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The entrance of the Arsenal, painted after 1776 by Francesco Guardi. Credi Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienne.
ARCHITECTURE
In times of social, economical and political tension, "How are we going to live together?" was the theme
chosen by Hashim Sarkis, the general curator of the 2020 Venice Architecture Biennale. His theme, through
which he seeks to imagine and create spaces of conviviality, is now more relevant than ever.
May MAKAREM | OLJ
11/09/2019
It is confirmed: in 2020 Lebanon will be present at the Venice Architecture Biennale, one of the most important comings together of
architects on the calendar. The call for project proposals for the national pavilion was launched by the Ministry of Culture and the Order of
Engineers and Architects of Beirut, in the presence of the Biennaleʼs general curator, the Lebanese Hashim Sarkis, who is also the Dean of
the School of Architecture and Planning of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Lebanon first appeared at the 2018 edition of the event, with a project developed by the architect Hala Younes, under the title ʻThe Place
That Remainsʼ. Lebanon will also be present at the next edition which will take place from May 23 to November 29, 2020, said Lynn Tehini
representing the Minister of Culture Mohammad Daoud, during the press conference held last week at the headquarters of the Beirut Order
of Engineers and Architects, in the presence of Hashim Sarkis, the President of the Order Jad Tabet, the Dean of the School of Architecture
and Design at the Lebanese American University (LAU) Elie Haddad, as well as of a large number of architects.
"How are we going to live together?” was the theme chosen by Hashim Sarkis for the 17th edition of the Biennale. The concept brings to
mind Roland Barthesʼ first course at the College of France in May 1977, which bore a peculiar title for its time, but that was extremely
prescient: "How to live together?".
Given the current global political divisions and growing economic inequalities, as well as massive displacements of people, the question has
become more critical today. "We need a new spatial composition”, said Sarkis, calling on architects to imagine spaces that possess humanity,
and that could foster the idea of living together. "In spite of his growing individuality, the human being aspires to establish links with others,
within both digital and real space,” said Sarkis. He added emphatically: "Let's look together for more diversified and dignified living spaces;
together as emerging communities demanding equity, inclusion and spatial identity; together across political boundaries in order to imagine
new geographies of association, and together as a planet which is dealing with crises that require global action so that we can continue on
living in it. "
To do this, Mr. Sarkisʼ recommendation to architects is to work with a multidisciplinary team combining academicians, artists, builders,
artisans, but also politicians, journalists, sociologists or ordinary citizens. Taking into account the practices and stratifications of society
allows us to look at a project with a pro-active dimension, which can contribute in changing the dominant order. In this way, architecture
can expose challenges that go beyond forms and structures.
At the same time, Hashim Sarkis urges professionals who have "neglected their role as supervisors and guardians of spaces to raise the level
of architecture instead of promoting it; to collaborate instead of competing; to recommend geographies of inclusion rather than politics of
exclusion"; and to share their best experiences at the national level.
The projects proposals launched by the Ministry of Culture and the Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut are addressed to
professionals registered in Beirut or Tripoli, as well as to academicians, historians and artists, preferably with experience as curators. A jury
- chaired by Elie Haddad and comprising of the architects Hala Younes, Chawki Fatfat, Wael Debs, Atef Mcheimech and Elie Khoury - will
nominate the winner. The architects were asked to submit their project before the deadline of October 4th to the offices of the Order via the
following email address: carlanasr@oea.org.lb
It should be mentioned that the Order of Engineers and Architects is spending 80,000 to 100,000 euros to provide the Lebanese pavilion
with a site at the Venetian Arsenal, a 25-hectare site, once the dockyard and the heart of the military and economic power of Venice.
However, Lebanonʼs presence on this prestigious international platform will be dependent on large amounts of sponsorship.
(This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 3rd of September)
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