e-scape. Transitional settlement
Project description
Title: e-scape. Transitional settlement
Organized by: Department of Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management (LDEM) at AUB
in collaboration with the International Federation of Landscape Architecture (IFLA), the AUB
Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS), and KAYANY Foundation
Location: Bar Elias, Lebanon
Date: May 2015
Context
Landscape is an essential component of people’s surroundings, an expression of the diversity of
their shared cultural and natural heritage, and a foundation of their identity.
New challenges, as climate change, depletion of natural resources, conflict between globalization
and local development, and re-localization of war refugees have emerged managing, protecting
and safeguarding the landscape in terms of heritage that interacts with community and individual
life.
“Emergency” it is a word that most represent Lebanon and its landscape. "Lebanon is now facing a
difficult and challenging period", said the United Nations Special Envoy of the Secretary-General
for the implementation of resolution 1559, the 6 may 2014.
The new risk landscape, accentuated by exponential rates of Syrian immigration, represents one
of the emergencies this part of the world is facing now. Approximately 2.000.000 displaced
persons are transforming the landscape by introducing new patterns, new process, new rhythms
that require responses to the new conditions (Fig. 1). The Lebanese government has resisted
establishing formal refugee camps, fearing a repetition of the country's experience with Palestinian
refugee camps.
But the deterioration of the situation calls for the development of a strategic plan at the national
and regional level that is able to face the issue of transitional settlements and shelters needs for
the displaced population. According to the UNHCR data (Report, March 2014), with the escalating
number of refugees in Lebanon, tension between hosted and guest community, poor quality of life
in the informal settlements, the ecological and cultural impact on the territory and the lack in
coordination of the local and international interventions are some of the pressing problems the
country is forced to deal with.
But how a country that suffers a lot of inadequacy in governance could be ready to tackle a so
complex and multi-scale problem?
The Lebanese urban planning system does not adequately address sustainability, livability,
environmental, spatial and equity issues. Urban plans in Lebanon focus exclusively on the physical
planning of the region under study and do not approach urban planning from a strategic
perspective (UNDP, 2010).
Over time the lack of planning and landscape projects has set up a territory in which disintegration,
juxtaposition and marginality are among the elements capable of expressing its inherent qualities.
In this landscape the new and increasing Syrian informal settlements (ITS) are stressing the
vulnerability and implication of such presence in the existed emergency situation. Erected in
different areas of Lebanon, the ITS are enclaves of migrant seeking to establish communities and
ground connections.
In their movements and reallocations, the new communities are organizing spaces, trying to meet
their housing needs, in an accelerated process of settlement that considers individuals as numbers
and are living simply as an occupation of the soil. These movements are creating spaces that are
the result of misuse, waste of natural resources, abnormal production of "rejection" and complaints
about the lack of "planning the landscape."
In order to provide all humans with an environment that is viable and worth living, new planning
models and approaches have to be developed, both strategically and systemically, that consider
landscape as a tool to re-establish the lost connections, to identify new characters and begin
planning processes of integrated design with effects on the landscape at different spatial and
temporal scales.
Objective
The environmental impact and relative crisis resulting from the distribution of the Syrian informal
settlement in Lebanon is still underestimated. The landscape workshop e-scape, transitional
settlement will investigate the landscape design potentiality in set out new approaches and new
methodology to convey the complexity of ‘displaced by disaster’ (Esnard and Sapat, 2014)
conditions.
Approach
In the Lebanese territorial realities, where the presence of ITS has exacerbating the pre existent
difficult situations at the economical, social and environmental level, the landscape project takes
on a strategic role.
The student’s workshop in May 2015 arrives after a preliminary phase of study and site analysis
conducted in January 2015 at AUB. During 5 days of intensive work, on site visits and meetings
with Ngo’s involved on Syrian crisis, a group of 10 international and Lebanese design professors
lead by Maria Gabriella Trovato, Professor at the LDEM/AUB, defined a method of intervention to
be applied on site. The methodology is based on the framework of landscape process able to
interrelate (it means: to recognize, protect, maintain and develop) with the ongoing transformation
and the instable and mutable situations of the territories affected by the migratory effect.
The e-scape landscape workshop is conceived as an intensive operative workshop. In 8 days
students, researchers, professors and local communities will work together implementing on site
sustainable problem-solving projects at the larger and smaller scale. Environmental and Cultural
are the two main topics we want to stress on trying to propose punctual but effective design
intervention able to address the major issue the country is facing.
The workshop will cover the:
1.
2.
3.
Environmental Component of the chosen area
–
Before
-During
–
After
Environmental issues:
-surface water management
–
surface preparation
-on-site water retention/detention option
–
surface water quality on-site: ex treatment ponds/innovative solutions
-sewage – dry sewage/composting toilet/other low tech options (systems
adapted to scale/population numbers)
–
energy (low tech alternatives/solar/wind)
–
recycling
–
composting
-food production (security, sustainability, individual, communal)
–
mitigating/enhancing after-impacts
–
soil structure, fertility, erosion, compaction
Cultural Component
-A framework for settlement planning
-culturally sensitive layout
-transitions from public to semi-private to private places
-functional spaces (domestic work spaces/communal workspaces)
-recreational places
Attendees:
1. Scientific direction and coordination
 Maria Gabriella Trovato, Landscape Assistant Professor, LDEM-FAFS, AUB
 Rabih Shibli, Acting Director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Community
Service, AUB
 Hala Fleihan, project Coordinator at the Center of Civic Engagement and
Community service, AUB
2. Landscape Architects Professors
 Djurdja Stojicic, University of Belgrade
 Robert Kruijt, Wageningen University
 Kathryn Moore, IFLA
 Mohamad Abo-Teira, AUC
 Paola Raffa, Universita’ “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Italy
 Valerio Morabito, Universita’ “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Italy
 Gabriele Paolinelli, Universita’ di Firenze, Italy
 Larry Harder, University of Guelph, Canada



Helen Yu, Penn University, USA
Salma Samaha, Lebanese University
Orazio Truglio, ALBA University
3. Landscape Architecture Schools
 LDEM- AUB, Lebanon
 ALBA, Lebanon
 Lebanese University, Lebanon
 American University of Cairo, Egypt
 University of Belgrade
 Wageningen University
 Universita’ “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Italy
 University of Guelph, Canada
 Penn University, USA
4. Partners and Institutions
Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management, AUB; Center for Civic
Engagement and Community Service, AUB; Lebanese University; Department of
architecture and Design, AUB; ALBA University, Penn University, Wageningen
University, Universita’ “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, International
Federation of Landscape Architects, University of Belgrade, WeihenstephanTriesdorf University of Applied Sciences, KAYANY foundation, UN Lebanon,
UNHCR Lebanon.
Agenda
Friday 22 may 2015 e-scape Opening Ceremony
- 10.30 am – Welcome + Program Introduction
Maria Gabriella Trovato, Rabih Shibli, Chair of LDEM/AUB, Dean of FAFS, Provost AUB,
Kathryn Moore IFLA, Noura Joumblat KAYANY Foundation
- 12:30pm – Welcome Reception
- 1.30pm – Bar Elias site visit
Saturday 23 May 2015, Al Tilyani Informal settlement, Bar Elias
- Landscape workshop presentation
- 09:30am - Definition of working groups
- 11:00am - Site survey
- 06:00pm - Seminar, Kathryn Moore, IFLA
Sunday 24 May 2015, Al Tilyani Informal settlement, Bar Elias
- 09.00am – 05.00pm - Working session in Bar Elias
- 06:00pm – Seminar, Larry Harder, University of Guelph, Canada
Monday 25 May 2015, Al Tilyani Informal settlement, Bar Elias
- 09.00am – 05.00pm - Working session in Bar Elias
-
06:00pm – Seminar, Robert Kruijt, Wageningen University
Tuesday 26 May 2015, Al Tilyani Informal settlement, Bar Elias
- 09.00am – 05.00pm - Working session in Bar Elias
- 06:00pm - Shared presentation of project proposal
Wednesday 27 May 2015, Al Tilyani Informal settlement, Bar Elias
- 09.00am – 05.00pm - Working session in Bar Elias
- 06:00pm – Seminar, UNHCR Lebanon Representative
Thursday 28 May 2015, Al Tilyani Informal settlement, Bar Elias
- 09.00am – 05.00pm - Working session in Bar Elias
- 06:00pm – Seminar, UTL Lebanon Representative
Friday 29 May 2015, Al Tilyani Informal settlement, Bar Elias
- 09.00am – 05.00pm - Working session in Bar Elias
Saturday 30 May 2015, Al Tilyani Informal settlement, Bar Elias
- 10.00am - Closing ceremony
o Project Presentations
o Certificate Distribution
o Cocktail Reception
This workshop further stands in line with AUB’s ever growing civic engagement and contribution
to its social environment. It will build on the University’s role as a catalyst for acting and taking
initiatives on the human and social level and provide Faculty members another opportunity to
interact and exchange ideas.
Your organization will be part of the sponsors, partners and institutions participating and
contributing in this workshop.