Our Team
Rashad Salim – Director
Rashad Salim, who founded the Open Museum Initiative as part of his work with Safina Projects, is an Iraqi-German artist and researcher whose practice engages with the history and development of culture and technology, as reflected in ancient boats, vernacular architecture, textiles and craft heritage. He is a member of the Selim family, noted as pioneers of the modern art movement in Iraq. In 1977-78, as a young crew member on Thor Heyerdahl's Tigris expedition, he voyaged on a reed bundle boat from Iraq across the Indian Ocean. Since 2015, he has worked to document and protect the endangered material culture of Iraq, particularly its traditional boats, and to revive them through initiatives including the Iraqi Heritage Boat Clubs Network. With Safina Projects, he presented Ark Re-imagined: the Expeditionary Pavilion as Iraq’s national participation in the Biennale Architettura 2021.
Hannah Lewis – Programme Manager
Hannah Lewis is Programme Manager and co-founder of the Open Museum Initiative and of Safina Projects. Informed by studies in design methods and ecology, with an MA in Narrative Environments from Central Saint Martins, her previous experience includes curating a British Council exhibition on design and climate change seen by 250,000 people across China (2007), developing the UK’s first urban local currency the Brixton Pound (2009), and establishing the Remakery, an experimental workshop for creative reuse (founded 2012). In 2021 she co-curated Ark Re-imagined, Iraq’s first national pavilion at the Biennale Architettura, Venice.
Mjtaba Abd al-Kareem Qassem – Design & Exhibition Development Assistant
An architect and researcher deeply interested in exploring the relationship between architecture and cultural identity. Through his work, he seeks to strike a balance between authenticity and modernity, focusing on reviving Iraqi heritage and integrating its aesthetic and craft traditions into contemporary design practices. Mujtaba believes that architecture is not merely a physical structure but a reflection of collective memory and cultural identity.
He has collaborated with the artist and researcher Rashad Salim on several research and field projects dedicated to documenting Iraq’s tangible and intangible heritage and reviving traditional crafts as part of reconnecting people with their cultural environment. His design approach draws inspiration from historical Iraqi architecture, aiming to reinterpret its essence within modern contexts while preserving the spirit of place and meeting today’s architectural needs.
Zain al-Abdeen Moayad Jewad – Design & Exhibition Development Assistant
Architect Zain Al Abideen MOAYAD Jawad, specialized in architectural design and urban planning. He have worked with several engineering firms, gaining extensive experience in site management, interior and exterior design, and developing projects that integrate architectural beauty with local identity.Currently collaborating with visual artist Rashad Salim on “The Ark” projects, which aim to revive Iraqi heritage through contemporary interpretations. Our work includes designing and producing heritage models and boat replicas, representing the spirit of river civilization and the memory of place.In addition to his architectural practice, I possess professional experience in photography, film production, and visual documentation, utilizing 3D Scanning and Photogrammetry technologies to capture and reconstruct architectural and artistic details with high precision.
Asaad Salman Dawood – Assistant Researcher and Project Development Coordinator
Captain Sabah al-Rubaye – Heritage Boat Clubs Coordinator
Sayab Mohammed Dheyab al-Batti – Site Maintenance Coordinator
Former team members and research partners
Here we acknowledge the contributions of former team members who co-created OMI’s exhibitions, and co-researchers from partner organisations contributing to OMI’s ongoing research programme.
Raneem Aldeerawi – Design and Planning Coordinator
Raneem Aldeerawi is an architect with experience in design, planning, heritage-focused research, and project coordination. She worked as a Design and Planning Coordinator at Safina Projects (CIC), where she supported programme management and international liaison across architecture, environmental, and heritage networks. Her role included conducting site research and mapping, documenting vernacular and maritime heritage, and producing architectural and technical drawings—including 3D models of traditional boats—while contributing to project branding, exhibitions, and visual materials.
Roaa Saleh Abdulhussein – Project Assistant and Graphic Designer
Roaa Saleh is an architect and graphic designer passionate about cultural heritage, traditional crafts, and the stories embedded in Iraq’s landscapes and waterfronts. She enjoys combining design, research, and visual communication to highlight the connection between people, place, and memory.
During her time with Safina Projects, Roaa worked on the Wetland Lab and the Material Cultural Heritage Lab, creating architectural drawings and 3D models of traditional boats and heritage-related structures. She also designed visual content for exhibitions, supported research for the Open Museum of Water Culture – Basra Hub, and assisted with programme coordination, community activities, and storytelling across digital platforms.
Daniah Nameer Jasim – Project Assistant and Graphic Designer
Danyah Nameer is an architect and researcher whose work moves between architecture, heritage, and visual culture. Her practice explores how space, material, and memory intersect, with a particular focus on vernacular environments and the narratives embedded within them.
At Safina Projects, she worked on research and documentation related to maritime heritage and vernacular architecture, contributing to studies on historical and extinct Mesopotamian boats. Her work included technical drafting, analytical research, and visual development, alongside the design of brand materials and digital communication assets.