“If you come here inside the ODD... you will find hope for the future... It’s very important for refugees.”
About ODD
Office of Displaced Designers [ODD] is an EU registered non-profit that uses design and education to support displaced and marginalised communities by providing access to networks, resources, and training. We also provide design and consultancy services to organisations and institutions working on issues related to displacement and marginalisation.
We are a values driven organisation committed to championing work that is ethical, responsible and relational.
We strive to decolonise our practice by slowing down, by seeking out voices that have historically been silenced or disregarded, and by embracing multiple forms of knowledge.
We work collaboratively and view our roles as facilitators in the exchange and creation of knowledge and design.
Learn more about our policies: Governance; Guiding Principles + Ethical Conduct; Ethical Fundraising; Privacy + GDPR
Core Team
Shareen Elnaschie
Co-founder + Director
- UK/ Greece
Shareen [she/her] is a trauma informed and responsive spatial designer, creative researcher and design educator. She has international experience of teaching and working with marginalised communities to facilitate participatory design projects and learning experiences. Shareen co-founded ODD in 2016.
Elizabeth Cunningham
Co-founder + Director
- Canada/ Turkey
Elizabeth [she/her] is an architectural designer and builder, specialising in timber and low-impact construction. She is currently based in Izmir where she moved in 2020 to work with small NGOs that support people who have been displaced in both rural and urban contexts. Elizabeth joined ODD as a co-founder in 2021.
Robert Mull
Co-founder + Director
-UK
Robert [he/him] is an architect, educator and urbanist. He is Adjunct Professor of Architecture at the University of Limerick and leads the Global Free Unit, a transnational educational structure with international partners. He is also Director of Quality and Innovation at Publica. Robert joined ODD as a co-founder in 2021.
Kimberly Pelkofsky
Co-founder + Collaborator
- USA
Kimberly [she/her] is an architectural designer specialised in devising, implementing, and evaluating community engagement and workforce development strategies for community-led design and construction projects. Kimberly co-founded ODD in 2016 and returned to the US in 2018.
Amalia Katopodis
Co-founder + Director
- Greece/ Sweden
Amalia [she/her] is an architect and educator seeking to close the gap between education, research and practice. She is Lecturer of Architecture at Umeå university where she has championed a number of innovative learning experiences focused on socially engaged live projects. Amalia joined ODD as a co-founder in 2021.
Lazaros Kouzelis
Visual Communications Advisor
- Greece
Lazaros [he/him] is a graphic design and visual communications specialist. He is based in Cyprus where he is undertaking a PhD in Immersive Narrative Design. Lazaros joined ODD as a volunteer in 2017 and was contracted on the BRIDGES project from 2019-2022. He continues to advise on visual communications.
