VOLUME 12 | issue nº 1 | Spring 2010 & ALUMNI BULLETIN
The Art of Communication Doctor of Pharmacy Program at LAU: Health from Lebanon Global Distinction in Pharmaceutical Science The Doctor of Pharmacy program (Pharm. D.) at LAU’s School of Pharmacy is the only program of its kind outside of the United States accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education—making all Pharm.D. graduates of LAU eligible for licensure as pharmacists in most US states and Canadian provinces.
Only at LAU & alumni bulletin VOLUME 12 | issue nº 1 | Spring 2010
FEATURES CONTENTS
16 Disability and Communication in the 4 Media in Flux Middle East The reports of print-media’s death have been greatly exaggerated…But changes 23 Graphic Design Exchange in information delivery bring two-fold 25 Fighting for Children’s Rights uncertainty to the region’s readership. And to the journalists who serve it as well… 26 Accreditation Progress Update: NEASC Accreditation Team Visits LAU
27 LAU School of Pharmacy Signs Partnership Agreement with the University of Toledo 8 Lingual Tradition vs. Economics English is the global language of opportunity— 27 LAU Magazine Recognized by International for now. In Lebanon and the Middle East, the Education Council joy of linguistic diversity continues 28 Darwin’s Living Legacy
29 Expanding Education: New School of Architecture and Design Gathers Design Form Before Function and Art Programs Under One Roof 12 Past and future often miss each other in the architecture of Lebanon and the region 30 Faculty on the Move
30 Staff on the Move
32 Student Achievement
17 Lebanese Journalists 33 Campus Notes
Around the World 40 The Legacy and the Promise Campaign: A survey of some of the journalists Alternative Giving
who bring us the globe 41 Conference Room Dedicated to Jamil B. Iskandar, Late LAU Board Member
Alumni Awards Around the World 21 New challenges for 42 Communication design in the 43 Alumni News
middle east 45 Alumni Events Getting design right for Lebanon is harder than it looks 46 Remembered With Love: Ziad Beiruty and Margaret Flory
47 UPCOMING EVENTS
48 Why I Give Back
World-renowned designer LAU student Amer Mouawad Hiroki Yamamoto teaches accepts a prize for his final year students at the Graphic Design undergraduate project from the Exchange Workshop in Byblos Software Design Consulting Group (see page 23) (see page 32)
page 1 LAU Magazine & Alumni Bulletin Volume 12 | issue nº1 | Spring 2010
President Wherever You Go Joseph G. Jabbra
LAU Magazine is your platform to share photos and news about Editorial Advisory Board yourself, your family and your friends. We encourage you to update Richard A. Rumsey, Vice President University us on your professional and personal activities and achievements— Advancement from wherever you are! Peggy Hanna, Assistant Vice President Marketing and Communications Abdallah Al Khal, Director Alumni Relations Saba Haider, Associate Director Print Communications Gregory Houle, Manager Advancement Communications Edward Shiner, Director Alumni and Special Projects
Managing Editor Todd Dorman Associate Editor Olga Habre Staff Writers Marc Abizeid Olga Habre Saba Haider Gregory Houle Contributing Writers Austin G. Mackell Dalila Mahdawi Matthew Mosley Lisa DiLisle Help Tell Our History Editorial Assistants We welcome news from alumni, friends, supporters and current and former Nadia Gabriella Bhuiyan Nanor Karageozian faculty and staff representing all the university’s current and former schools Nadine Maknieh and colleges. Submit your stories and photos for inclusion in LAU’s online Graphic Designer and print publications. Marianne Amkieh Siblini Photography Marc Abi Zeid Submit to: Ali Chehadeh [email protected], or Olga Habre Bassam Lahoud Marketing and Communications Department New York Office Wassim Said Lebanese American University Lebanese American University Helen Thomas photo: Dale Blank P.O. Box 13-5053/F24 475 Riverside Drive #1846 Chouran, Beirut 1102-2801, Lebanon New York, NY 10115-0065
LAU Magazine is published quarterly by the Marketing and Communications Department at LAU and is distributed free of charge to alumni, students, staff, faculty, friends and supporters worldwide.
Direct comments can be sent to [email protected].
LAU Magazine & Alumni Bulletin LAU students, faculty and staff distribute water Marketing and Communications Department to runners at the Beirut Lebanese American University Marathon in December P.O. Box 13-5053/F24 Chouran, Beirut 1102-2801 Lebanon Tel. +961 1 786 456 ext. 1948/1917 Fax. +961 1 786 470
New York Office 475 Riverside Drive #1846 Corrections for LAU Magazine, Volume 11, Issue 4 New York, NY 10115-0065 Tel. +1 212 870 2592 LAU Board of Trustees member Wadih S. “Bill” Jordan served as President of the Board of Fax. +1 212 870 2762 the American Community Schools in Athens, Greece from 1989-1993—not as a trustee of the board of directors of AUB (Page 47). Please send changes of address to: [email protected] +961 1 786 456 ext. 1341/1136 page 2 From thePresident’s Desk President Joseph G. Jabbra Sincerely, As always, thankyouforyourongoingsupport ofourbeloved university. are connectedtothemediaofmodernworld. one is told is a crucial skill, especially when information threatens to overwhelm citizens who what evaluate and analyze to teachsort. ability to different The ability a of communication their for important also are LAU like universities But time. same the at sometimes Arabic, English,Frenchand of use the encourages that dialects,and and languages of set diverse a employs that region a in resides university Our skills. communication develop to world the over all from people helping in role essential an play it like institutions Naturally,and LAU changing topicinthisissueofLAU Magazine. many takes world our in communication forms, and I am language,pleased that you will read about to this vitally important, fascinating and media ever- new to architecture From about allformsofcommunication, therefore, hasneverbeenmoreimperative. for even greater analysis and scrutiny of what is being communicated. Teaching and learning need a is there that means marketplace the in attention for vying voices of number greater Yetthe age. modern our of hallmarks the of fact,one in is, people of mass huge a reach to individual single one communication of ability The thankful. be of all should we which for freedom blessing a is today and openness increasing the and day, every of communication forms other numerous and blogs websites, newspapers, television, to subjected are We Dear Friends, page 3 page
& alumni bulletin VOLUME 12 | issue nº 1 | Spring 2010 FEATURES
Media in Flux By Matthew Mosley
Since the advent of the internet, global predictions for print journalism have been dire. Legendary newspapers such as the New York Times and the Washington Post are on their knees, begging for bailouts and aborting bureaus. In the Middle East, as with elsewhere in the world, the media world is in a seemingly permanent state of flux. “No one really knows what’s going to happen,” said Dr. Ramez Maluf, professor of journalism at LAU, chair of the Arts and Communication Division and director of the Institute for Media Training and Research. Online news sources, of course, are primarily free. Al Jazeera, the BBC and newspapers such as Al Akhbar all have extensive online coverage that, in many cases, outstrips any print publication available. With all the benefits of online journalism, who is mourning the loss of print? Journalists such as Omar Nashabe, professor of journalism at LAU and a member of the editorial board of Al Akhbar, maintain a strong attachment to the traditional news medium. Although Al Akhbar has a highly successful website—Nashabe claims it attracts the most readers of any Lebanese online newspaper—there are no plans yet to get rid of the hard copy. “We love the paper version,” he said. “The touch, the smell, the routine of reading the morning delivery with a cup of coffee.” If the attachment were purely sentimental, the loss of physical newspapers might not be such a blow. But of course, there are more serious factors involved. As Maluf mentioned, most online news providers have not figured out a way to make up lost revenue with online advertising. This deficit has a damaging impact on editors’ ability to hire quality reporters and carry out the time-consuming business of journalism.
“We love the paper version. The touch, the smell, the routine of reading the morning delivery with a cup of coffee.” —Omar Nashabe, LAU Professor of Journalism
page 4 s js yt” said yet,” just East viable entityinitsownright. a recordcopythan physicalmorea the is of news the of version online the that online—meaning version print their put merely every couple ofhours, there newcontent willbe online. creatingis addiction.that site Readersthe visit they if that know make itpay?” and it, feed addiction, an create you do How news this: is online providers for conundrum “The added. yet,” he operations the turn in which revenue.brings inadvertising sites, the to traffic increase innovations These paper based — “ experiencing adiversificationofattention.” too strong.Iwouldrathersaythatwe’re experiencing atransition.Thewordis We can’tevensayatthisstagethatwe’re e nent s eiiey o osig rn i the in print ousting not definitely is internet “The Likewise Al Jazeera, by constantly updating its “breaking news” section, the and “CNN oee, uh e-av patcs r sil eaiey ae in rare relatively still are practices web-savvy However, such Middle Journalism Omar Nashabe,LAU Professorof East. hre, the Naharnet, An ost other Most hr i rglry pae wt nw content. new with updated regularly Nahar, is dnt ae oe fo ter online their from money make don’t BBC ike Hills of Social Social of Hills Mike L L bnn es evc from service news ebanon ebanese newspapers, for example,newspapers,for ebanese Media cag, an Exchange, Middle Beirut- newspapers, thenewssource withthe lowestoverheadcost. groups. socioeconomic specific to and ownership computer poverty, according totheUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgram, such as still is not widespread enough to replace print news. coverage. the as up-to-the-minute provide well to aim that providers as news of efforts enterprises local hampering slow, cripplingly herefull potential asaninformation tool. Eastern news sources is that the internet still has not reached its local the to L in relevant revenue advertising of not bread daily the form are that businesses readers expatriate these But home.of news for versions online the check readerships whose many foraudience overseas significant a for the storyandtheirsecretary itup.” types do not even use a computer, let alone the in journalists “some that complained event Exchange internet revolution,” hesaid. media effectivelyfor outreach andcampaignpurposes. and activists teaches that organization ebanon. On top of this, the region, the of countries many In Another possible reason for the slow reaction times of e olwd cmuiy of community worldwide The Social recent a at participant a how recounted Hills the to adapt to slow been have region the in “Newsrooms L ebanon, where 8 percent of the population is in extreme Internet in many tre cnetos r restricted are connections Internet L bns eptits makes expatriates ebanese n raes tl rl on rely still readers Many tre cnetos are connections Internet Middle GOs how to use social social use to how NGOs Internet; they just write eirut newspapers,Beirut Arabic, French andEnglish in3languages: newspapers showcases magazines and stand inBeirut A newspaper Eastern countries In a country L ebanon ebanon Middle page 5 page Media
& alumni bulletin VOLUME 12 | issue nº 1 | Spring 2010 Media in Flux
Lastly, studies have shown that a mere 0.4 percent of online proclaimed news providers the world over do not always maintain content is in Arabic, suggesting that news coverage specifically the standards of impartiality and rigor that most readers expect. for Middle Eastern audiences is minimal. These contingencies are compounded in the Middle East, “This is a cultural setback,” said Nashabe. “We don’t read our where the twin forces of censorship and lack of advertising own language. It has to do with a wider identity crisis. Everyone revenue result in online news sources mostly being funded by wants to speak French or English.” governments or political parties. Still, the Internet is frequently trumpeted as a tool of “With an established newspaper such as the New York Times, democratic representation. Host websites, for instance, allow there was a perception, whether or not it was true, that the users to set up a blog, or web-diary, for free. newspaper was independent and met certain standards,” said In theory, this means that issues not covered by the Maluf. “When news sources are funded by governments and mainstream press get the attention they deserve. Some of these political parties, this credibility is lost.” blogs have even been incorporated into popular online news For journalists, the impact of the Internet on their lives providers, such as The Atlantic and The Huffington Post in the is fraught with irony. On the one hand, the Internet has made U.S. In other cases, the preoccupations of the blogosphere have the process of researching and finding stories far easier and helped set the agenda in the mainstream media. quicker. On the other, it has made the environment much more For this kind of Internet revolution to occur in the Middle challenging, with fewer jobs available and more skills expected East, there must be absolute freedom of the press and of Internet of employees. users. In some Middle Eastern countries, this is still not the case. Statistics, academic research and archived articles can all be Online clampdowns after the recent Iranian elections are a clear accessed online, making the process of compiling stories easier. recent example, but instances of attempted internet censorship Furthermore, social networking sites empower journalists to make are relatively common across the region. contacts and find ideas for stories with increased efficiency. Maluf suggested that the issue of credibility is one of the Twitter, in particular, is becoming useful for journalists working biggest problems facing online journalism in the contemporary in the Middle East. The site allows users to post short segments Middle East. of information which can then be seen by anyone who logs on The fact that anyone can own a website means that self- to the site.
“This is a cultural setback. We don’t read our own language. It has to do with a wider identity crisis. Everyone wants to speak French or English.” —Omar Nashabe, LAU Professor of Journalism
page 6 — “ are feeling any kind of benefit fromare feeling theirInternetpresence. anykindofbenefit that providers news large very the revenue,only is advertising it hurt by the internet shake-up. news providers andacross theregion. different acrossmedia, across work to expected are Journalists andlinkstootherstories. happenings “followers.”5000 almost s eir dtr of editor senior CNN’s T into storiesbyjournalists. annoyances day-to-day or experiences, which can then be turned in citizens from via action the of abreastkeep to able wereground the elections,on be couldnot who citizens and sincejournalists and make itpay?” this: Howdoyoucreateanaddiction,feedit, The conundrumforonlinenewsprovidersis witter. Successful examples include examples witter.Successful L trend: emerging an represents activity multimedia Such e ie a priual ueu drn te recent the during useful particularly was site The Many ocal ocal news providers, according to Communication Studio Arts LAU studentsworking inthe Arts Department Ramez Maluf,ChairoftheCommunication Middle ran. On a less dramatic level, users often post post often level,users dramatic less a Iran.On sen orait nw ae peec on presence a have now journalists Eastern asr posts regular updates on regional on updates regular posts Nasr Middle Because of the problem of winning astern affairs, who boasts boasts who affairs, Eastern Maluf, have been particularly alumna Octavia alumna LAU T witter posts posts witter Iranian Nasr, Unfortunately, onlytimewilltell. become viable moneymakers? What new is role?the journalist’s breath. to the journalists themselves, are awaiting the fall-out with bated ofattention.”say thatwe’re adiversification experiencing transition,”said into focus. providers: news for lighting. Thisisacontinuation ofthesamedirection.” know how to choose a sound good bite and the fundamentals of television,”of advent placethe with said increasingly, scenarios are taughtintheclassroom. web-type rigs sotheycan produce videoclipsonthego. now typically need to be familiar with video cameras and lighting well as being able to write an attention-grabbing story, journalists skills.additional of battery a master to have now journalists place. having astablejobinspecific Increasingly, they are to travelexpected to the action rather than Players across the industry, from media magnates to educators a experiencing we’re that stage this at say even can’t “We those as same the are schools journalism for problems The taken already had course the of structure the in “Changes and, program journalism its restructuring currently is LAU that means content web of interactivity much-vaunted The stable.less result,become a have,as journalists of lives The e esaes omd Wl oln nw sources news online Will doomed? newspapers Are Nashabe.strong. wordtoo “The is he new media landscape has not yet come yet not has landscape media new The Maluf.to had “Students would ratherwould I page 7 page As
& alumni bulletin VOLUME 12 | issue nº 1 | Spring 2010 FEATURES
Many businesses in Lebanon display their signs in at least two languages
Lingual Tradition vs. Economics by Marc Abizeid
After a brief time of deliberation, the jury enters the courtroom and hands its verdict to the judge in the case of Lingual Tradition v. Economics. The judge puts on his specs and carefully tears open the envelope to view the decision. Audience members hold their breath as the judge unfolds the document and begins to read it aloud. “In the case of Lingual Tradition v. Economics,” the judge says, “the jury finds Economics guilty of establishing English as the new international lingua franca and forcing millions of people with hopes of achieving financial prosperity to spend years inside classrooms and textbooks studying preposterous grammatical forms.” The verdict should hardly come as a shock considering that the signs—both figuratively and in the streets and store windows—serve as a constant reminder of the dominance that the English language has assumed across the globe over the past decades. “People want better jobs, especially in an age of globalization and outsourcing,” said Dr. Kassim Shaaban, professor of linguistics at the American University of Beirut. “If you want to live in the modern world, you need English.” By Shaaban’s estimates, around 75 percent of scholarly research in the world is published in English. The same figure describes the percentage of international NGOs that have adopted English as their medium.
Linguists predict English will remain the single most important language for the foreseeable future—but the growing influence of China, the world’s most populous country, reveals the potential for a new dominant language.
page 8 gih rud h svnhgae ee ae o rciig the same training grade. receiving inthefirst now are level seventh-grade the around English studying started once have would who countries,students Gulf years. past the over drastically increased has countries the firstgrade. grade levelarenowreceivingthesametrainingin once startedstudyingEnglisharoundtheseventh- In mostGulfcountries,studentswhowouldhave integrated more Englishinstructionintotheircurriculum. visited bymanyL and coffeepopular in particular shops and restaurants which are in operating franchises American in increase the is instructor. “First management business LAU shifts,”Dr.those said createHussein helped that factors such asbusinessandengineeringare taught inEnglish. being before graduating. in proficiency certain reacha to students requiringtheir in universities French-medium two Kaslik, ieste i the in Universities teaching on emphasis that noted also He J and (USJ) Saint-Joseph Université Fo a uies esetv, hr ae eea major several are there perspective, business a “From fields specialized in coursesuniversities, some those even At ebanese onadailybasis.”ebanese Middle s to Sabn ad have said, Shaaban too, East L bnn n h ps decade, past the in ebanon pi de Saint- Esprit Université L bnn ae now are ebanon, gih in English n most In English Ismail, Arab —RulaDiab, LAU Professorof Linguistics “ world. and American “an homes,”literallyour that invaded communication tool as as well as described he which ai ws osdrd h lnu fac i mc of the much and Africa in franca lingua the considered was Arabic history.throughout centuries for identifiable and existent been not asolefactor shapinglanguage trends. readto be andappreciated inanycountry.” byanyperson reinforces and complements the vision of the magazine, which is world,”aroundeverywherethe almost spoken said.he fact “This managesuccessfulall overtheglobe businesses. Why an founded recently globalization,of era the in world the around people with have aneternallife either. expectancy of domination the that reveal would trends,it century. the by domination English-medium schools.” medium schoolsthatwere beingturnedinto used inLebanon,andwe hadmoreFrench- English, littlebylittle,was becomingmorewidely eonzn te motne of importance the Recognizing to according factors, major Other Regional (and now global) trends in lingual dominance have dominance lingual in trends global) now (and Regional economicsarerecognitionthat also linguists Thereis among the in published is “It f history serves as any indication of the patterns of lingual of patterns the of indication any as serves history If ot!, with a mission of helping entrepreneurs in countries in entrepreneurs helping of mission a Not!,with ritish products popular with youth around the around youth with popular products British Middle nglish-language business magazine called magazine business English-language Islamic ast during the period of conquest and conquest of period the during East nglish language,that English given frequented by students the LAU Beirut campus isoften An American coffee shopnear pr ta bgn n h ninth the in began that Empire gih agae technological language English gih n communicating in English mi, r the are Ismail, nglish does not does English nglish is English Internet, Europe, page 9 page Ismail
& alumni bulletin VOLUME 12 | issue nº 1 | Spring 2010 Lingual Tradition vs. Economics
What’s next in terms of language trends may depend largely on the direction and growth of the global economic and political landscape. Linguists predict English will remain the single most important language for the foreseeable future—but the growing influence of China, the world’s most populous country, reveals the potential for a new dominant language. “If China becomes the economic power people expect it to be, and if it starts expanding its powerful arms economically and otherwise, most probably people will feel the need to learn Chinese,” Shaaban said. “There are people now who feel like if you are among the first to learn the Chinese language, you’ll be the first to reap the benefits.” The study of Mandarin and other Chinese languages is growing more popular worldwide as part of the so-called “Chinese Language Fever.” According to the Xinhua News Agency, China’s official state news agency, there are 30 million foreigners studying Chinese in more than 2,300 universities across more than 100 countries. Much of the growing curiosity and interest surrounding Chinese is being driven by the Communist Republic itself, which promotes language study through agreements with universities around the world to set up global branches of Chinese-language English was gaining on French became “more official,” indicated Confucius Institutes. by clues such as the addition of English to Lebanese passports, One of those centers was recently established at USJ, offering which were previously just issued in Arabic and French. children as young as nine years old the opportunity to start But those associated with Francophone institutions in learning Chinese during the summer—a program that Dr. Henri Lebanon often deny the existence of a struggle between French Awaiss, director of the Languages and Translation Center at USJ, and English in the country, and also deny that French is losing said has been very successful. ground to English. Rather, they acknowledge that fluency in “You cannot separate the strength of a language from a English has become essential to compete in today’s globalized country’s economic power, political power, and strength and size world, but say that French language and culture will always have of its workforce,” Awaiss said. “China is becoming very strong on a place in Lebanon. those fronts, and people are driven to learn the language of a “We don’t view this issue as a war between languages,” said mighty power.” Awaiss, who has been working at USJ since 1980. “Languages How long it may take for Chinese to establish itself as the trade gifts between them, not wars.” newest lingual hegemony, and whether or not that may ever A large part of that argument derives from the issue of even occur, are questions beyond the scope of any linguist or identity. For many Lebanese families, knowledge of French has economist. less to do with the practical use of the language as a means of In Lebanon, for the time being, the debate remains centered communication, and more to do with preserving their culture, around issues concerning the role and preservation of the heritage and identity as traditional Lebanese French speakers. French language, whose roots in the country date back to the “There are still some groups in Lebanon that consider it French Mandate of Lebanon in 1920. very essential to know French for various reasons,” said Diab, Concern has been mounting among some traditionalists in who recently published a 20-page research article examining Lebanon, which is a member of the International Organization linguistic identity in Lebanon. “I’m not talking about just being of the Francophonie, over the fate of French language and able to survive in French, but rather to be very fluent, to be very culture in the face of the growing popularity of English. French-like.” “Trends from French to English started happening in the last Meanwhile, traditionalist families may also take comfort 20 years or so in Lebanon,” said Dr. Rula Diab, assistant professor in the widely recognized observation that students in French- of English at LAU. “English, little by little, was becoming more medium schools are required to reach a proficient level of widely used in Lebanon, and we had more French-medium English, whereas students from English-medium schools schools that were being turned into English-medium schools.” generally lack the motivation to study French beyond the And in the last decade or so, Diab added, a recognition that minimal requirements set by their schools.
“French is a language of cultural exchanges spoken on every continent in the world. It opens a new dimension that English alone does not.” —Olivier Garro, Director of the AUF’s Middle East bureau
page 10 are 70percent about French and30percent English. in French-medium schools is still overwhelmingly larger than those learning on emphasis demand notrequited an bytheirEnglishcounterparts. place simply schools French-mediumspeakers. French of number the in decrease a in speakers English ahrn hnrd o Fec-agae ntutr from instructors French-language of the throughout hundreds gathering —HenriAwaiss, USJ “ programs andactivities. presencetheir throughvarious maintain concentrated to efforts higher-education institutions, and that has regional offices offices regional has that and French-language institutions, of network higher-education a with partners that association this 1,000 teacherstoParis everysummertoupgrade theirFrench.” in flourishing French keep to about country,”send and scholarships give best Shaaban.“They said their doing are and strategies tomake thelanguagemore tostudents. appealing the of congress not wars.” languages. Languagestradegiftsbetweenthem, We don’tviewthisissueasawarbetween nglish-medium schools. English-medium Nevertheless, Francophone institutions in Shaaban out pointed that the of number students enrolled in of number the in increase an that indicate also facts Those n December,example,In for The “The French are veryprotective oftheirlanguageandculture Agence rab world.Arab iestie e a rnohne (AUF)—an Francophonie la de Universitaire trainl eeain f French of Federation International L ebanon does not necessarily correlate with correlatenecessarily not does ebanon mong other topics, they discussed topics,they other Among he proportions, according to him,to accordingproportions, The eirut hosted a four-day regional four-day a hosted Beirut L ebanon ebanon undertake English—a T eachers, is atstake intheworldtoday.” preserving links between people,” Garro said. “I think that is what iftheworkonlyrequiresEnglish—even nglish. more always likely to is be hired than languages someone who three just speaks all speaks who person a area, the in preserving a beyond in world. not.” anewdimensionthat English alonedoes Itopens a language of cultural exchanges spoken on every continent in the oe ta fo hs xeine i taeig o h Gl, a Gulf, the to traveling in L experiences his from that noted multiplelanguages. of speaking French in builtamongFrancophoneand solidpartnerships organizations. Frenchteachers,recentof the meeting unity demonstratingthe L Olivier Garro, director of the certain fields. and globe offers grants to students pursuing graduate degrees in Francophoneacrossof the universities network a supporting on L in French preserving on keen institutions in Francophone several including world, the around ebanese who speaks speaks who ebanese ebanon and the French ebanon. “T AUF,Francophoneother institutions of coalition a with along hc big te ovrain ak o cnmc. Garro economics. to back conversation the brings Which studying of incentives cultural the on emphasis place to But “Wedon’t have any worries on the question of language,” said The agency is delegated with several tasks, although it focuses L bnn icuig the including ebanon, o preserve a language is very important because it means it because important very is language a preserve o L ebanon ebanon should not undermine the traditional benefits L ebanese identity. ebanese Arabic,and French mbassy Embassy in AUF’s scain f French of Association Middle iu—s ut n among one just Beirut—is Beirut, offered its support to f he is applying forjob applying a is he If East bureau. “French is nglish reaps benefits benefits reaps English T ahr in eachers Arabic and page 11 page
& alumni bulletin VOLUME 12 | issue nº 1 | Spring 2010 FEATURES
Downtown Beirut
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Form Before Function? Contemporary architecture in the Middle East is sending a mixed message By Saba Haider
page 12 Form Before Function? what wasdoneinotherperiods. opposed tocontinuingmimic to adaptthetimes,as Architecture inLebanonneeds of thiscombination. and othercitiesintheGulfregion. an understanding of the functionality or purpose of architecture—as is evident through many examples in Dubai Wasn’t the point ofthesoukstotakeWasn’t thepoint whattheoldsoukswere it?” andtomodernize indistinguishable,” be the newly constructednewly the describe as a “mimicking” of another era’s style, but also with manifestations of Western architecture. She offered contemporary of state the with dismay her around L thearchitecture theyreflect and because ofourhistoryandsociety. main reference “a of our is ideas in architecture,” city the that because cities are added built around Daccache the etc.,” said.movement socialization,of communication, people education,and he their needs— being these L Arabicat or civic.” evolved intoacenter ofnightlife inBeirut, withbars, filled restaurants andnightclubs. orth African regions,Middle EasternandNorth includingPersian, T rhtcue in architecture walls andtilesdecorated withthearabesque designofrepeated geometricshapes. has produced thesamestyleofarchitecture, variouscultural onethatreflects intheregion. influences traditional form ofarchitecture onthefunctionalityofdesignand materialsused. based homes.the around air cooling of passage the allowed that courtyards conditions,example for climate local to suited best were that features had methods and standpoint,Fathy’sdesigns functional a From talent.or materials foreign on relying without buildings—all own their and materials own their make to locals economic situation in the country, especially in the rural and farming areas, while educating and empowering the regional practice materials. ofusingnewimported practicemovement to reestablish of using mud the brick age-old (also known as adobe), instead of the common in forbuilding technique local suitable a pioneering creditedwith been for research thatprovokes newcontemporary developments,” hesaid. and dynamic research—something that he does not yet see taking place. “We need to develop a new instrument or weakness greatest the described He said.shortcoming ofcontemporary MiddleEasternarchitecture asatendencyto“camouflage, Daccache ago, versusevolve.” centuries done was what copying to opposed as other periods. A history obscuredA history to arevolution ofideasmovement. Wedon’thavemovementinarchitecture inL ebanon. ebanese architecture is communicating the wrong message. “ “Society, the city and its architecture are all related,” said Daccache, adding that Daccache pointed Daccacheout that, pointed culturally, the He offered the example of example the offered He architecturetechniques,of throughstyles historical modern mimicking by that contemporarysaid Daccache Randa added,Daccache “ But, he noted, “The panorama of “Gemmayzeh isanexampleoftheevolutionmovementpeople,” Daccache said. ut that was then.was that But his style reflects various strata of strata various reflects style This term the people, most For Is therewrong anything withthat? L y using ancient materials and approaches to architectural design, Fathy was able to address the pressing the address to able was Fathydesign, architectural to approaches and materials ancient using By Fathy,Hassan of example the offeredprominent Daccache a considerablefrom emerges it task,straightforwardas a necessarily not is evolution that admitted Daccache ebanon ebanon has been destroyed and rebuilt many times in the past century alone, and each time the reconstruction LAUSINARCprogram.’s impressionsof Her It should be about the meaning of the term—architecture with a purpose, whether it’s practical, cultural emer is a is Nemer The current age represents of history, a new period and our architecture should reflect this period L bnn ed t aat o h tms a opsd o otnig o ii wa ws oe in done was what mimic to continuing to opposed as times, the to adapt to needs ebanon rchitecture is not just the visual design of an object, and that’s what we need to teach in teach to need we object,what an of that’s design and visual the just not Architectureis here is nothing about the about nothing said.is “ThereNemer L ow, according to Dr.Now,to according eirut Souks as an example.an as Souks Beirut “The merican from Cleveland, Ohio, who returned to her native her to returned Cleveland,Ohio,who from American ebanese- setting.” they style—but old an recreate to didn’t even do that. wanted What they created like looks they used stucco to create a postcard they if stones old the with style old the in aprocess in1994, thatbegan theendofcivilwarin1991. afew yearsafter L ebanese ebanese Company for the Development and Reconstruction of e sol hv ete acrtl used accurately either have should “They asserted. fake,” she looks “Downtown frustrationNemer’s extends to the adjacent downtown area, rebuilt by Solidere, the eirut’s Gemmayzeh district. While historically a residential area, the district has area,district residential the a historically district.While Gemmayzeh Beirut’s rab or Arab
L ebanese ebanese architecture shows that its objects are not related to evolution, nor slamic architectural tradition across many empires that have ruled the ruled have that empires many across tradition architectural Islamic slamic architecture connotes arched doorways, central courtyards,and centraldoorways, arched connotes architecture Islamic Middle aroun Daccache, chair of Daccache,chair Maroun L ast today focuses on East the today aesthetics of architecture without ebanese architecture—not just with what Daccache would Daccache what with just architecture—not ebanese L ebanon upon leaving after three months in threemonths after leaving upon ebanon eirut Souks—you canSouks—you Beirut they’d and city any in them put urkish, Fatimid andMoorish. Architecture is a result of the needs of our society, his is me,‘This to says that Souks Beirut gyptian architect in the 20th century who has who century 20th the in architect Egyptian Egypt. local a Fathy’sspearheaded work ’s Department of Department LAU’s European cities are a product ebanon.” Beirut Central District, L Architecture,the ebanon to study to ebanon he result was a was result The eirut centerBeirut L ebanese.’ page 13 page
& alumni bulletin VOLUME 12 | issue nº 1 | Spring 2010 Form Before Function?
Invisible cities On the flip side of the Lebanese phenomenon that Daccache addresses is the in-your-face urban architecture of Dubai. In contrast to the history of ancient Lebanon, the idea of Dubai was conceived by the late ruler of the emirate state, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, to be an amalgam of architecture from different regions. The process was kick-started by the rapid expansion that the emirate underwent after the discovery of oil there in 1966. Today Dubai’s skyscraper-lined skyline looks like a glitzy American city, filled with glamorous constructions—but not, according to Daccache and many others, displaying a look that is authentic to the heritage or culture of the emirate or the Persian Gulf region. “In the Middle East, we have this problem,” said Daccache. “We have no connection with our history. The Islamic city can be a reflection for our new ideas. Our real problem is that we don’t use our history as a background for our new ideas.” What we need to understand, said Daccache, is that “Arab and Islamic cities can be transformed into modern cities” without Beirut Souks copying foreign architecture. Another example he offered in which the local architectural tradition or style is not necessarily a Daccache offered the following explanation for this focus is in Abu Dhabi, where three famous international architects phenomenon in Abu Dhabi. In the 1970s, then-President Francois are working on creating three obvious manifestations of foreign Mitterrand declared that Paris should become the cultural capital culture. Jean Nouvel, Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid have been hired of Europe. Mitterrand hired a number of big architects to construct to create specific cultural establishments that aim to position Abu what have become iconic French structures: Bibliothèque Dhabi as a cultural capital in the Middle East. Nationale de France, Institut du Monde Arabe, L’Opéra de la France’s Nouvel has designed the Abu Dhabi branch of the Bastille, and the Trois Points. Since the successful metamorphosis renowned French art gallery and museum the Louvre; the dually of Paris into a cultural first city, other cities around the world have Canadian-American Frank Gehry has designed the Guggenheim attempted to adopt the same approach, and have contracted museum in Abu Dhabi; and Iraqi-born, British-based celebrity renowned architects to invent new landmarks—such as Gehry’s architect Zaha Hadid has designed the Abu Dhabi Performing stunning and grandiose Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain. Arts Center. All three are part of the emirate’s ambitious vision According to Daccache, Abu Dhabi is following the same trend. for its $27 billion, 270-hectare Saadiyat Island, to be completed by 2018. A crisis in building Lebanon The island will house five major cultural institutions—albeit manifestations of foreign establishments, as the entire Saadiyat In the case of Lebanon, where the nation clings to the Island project has been developed by the U.S.-based Solomon R. architectural designs of an era long gone, and Dubai, where Guggenheim Foundation, on behalf of the Tourism Development the nation thrives on manifesting foreign architectural styles and Investment Company of Abu Dhabi (TDIC). Notably, none and designs, form is considered before function. According to of the firms involved in the grand project are Middle Eastern Daccache, both of these regions are communicating the wrong or Arab. The other two cultural institutions that will be housed history and the wrong message about the local culture. on the island are the Maritime Museum Building, designed by “In Lebanon the government is very conservative with what Japan’s Tadao Ando Architects, and the Sheikh Zayed National they allow architects,” he said, “and they support the imitation of Museum Building, created by the firm of iconic British architect history … Imitation is not a representation of our new movement Norman Foster. [of architecture].” “These big projects are all manifestations of the foreign Daccache added: “Architecture in this case should respond to culture,” Daccache noted. By hiring these top architects to create the need of our economic and social movement.” new architecture in Abu Dhabi, he pointed out, the message Dr. Jad Chabaan, an economics professor at the American communicated by the emirate is worrisome: “We are at the same University of Beirut, believes that postwar reconstruction has, in level of other cities in Europe.” Daccache added: “These projects the past, divided Beirut along sectarian lines—and continues to are not related to our [Arab] culture; they are manifestations of do so. He said that after the civil war ended in 1991, the rebuilding international grandeur.” strategy for downtown Beirut was not very straightforward.
Since the successful metamorphosis of Paris into a cultural first city, other cities around the world have attempted to adopt the same approach, and have contracted renowned architects to invent new landmarks.
page 14 The Atlantis hotel, Dubai message is being lost. being is message Eastern architecture as a form of communication design is that a endured agreat dealofwar. the century past the in architecture,in influences cultural been always instance,have there while For environment. and era its of climate cultural and political social, the to adapted has and design,communication by asingleentity.” made wereview. decisions of urban point major aesthetic Some an from also view—but of point justice a from even “Not said. over original mixofpeople, there because wasalandexpropriation.” downtown of development the that explained society,and multi-confessional added that the development did He not said. everyone,”necessarily for Chabaan address place a postwar meeting a as it building downtown recreating about thought reconstruction] — “ What architecture tells us socialization...” society, thesebeingeducation,communication, Architecture isaresultoftheneedsour “There were some issues concerning concentrating this power t n acces iw te eut f contemporary of result the view, Daccache’s in But of form a been always has history, architecture Throughout the behind company development the [Solidere, “They iu’ dwtw it a ige eiig unit,” Chabaan deciding single a into downtown Beirut’s Department Maroun Daccache,ChairofArchitecture eirut “was done in a way that didn’t respect the respect didn’t that way a in done “was Beirut n order to stay true to its times,its to true orderstay In to noted,he Middle ast, particularly particularly East, downtown Beirut A reconstructed buildingin L bnn has ebanon, eirut and Beirut Middle une ad osdrtos o acietr i the in architecture in East, for considerations and nuances intheGulfcountries. byfirms are sought-after the in architects that fact the in pride takes region, forDaccache and opportunities significant presented has the upsurge in development in the Gulf countries in recent years the practicein also to graduatesLAU programrecognized been has Francein for years,many enabling societies,” Daccache said. at large toworkwiththeuniversity. work,responsible Daccache said. socially and civic for need of sense a develop to students inspire in issues economic and L social current reflects and projects, community to consideration special gives curriculum Design’s and needs current realities—visually, its functionallyandculturally. reflect to needs architecture nation’s a s poe t rpiaino, s acce ol cl it, call would Daccache as replication—or,“falsification.” to opposed adaptation, and evolution as by in live we time the characterizeshould We era. our reflects that architecture an see to able be practical standpoint, forms in termsofboth andmaterials. and culturalfunctional, a from area the to suited best are that projectsencourageddevelop trainedand to be should architects it.mimicking to opposed tradition,as design their adapting on focus increased an from benefit example, for can, other.fromeach be might examples ebanon. acce setd ht hr ae oiia ad cultural and political are there that asserted Daccache The “In this case, our universities become a part of the need of our Daccache explained that at When future generations look back on our time, they should time,they our on back look generations future When col of School LAU L ebanon and the Gulf countries—as different as those as different countries—as Gulf the and ebanon e i o te rga’ fnlya poet i to is projects final-year program’s the of aim The that reflectsourera. be abletoseeanarchitecture back onourtime,theyshould When futuregenerationslook cietr ad eins architecture Design’s and Architecture LAU his empowers the communitythe empowers This Nightlife inreconstructed downtown Beirut , the School of he countries in the region the in countries The European Architecture and Union.However, graduatesLAU he region’s The page 15 page Middle
& alumni bulletin VOLUME 12 | issue nº 1 | Spring 2010 FEATURES
LAU elevators equipped with Braille buttons
A ramp near the LAU library and business school Disability and Communication
in the Middle East By Dalila Mahdawi
Middle East residents with learning or physical disabilities are In a similar move aimed at enhancing communication access no strangers to adversity. In the area of communication, their for deaf people, researchers in Saudi Arabia are developing an challenges are especially pronounced. avatar-based sign language translation system that will allow Because of conflict, lagging development, poverty and mobile phone users to translate Arabic text into Arabic Sign inadequate resources in the region, those with special educational Language. and mobility needs or other disabilities are only now slowly beginning to get their needs met. The world’s first institution dedicated to caring for The situation represents an ironic reversal of fortune, those with intellectual disabilities was established considering that the world’s first institution dedicated to caring in Baghdad, by Ibn Barmak, in 837 A.D. for those with intellectual disabilities was established in Baghdad, by Ibn Barmak, in 837 A.D. The institution was replicated around LAU alumnus Jihad Kareem, who is blind, achieved success the Islamic world, but took some six centuries t