Lama Hasan

Immersive Residency Program | April 2025
Website | Social Media

About the Work 

For my residency project at Salinas del Curro, I proposed to create a visual and analytical exploration of Mediterranean agricultural landscapes and communities at risk of extinction. My approach combined site analysis, archival research, community stories, and AI-generated imagery to document the unique relationship between land, people, and heritage in these areas facing ecological degradation, political upheaval, and climate change.

I began with an in-depth site analysis of Salinas del Curro, exploring its environmental, historical, and cultural contexts. This was complemented by archival research and collecting oral histories from local community members to uncover the stories that have shaped these landscapes and the agricultural practices that define them. I documented these stories visually through a mix of archival photographs, local interviews, and new photographs of the landscape, capturing both the tangible and intangible elements of the community’s connection to the land.

Additionally, I used AI to generate speculative imagery that reimagines the future of these landscapes, envisioning ways in which traditional agricultural practices could evolve or be restored to address contemporary challenges. This combination of archival and contemporary perspectives allowed me to create a compelling narrative about the past, present, and future of Mediterranean agricultural landscapes, provoking reflection on what is being lost and inspiring new ideas for their regeneration.

BIO

Lama Hasan is a Palestinian-Jordanian-American landscape architect, urbanist, and educator with over nine years of experience designing spaces that aim to heal both land and people. Her work is rooted in the belief that landscapes carry stories—of resilience, joy, belonging, and injustice—and she uses analysis, mapping, and design to navigate the complexities of human relationships to land, displacement, memory, and ecological restoration.

From transforming neglected urban sites to preserving cultural heritage at risk, her projects span public space design, sustainable agriculture, youth development, and public art. She collaborated with global firms like AECOM and award-winning studios like GGN. Currently, she teaches landscape architecture at City College of New York and consults on community-based design and research.

Inspired by my Palestinian ancestors—farmers and craftspeople—I explore ancestral knowledge through residencies and collaborations across the Mediterranean, including helping preserve agricultural traditions in Sardinia and studying permaculture in Portugal. I also share the farming history and resistance of my village, Battir, through platforms like Afikra.