Dear IFLA members,
The AUB Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management department, in collaboration with the Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS) at AUB, the Kayany Foundation and the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA), is organising an International Landscape Workshop in Lebanon.
The workshop aims to address the Syrian refugee issue in Lebanon tackling the landscape architecture contribution on improving the quality of life in the transitional settlements scattered in the country in close to 1,700 locations throughout Lebanon.
The deteriorating situation calls for the development and implementation of interventions able to face the problem of settlements and shelter needs for these displaced population. As landscape architect we can help people, that are experiencing the separation from their family, home, culture, society, in recreating the Sense of Place, of belonging.
In 10 days of on site work, students, researchers, professors and local communities will define a strategy of intervention at the large scale tackling environmental problems and giving new input/ideas, and at the smaller scale of the community to practically implement project for community and social interaction, and for children interaction building place where they can regain the children status, and learning while playing.
The afflux, movements and localizations of legal and illegal settlements are shaping and creating new landscapes. Together we will work to harmonize and coordinate the different local and refugee needs as well as the responsibility towards spatial, cultural, economic, environmental, aesthetic and social aspects. How is it possible to preserve the characters of the landscape and its peculiarity as well as quality in the continuously changing territories?
The workshop will be part of the event that will be held at AUB by the CCECS in conjunction with the Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management Department at FAFS and the Psychology Department at FAS.
The benefits of such an activity are multiple for students, professor and involved communities.
The pedagogical design approach being the catalyst of the project, the students are however, expected to benefit from this experience on many other levels:
It will require students to explore new territories (beyond the known landscape design problematic) and move beyond their comfort level. It will expose students to ‘different social environments’ and make them understand, analyze and finally act when interacting with displaced and less fortunate populations. It should develop sensitivity and awareness of their role as designers in terms of civic and political engagement/responsibility.
Finally it will push students to question important issues that are the issues of place, of belonging, of borders and proximity in such geopolitically sensitive regions.
Undergraduates will also be working and be exposed to students from other international schools which will contribute to greater creativity and broader questioning from all sides.
This event is supported by the International Federation of Landscape
Architects (IFLA).
Deadline for registrations: 28 December 2014
E-scape Proposal http://iflaonline.org/e-scape-landscape-international-workshop/
Kind regards,
Bruno Marques
Chair
IFLA Committee on Communications and External Relations (IFLA CER)
M
International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA)
Address: Avenue Louise 149/24, 12th floor. B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
Phone: +32 497 630 550
Mobile: +64 (0) 2 780 51331
Email: chair.cer@iflaonline.org
Web: www.iflaonline.