Exhibition Catalog

Curated by Abir Eltayeb & Mustapha Jundi On the Process of Making An Exhibition 3 Abir Eltayeb (BArch ’06) & Mustapha Jundi (BArch ’00) On the Values of Hybridity 4-5 Interview with ArD Chairperson Mona Harb (BArch ’93) Reflections by Faculty on the Final Academic Year 6-7 Interviews with ArD Professors Robert Saliba, Howayda Al-Harithy, and Rana Haddad Reflections by Alumni on the Final Academic Year 8-9 Interviews with Jad Tabet (BArch ‘69) and Mohamad Nahle (BArch ’18) Stepping Stone Towards Multiple Futures 10-15 Selection of Final Year Work Let’s Talk About Hybridity 16-139 Selection of Post-graduation Work On the Process of Making an Exhibition Abir Eltayeb (BArch ’06) & Mustapha Jundi (BArch ’00) The Architecture 50th Anniversary exhibition at the Department of Architecture and Design (ArD) at AUB is “about the alumni by the alumni.” We conceived of the exhibition as a celebration of the work of 131 alumni who responded to an email we sent on February 20, 2018 inviting them to feature their post-graduation work. The call did not restrict the type of contributions to architecture or ancillary fields of the built environment. The content we received, as well as the way alumni defined themselves across and in-between disciplines, shaped the curation of the exhibition. We collected over 240 projects: from buildings that tackle the increasing complexity of typologies whether domestic, public, governmental, or industrial to urban master plans in the Arab world and beyond; interiors to everyday objects; as well as art pieces that uncover hidden stories from Beirut to choreographed perfor- mances at international theaters. A few alumni also shared publications on urban studies, anthropology, history, geography, and philosophy. This diversity of projects reflects how professional aspirations of alumni developed over time, and how they position architecture at the core of design and non-design fields. It demonstrates how they were able to successfully push the boundaries of an architecture education to expand its impact or to incorporate other fields and ultimately become “hybrid” professionals. Therefore, by mapping the strength of our alumni and their inter- disciplinarity whether in the field of architecture or else, the exhibition initiates a conversation on the value of the Architecture Program 3 at ArD; a conversation that we hope extends beyond the scope and duration of the Architecture 50th Anniversary event. For the exhibition, we conducted a series of interviews with four faculty members at ArD and two alumni across different generations. The chair of ArD, Mona Harb (BArch ’93) who was appointed one year ago, shares her aspirations for the forthcoming School of Design and the additional programs it will offer, her views on training students to become impactful professionals, and personal reflections on the merits of being a “hybrid.” Robert Saliba and Howayda Al-Harithy explain the changes in the final year coursework, while Rana Haddad explains her role in advising final year students. Jad Tabet who graduated in 1969, one year after the program was instituted, and Mohamad Nahle who graduated in 2018 reflect on the process behind their final year work and how it impacted their careers or future plans. The interviews are complemented by a selection of final year work by the students of the Architecture Program in the past 50 years. Since the start of the architecture program, the final year has been set aside for students to pursue their own interests. The experience serves as a stepping stone towards future complex disciplinary tracks. The coursework for the final year went through various changes, mostly visible in its labeling across the fall and spring semesters: Research Towards Final Project, Architectural Design VII and VIII, Final Year Project I and II, and more recently a year-long design thesis. On the Values of Hybridity Interview with ArD Chairperson Mona Harb (BArch ’93) We know there are plans for the Department of Architecture How does it feel to be the chairperson of the department undergraduate students in senior electives, workshops, and sometimes and Design to become a School of Design of the Maroun where you studied architecture? You yourself moved away studios. This is an asset that ought to be preserved and nurtured as it Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA). from architecture to pursue urban studies and political tremendously enhances the learning experience of all students. Now that you’ve been chair for a year, how do you see that science. How do you define yourself as a “hybrid” and what move impacting architectural education at AUB? How does it were the benefits? How do you measure the success of the department as chairper- fit with your vision for the department? son and what are some of the future plans you’re working on? When I was promoted to full professor, I expected to serve as chair The School of Design is very much the product of a collective vision at some point, but I was surprised when it happened this year. My The university measures success of faculty members in terms of research for the department. The challenge was for all four academic programs response was, “Really? Me?” I studied architecture, but I had very and “creative” production – and its local, regional, and international (the Architecture and Graphic Design undergraduate programs and the little experience as a practitioner. I had always thought that I would be visibility and impact. This is externally evaluated by the quality of the graduate programs in Urban Planning and Policy and in Urban Design) in a Political Science Department so when I was looking into teaching production itself and how it has been acknowledged through citations, to own the idea. I co-chaired a committee that met during the 2016-17 opportunities at AUB, I met with the chair of the Department of mentions, as well as invitations to exhibitions or conferences… To academic year and included faculty members from each program. The Political Studies and Public Administration. He told me, “Mona, provide faculty members with more opportunities to increase their collective vision is a result of those meetings. It is a vision that I am honestly, you’re too hybrid for PSPA! Go back to MSFEA.” I research and creative production, we are establishing new graduate committed to implementing and that has room for everyone. From considered my hybridity an asset but I realized then that not everyone programs. Two are in the pipeline now – the PhD and the MS in archi- experience, I know that it is important that each faculty member feels in academia felt the same way! tecture. This coming academic year (2018-19), we will be exploring they own a project like this, at least a little. The School of Design was I was eventually invited to apply as a faculty member in the graduate further the feasibility of introducing a Master’s in Industrial Design, unanimously approved. It has been endorsed and is, I believe, owned program in Urban Planning and Policy, and encouraged to teach which would align well with the Graphic Design and Architecture by all faculty members. research methods and issues in urban politics. The first time I taught programs, as well as the other engineering programs in MSFEA. Our We have already begun to develop the infrastructure of the school. architects was in the final year thesis course, and I loved it. It helped urban research agenda is gaining increasing visibility and recognition. The key issues concern the amount of autonomy that the school will me reconcile with my background as an architect, and that changed This summer, we won a prestigious grant that will allow us to establish have within MSFEA. As with all MSFEA departments, we already my rapport with architecture a great deal. I think I was able to give the an Urban Lab – a platform that gathers research programs on matters have a good deal of leverage in hiring and promotion decisions, and in students a methodology of thinking that did not stifle their instincts ranging from enabling inclusive housing to protecting public space in admissions as can be seen in the introduction of the Design Aptitude with too many methods. You have to make sure not to frighten cities, to issues of post-war reconstruction. As I mentioned earlier, we 4 Test for the 2019-20 academic year. The debate has been polarizing students while at the same time providing them with milestones to are recruiting new faculty members to enhance our design research 5 in recent years as we discussed whether it would be better for ArD to reach at specific times. For example, when is the right time to push profile. This year, three new faculty members will be joining ArD. We “leave” engineering or to stay within a strong professional school. The students to select a site? Also, when teaching the final year thesis, the want to bring even more new ideas on various approaches and tools of announcement of the Maroun Semaan endowment ended that debate: profile of the student matters a lot, their ability to work independent- design research, professional practice, and theory. ArD will remain within MSFEA but its autonomy will be strengthened. ly, their passion and thirst for learning, their need to be closely Last year, we introduced a new structure whereby ArD is governed mentored… I think my hybrid training provides me with a large set of What was the most heartening thing you experienced this year? by a team of leaders: the chairperson and all the program coordinators. tools (and methodologies) that allows me to navigate different situa- We are also working on strengthening the design research component tions and subjectivities which works rather well in teaching.

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