Dr. Irene Pasina

Irene Pasina is Associate Professor of Interior design at the Department of Architecture, American University of Ras Al Khaimah, since August 2023. She holds a PhD in Interior Architecture and Exhibition Design and a MSc in Interior Design both achieved at Politecnico di Milano.

After teaching Interior Design and Interior Architecture at Politecnico di Milano (2010-2017) and UNIRSM Design San Marino (2007-2010) for several years, since 2017 she moved to Middle East, where she was Assistant Professor in Interior Design first at Prince Sultan University (Riyadh KSA, 2017-2020) and then at Ajman University (UAE, 2020-2022).

She is an active researcher with publications on peer-reviewed journals and books, she participated in several international conferences as speaker and guest speaker, and she tutored in international workshops in Italy, China and the UAE. She is the founder of the research group Interior stories, Interior Voices. Women in Design, which was awarded a research grant by Ajman University. Her research focuses on various topics related to interior design and tradition, on the role of women in interior design in the MENA region, and on the impact of social media in the design process in education.

• PhD Interior Architecture and Exhibition Design, Politecnico di Milano, Italy 2009
• MSc Interior Design, Politecnico di Milano, Italy 2004

• Irene Pasina, with Emanuela Corti “The Development of dwelling solutions in the United Arab Emirates and the impact of Covid19”, in Architecture_MPS ISSN 2020-9006.
• Irene Pasina, with Mohammad Nurunnabi, Wafa Labib, Abdelhakim Abdelhadi, Göze Bayram, “Learning Style Preferences of Architecture and Interior Design Students in Saudi Arabia: A survey”, MethodsX, Volume 6, 2019, pp. 961-967.
• Irene Pasina, with Abdelhakim Abdelhadi, Göze Bayram, Wafa Labib, “Clustering Students into Groups According to Their Learning Style”, MethodsX, Volume 6, 2019, pp. 2189-2197.
• Irene Pasina, “Osvaldo Borsani”, Op. Cit. Selezione della critica d’arte contemporanea, n. 163, September 2018, pp. 78-81.
• Irene Pasina, “Lucio Fontana. Ambienti / Environments”, Op. Cit. Selezione della critica d’arte contemporanea, n. 162, May 2018, pp. 83-86.
• Irene Pasina, “Dimensione Domestica”, Op. Cit. Selezione della critica d’arte contemporanea, n. 156, May 2016, pp. 51-53.
• Irene Pasina, Francesca Rapisarda, “La casa del Balla. Un interno di Nanda Vigo”, Rivista Architettiverona, n.93, January/April 2013, pp. 42-47.
• Irene Pasina, “Interni moderni. Spazi pubblici e privati dal 1850 a oggi (P. Sparke), Op. Cit. Selezione della critica d’arte contemporanea, n. 142, September 2011.
• Irene Pasina, “Progettare l’architettura di interni (G. Brooker, S. Stone), Op. Cit. Selezione della critica d’arte contemporanea, n. 141, May 2011.
• Francesca Lanz, Irene Pasina, “Luce a Bordo: effetti luminosi”, Interni OnBoard (3) – Interni, n. 593, July-August 2009, pp. 62-67.

• Irene Pasina, Luce d’interni, Franco Angeli, Milan 2013.

• Irene Pasina, with Marcella Camponogara, “Interior Stories, Interior Voices. Donne e progetto di Interni in Medio Oriente tra tradizione e innovazione”, proposal for a book chapter in the publication Interni. Nuove geografie della ricerca, edited by Jacopo Leveratto, Viviana Saitto, Valeria Sansoni, Maggioli editore, Milano, November 2021.
• Irene Pasina, with Göze Bayram, “The Role of Women in Interior Design in Saudi Arabia”, in Theorising Interior Design. Identity – Practice – Education, edited by Carola Ebert, Routledge. [forthcoming]
• Irene Pasina, with Silvia Piardi, Silvia Tieghi, “Reflection on the sidelines of a shipwreck”, in NAV 2012 – Transire Mare, edited by ATENA association, Napoli 2012, pp. 61-69. [peer review]
• Irene Pasina, with Francesca Lanz, Silvia Piardi, “Light on Board”, in Where does light moves to? Lighting Design Scenarios, edited by Maurizio Rossi, Maggioli Editore, Milan 2009, pp. 41-49. [peer review]
• Irene Pasina, with Francesca Lanz, Caterina Lazzari, “About contemporary trend in European housing: high space low cost, linking people and participation”, in Housing in Europe and China, edited by Silvia Piardi, Manfredo Manfredini, Giampiero Bosoni, China Water Press, Beijing 2008, pp. 35-39.
• Irene Pasina, with Francesca Lanz, “Abitare la tradizione. Siheyuan e hudong, un’esperienza didattica in Cina”, in Il progetto degli interni sull’esistente, edited by Adriano Cornoldi, il Poligrafo, Padoa 2007, pp. 377-380. [peer review]
• Irene Pasina, “La Biblioteca. Spazio aperto alla città”, in Spazi della cultura, cultura degli spazi. Nuovi luoghi di produzione e consumo della cultura contemporanea, edited by Andrea Branzi, Alessandra Chalmers, Franco Angeli, Milano 2007, pp. 99-110.

• 28 – 29/10/2022 - conference Irene Pasina, with Emanuela Corti “Fast forward 2071. The representation of the United Arab Emirates and the case study of the Museum of the Future”, presented to 2022 International Symposium on Reputation and Cultural Value in Design Soft Power, Shandong University of Art and Design (SUAD), China. [forthcoming]
• 27/03/2022 – conference Irene Pasina, with Emanuela Corti “The Development of dwelling solutions in the United Arab Emirates and the impact of Covid19”, presented to Sustainable Architecture(s) – Humane Cities, Bangalore, India.
• 23 – 24/06/2021 – guest speaker at 24 hours worldwide design marathon, organized by Polimi Design System – Politecnico di Milano.
• 28/05/2021, webinar - “Donne e progetto di Interni in Medio Oriente tra tradizione e innovazione” presented to INTERNI. Nuove geografie della ricerca - Incontro nazionale dei giovani studiosi di Architettura degli Interni.
• 21 – 23 September 2018 | First place at Lighting Competition Light.ication Vol.3 in Dubai, UAE (Prince Sultan University group with G. Bayram, A. Al-Salem, A. Al-Azim, K. AlTassan, group of Senior Students).
• 17 – 18 May 2018 | speaker in the panel Interior Design Education – an International Perspective with the topic “The role of Women in Interior Design in Saudi Arabia”, (presented with Dr. Goze Bayram) at the first conference Interior – Inferior – in Theory, organized by BAU International Berlin.
• 19 September – 2 October 2012 | Tutor and team leader in International Workshop “Cluster Expo 2015” for the Coffee Cluster (prof. Alessandro Colombo, prof. Stephan Viets, prof. Francisco Spadoni), held in Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with Expo 2015 and City of Milan.
• 1 December 2011 | Moderator in the panel “Il design italiano: il suo futuro, le sue scuole, le sue istituzioni” at the conference “Design Italiano : design tradito?”, organized by CulturAperta, in Castello Sforzesco, Milano.
• 25 April 2009 | Selected paper at the international conference Designing Designers 2009. Where does the light moves to?, Milan, Italy. VIII edition of the Internation Conference of Design Schools. Paper title: Light on Board.
• 24-25 May 2007 | I collaborate with Alessandra Bosco in organizing the Open Days activity and students works exhibition in UNIRSM Design University – IUAV.
• 25-30 November 2007 | Tutor and team leader at the International Workshop of Urban Landscape Design, held in Politecnico di Milano (prof.ssa Silvia Piardi), in collaboration with Tsinghua University Beijing and Lo spirito di Stella Onlus.
• 6-17 December 2006 | Tutor and team leader at the International Workshop of Interior Design, held in Tsinghua University Beijing (China), in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano (prof.ssa Silvia Piardi).
• 16 June 2006 | Intervention at the third international meeting on Social Housing at Politecnico di Milano. Paper title: European Living Scenarios: The High space Low cost strategy.

• History of Art and Interior design 1
• Professional practice 1: codes and regulations
• Interior design studio 5