Du 05.10.2026
au 21.10.2026
exposition

“Ahmed Shamia: Building Beyond Absence” is an exhibition dedicated to the work of the Palestinian architect and artist, a winner of the PAUSE programme, who passed away in May 2025.

The exhibition, curated by his wife Sara Alqataa in collaboration with ENSA Paris-Val de Seine and ENSA Paris-Est, was born out of Sara Alqataa’s love, grief and remembrance of her husband, who died in Gaza on 13 May 2025.
Ahmed Shamia dreamed of building sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities, where every building would respond to ecological and human emergencies. His talent, his vision and his commitment to architecture that serves living beings were brutally cut short.
Through Ahmed Shamia’s drawings and architectural projects, saved from destruction, this exhibition revives the memory of a land and its people, and gives voice to a story that destruction has failed to silence. The models, archives and videos on display reveal an architecture designed to protect, bring people together and preserve beauty amidst the chaos.
Each space in the exhibition, designed by Sara Alqataa, stands as a testament to the man who shaped space, fostered connection, brought dreams to life and instilled hope. More than a tribute, ‘Ahmed Shamia: Building, Beyond Absence’ is an act of remembrance and resistance against oblivion.

National Programme for Emergency Assistance to Scientists and Artists in Exile (PAUSE)
Established in 2017, the PAUSE scheme aims to provide a welcome to researchers forced to leave their countries due to conflict, persecution or violations of fundamental freedoms.