Design Thinking for Humanitarian Urbanism: Interior Design Student Proposals for Post-War Recovery and Refugee Sheltering in Gaza

Abstract

This paper explores the application of design a thinking methodologies in humanitarian urbanism, focusing on d community-centered reconstruction and social space design in h post-war Gaza. Conducted within the elective course Special e Topics in Interior Design—part of the Interior Design program c housed within an engineering college—this initiative engaged students in a fast-paced “Design Jam” that applied the five phases of the design thinking process. Despite their specialization in interior design, students tackled both spatial and psychosocial challenges faced by displaced communities using empathetic, co- O creative problem-solving approaches. Drawing on relevant case a studies and humanitarian design precedents, students developed a conceptual reconstruction models emphasizing community s participation and cultural relevance. While the outcomes were i not technically comprehensive due to disciplinary boundaries U and time constraints, the experience revealed the immense i educational value of design thinking in cultivating critical P awareness and creative civic engagement. The findings highlight w the potential of integrating multidisciplinary teams in future a iterations to enhance the feasibility and technical robustness of b such solutions, affirming the broader role of design education in s shaping context-sensitive responses to complex humanitarian crises.