Hadi Alhaffar
Degree: Master of Architecture
College/School: College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts
Hadi Alhaffar came to FIU’s School of Architecture as a transfer student from the University of Damascus. While civil war was escalating in Syria, Hadi convinced himself that he was safer in the capital than in most other places in the country. His passion for architecture kept him focused.
Then one day the violence hit too close to home when a mortar went off on campus. Though Hadi wasn’t hurt, news of the university bombing reached his mother, Maisson. The shock soon led to a stroke, and as she recovered, it was clear that Hadi would have to leave Syria to complete his studies.
Hadi settled on FIU, where his cousins were students. Soon after arriving Hadi proved himself to be a stellar student working on a National Science Foundation funded cross-disciplinary project, SKOPE, which is developing a learning tool that integrates building information modeling with augmented reality. Hadi also created a 360-degree interactive art installation, Nuage, which allows viewers to experience an environment not bound by time and space. Outside of school, Hadi proved himself an entrepreneur, co-founding Instarender, a company specializing in the production of 3-D renderings for architecture firms.
After graduation, Hadi hopes to one day put the skills, education and perspective he’s gained from his time at FIU to rebuild his native Syria.