The Department of Architecture in the Ramez G. Chagoury Faculty of Architecture, Art and Design (RC FAAD) at Notre Dame University-Louaize Shouf Campus (NDU-SC) recently organized two roundtables during a three-day event titled, “Iconic Architecture and Urban Design.”
The first roundtable, moderated by Dr. Leon Telvizian, architect, urban designer, and professor at NDU, was titled, “Iconic Urban Design and Limits of Space Commodification.” The speakers were Alun Dolton, senior urban designer, AECOM, Saudi Arabia; Mohamad Ramadan, urban planner, Dar al-Handasa, Lebanon; and Dr. Oula Aoun, assistant professor, RC FAAD, NDU. Speakers discussed the challenges and potentials in the domain of large iconic mega-projects.
The second roundtable, moderated by Dr. Maroun Kassab, coordinator and assistant professor at the RC FAAD, NDU, titled, “Iconic Architecture.” The Speakers were Dr. Gerorge Arbid, Arab Center for Architecture (ACA); Dr. Caecilia Pieri, associate researcher, French Institute of the Near-East (IFPO); and Mazen Haidar, heritage architect and graduate researcher at the University of Rome (Sapienza). Speakers discussed topics related to iconicity definition and iconic buildings in Beirut and Baghdad.
The department also organized a sketching competition held under the supervision of faculty members at the RC FAAD Claudine Chamoun and Maamoun al-Najjar. Students enjoyed the on-site sketching exercise in two selected locations: Deir el- Kamar Square and Beiteddine Palace. Prizes were distributed to the following winners:
First: Wassim Hemadeh;
Second: Houssam Youness and Hady Ghareeb; and
Third: Aya Kaadan and Rawad al-Kadi.