Diane Al Shihabi PhD

Associate Professor, Interior Design
Director of Graduate Education, Interior Design

Education

Ph.D., Design History, University of Wisconsin- Madison, 2012
M.S., Design History, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2008
B.S., Interior Design, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1995
Feng Shui Architecture and Design Tour, China 2006
Interior Design, University of California, Los Angeles, 1991-1992
Classical Arabic Language Studies, Kuwait University- Kuwait

On the Web

http://www.preservation.design.iastate.edu

Research Interests

Design History and Theory

French Academic Architectural Theory, Beaux-Arts Design System, Neo-Beaux-Arts Classicism, Influence of Beaux-Arts Theory on 20th Century Design and Education

Development/Meaning of Typologies of Character, Type, and Style

Islamic Architecture and Decorative Arts

Preservation and Cultural Heritage (PCH)

Architecture of Diplomacy and Culturally Significant Properties Abroad, UNESCO World Heritage Sites Documentation and Protection​                          

21st Century Technologies (LIDAR Scanning and Virtual Reality) in PCH Research, Analysis, and Dissemination                                    

Sustaining Global Cultural Identities via Preservation Practice  

Interdisciplinary Research Methods & Design Approaches  

Postmodern Analyses: Amalgamating Traditional Art Historical Methods with Those Formerly Viewed Non-Scholarly.​ 

Current Projects

Teaching

Al Shihabi, D., Principal Investigator, and M. Muecke Co-Principal Investigator. 2019. Preservation and Cultural Heritage Morocco: International Perspectives and Design Issues (DSN S 546).

A collaboration with the State Department on the American Legation in Tangier, the only National Historic Landmark abroad. 

Al Shihabi, D., Principal Investigator, and M. Muecke Co-Investigator. 2018. Preservation and Cultural Heritage Czech Republic: International Perspectives and Design Issues (DSN S 546).

A collaboration with the State Department on Villa Petschek (Prague), Official Residence of the American Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

Al Shihabi, D., Principal Investigator, and M. Muecke Co-Investigator. 2017. Preservation and Cultural Heritage​ England: International Perspectives and Design Issues (DSN S 546 GB).

A collaboration with the State Department on Winfield House (London), Official Residence of the American Ambassador to the Court of St. James's.

Service

Co-Founder, ISU's Interdisciplinary Preservation and Cultural Heritage Program, w/ ​C. Basmajian,  H. Hohmann, M. Muecke, and A. Osterberg. 2012 - Present. (T. Grevstad-Nordbrock replaced Basmajian in 2015)

Director of Graduate Education, Interior Design, 2018 - Present

Caucus Chair, College of Design, 2018 - Present. 

Board of Reviewers, Journal of Interior Design, 2016 - Present.

Site Visitor, Council of Interior Design Accreditation, 2012 - Present.

Board of Trustees, Taliesin Preservation Inc. (TPI), 2018 - Present.

Preservation and Facilities Committee, Taliesin, 2018 - Present.

Scholarship

Al Shihabi, D. and M. Muecke. 2019. Inventing New Modes of Dissemination: Applied Preservation and Cultural Heritage Pedagogy in Interdisciplinary Studios, ARCC 2019 Conference, Toronto, CA. May 29 -June 1.

Al Shihabi, D. 2019. Community Engagement and Interior Design: Rehabilitation of the Warrior Hotel, Designed to Laud A City’s Amerind Heritage Via the Stylistic Genre of Art Deco,(IDEC) Annual Conference,Charlotte, North Carolina. ​

Al Shihabi, D. and M. Muecke. 2018. Diplomatic Architecture and Heritage Conservation: Elucidating Neo-Preservation Methodologies to Research, Document and Convey Significance of Cultural Properties Abroad. Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS) Biannual Conference, Heritage Across Borders, Zhejiang Univ., Hangzhou, China, Sep 1-6.

Al Shihabi, D. and M. Muecke. 2018. Diplomatic Relations and Cultural Heritage Protection: Conveying Global History Through Contemporary Technology. State Department.Washington DC. May 29. 

​Al Shihabi, D. and M. Muecke. 2018. Preservation and Cultural Heritage Curriculum Development: A Case Study in Design Education at the Intersection of History and Technology, ARCHIP, Prague, Czech Republic (March 14). Lecture sponsored by the European Union Structural and Investment Fund. 

Al Shihabi, D. 2017. Character Types and the Beaux-Arts Tradition: Interpreting Academic Typologies of Form and Decorum. Athens Journal of Architecture (AJA). Vol. 3, No. 3: 227-50, July. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Journal, International.

Al Shihabi, D. 2017. Funding Interdisciplinary Collaborations and Stimulating Economic Development: Genesis of Iowa State University’s Graduate Program in Historic Preservation. Preservation and Education Research Journal (PER) Vol. 9, 79-94. May. Contributors M. Muecke, A. Osterberg, L. Rico-Gutierrez (Dean), T. Reinders, C. Basmajian. Double Blind, Peer-Reviewed Journal. 

Al Shihabi, D. 2017. Design Pedagogy and Preservation Education: Advancing a Conservation Ethic Across Interior Design Curricula, Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) Annual Conference, Chicago. March. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.

Al Shihabi, D. and J. Suh. 2017. Design History and Interior Design: Increasing Application and Relevancy Over Course Types, (IDEC) Annual Conference, Chicago. March. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.

Al Shihabi D.  and T. Grevstad-Nordrock.  2017. Preservation Education in Iowa: The View from ISU’s College of Design. Preserve Iowa Summit 2017. Fort Dodge, IA, July. Peer-Reviewed Venue.

Al Shihabi, D. 2016. Design Education and Historic Preservation Practice: Reconsidering Academic Objectives Amid Unprecedented Destruction of Cultural Heritage. International Education Conference (IEC), 255-1 to 255-12, Venice, Italy. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue.

Al Shihabi, D. 2016. Design History, CIDA Standards, and NCIDQ Examination: Rethinking Educational Priorities Amidst Global Destruction of Cultural Heritage, (IDEC) Annual Conference, Portland. March. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.

Al Shihabi, D. 2016. Reduced Legislative Support and New Interdisciplinary Collaborations: Development of Iowa State’s Hybrid Funding Model for Master’s Program in Historic Preservation, (IDEC) Annual Conference, Portland. March. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.

Al Shihabi, D. 2015. Beaux-Arts Architects and Decoration of Houses: Elucidating French Academic Influences of a Seminal Literary Work. Journal of Interior Design Vol. 40, No. 3, 39-60, September.  Double-Blind,  Peer-Reviewed, International, Tier 1 Journal. 

Al Shihabi, D. 2015. Character Types and Beaux-Arts Interiors: Transposing Typologies of Tradition, Function, and Location Across Cultures, Journal of Interior Design (JID) Design and Culture Symposium, Fort Worth, March. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.

Al Shihabi, D. 2015. Engaged Scholarship and Historic Preservation of Interiors: Sustaining Identity and Facilitating Integrity in Iowa’s Carnegie Libraries, (IDEC) Annual Conference, Fort Worth. March.  Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.

Al Shihabi, D. 2014. Beaux-Arts Architects and American Interior Design: Fostering a Nascent Profession Through French Traditions and American Literary Works, JID Raison D’Etre Symposium: Crafting a Global History of Interior Decoration and Design, New Orleans, LA. March. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.

Al Shihabi, D. 2014. Residences of East Coast American Elites and Architectural Theories of the French Académie: Elucidating Precedents of Late Gilded Age Beaux-Arts Capitols, IDEC Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA. March. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.

Al Shihabi, D., M. Muecke and A. Osterberg. 2014. Funding and Forming New Interdisciplinary Collaborations: Development of Iowa State University’s Master’s Program in Historic Preservation, a2ru 2014 National Conference, Iowa State University, Ames, IA. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue.

Al Shihabi, D. 2013. Capitol Furniture Types of Beaux-Arts Architect: Design Hierarchy Reveals Meaning, Journal of Interior Design, Special Design History Issue, Vol. 38, No. 1, 33-48. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed, International, Tier 1 Journal.

Al Shihabi, D. 2013. Character Types and Beaux-Arts Interiors: Advancing Historic Preservation Practice and Scholarship Through Interdisciplinary Design Research, 4th Annual Visual and Performing Arts Conference,  Athens Institute for Education and Research, Athens, Greece. June. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.

Al Shihabi, D., 2013. Capitol Interiors: An American Beaux-Arts Interior Design System, IDEC Annual Conference, Indianapolis. March. Double-Blind, Peer-Reviewed Venue. International.