and project manager specialising in research and design. She is the founder of Studio Urban, a Khartoum-based research studio that explores urban studies at the intersection of culture and knowledge accessibility. The studio produces multimedia content and integrates community engagement tools into its research methodologies. In recent years, Zainab has shifted her focus toward heritage projects, namely serving as curator and exhibition designer for Safeguarding Sudan's Living Heritage (2023–2025), and leads the development of the SSLH museum. Her work investigates critical questions around the role of heritage during times of conflict and the importance of preserving heritage beyond institutional frameworks.
Keywords: Intangible Heritage, Urban space, Conflict and War