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LAU Engages High Schoolers With Creative Expression and Scholarship Awards

Young designers show skill and cultural sensitivity while tackling timely themes at the School of Architecture and Design’s annual Creative Workshop.

By Raissa Batakji

The top 3 projects were awarded LAU scholarships.
(From L) Assistant Professor Karma Dabaghi, Adjunct Senior Instructor Jalal Moghraby and Adjunct Lecturer Maria-Thala Al Aswad formed the jury for this creative workshop.
Associate Professor and Associate Chair of the Arts and Design Department Lee Frederix welcomed the students on campus and gave them an overview about the school.
Adjunct Lecturer Christine Kettaneh briefed the students on the creative challenge.

The LAU School of Architecture and Design invited Grade 12 students interested in design to a full-day creative workshop on April 20 on the Beirut campus for a hands-on experience of a typical Foundation Year assignment at the school.

For this year’s brief, the students had to draw inspiration from German artist Rebecca Horn, whose severe lung poisoning and personal hardships pushed her to experiment with wearable sculptures—or body extensions—as a means to communicate and interact with her surroundings from the confines of her hospital bed.

Branching out from this theme, the students explored how they can reestablish human connections in the post-pandemic and digitized world. Using basic materials, they carefully designed and constructed their own interpretations of body extensions that can help them reconnect with others.

Director of Foundation Studies Silia Abou Arbid was impressed with the students’ confidence as they presented their ideas. “Bodily expression came easily to them, while some chose to perform as a form of explaining their concepts,” she said.

From an academic standpoint, she noted how the high schoolers worked with structure and were skillful in operating the machinery as they drilled and milled following basic training. “They were resilient, invested and adept in choosing the right tools,” added Abou Arbid.

Their competence was also evident in their handling of subject matters that were quite mature, such as body image, disability and inclusivity, noted Adjunct Senior Instructor and member of the jury Jalal Moghraby.

“Each of the students explored their interest in the different fields of design—whether in architecture, fashion or graphic design—and they were able to express themselves freely,” said Assistant Professor of Practice Elie Baroud, who facilitated one of the workshops.

“This generation,” he added, “has a willingness to break free of inhibitions and not to overthink when they tap into their creativity. They continue to inspire me.”

The top projects were announced at the end of the workshop as follows:

  • In first place, Assaad Joumaa from the Makassed School-Omar Ben Al Khattab was awarded a 25 percent scholarship.
  • In second place, Zeina Chebaro from the Makassed School-Khadija Al Kobra was awarded a 20 percent scholarship.
  • In third place, Joud Baghdadi from the Makassed Secondary School-Saida was awarded a 15 percent scholarship.