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Theories, History, and Humanities in Architecture

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Theories, History, and Humanities in Architecture aligns with SDG4 by fostering a deeper understanding of architectural principles and design methodologies thus enhancing education in this field. It also supports SDG11 by preserving cultural heritage, promoting inclusive planning and ensuring social and cultural sustainability of the built environment.

Society, Culture and Human Behavior

Description of Subtheme:

Architecture is the mother of all arts. Its meaning exceeds than just building structures or planning neighbourhoods and districts. It crosses boundaries of fulfilling tangible functions, but architecture in its essence is much broader. It has multiple definitions and meanings. One of these definitions refers to architecture as container of culture, another perspective interprets it as mirror of civilisation due to its capability to store the historical events and to reflect this civilisation's prosperity. Another explanation symbolises architecture from an aesthetic point of view as the inhabited sculpture. Architects put the humane dimension as a priority. They realise first the social aspects, behaviours, cultures of the expected users of their projects. Comprehending norms, traditions, and social needs does not require just a civil engineer to build, but it requires an architect to investigate the users' intangible needs, realising their spiritual and cultural desires. This investigation, without a doubt, enforces architects to widen their studies to intertwine with other disciplines, such as psychology, anthropology, humanities, and social studies.

The Faculty tackles the BAU research theme “Society, Culture, and Human Behaviour’ through embracing a subtheme, titled "Theories, History, and Humanities in Architecture". 

The field "Theory of Architecture" is meant with discussing architects' thoughts, philosophies, styles, and movements. The “Architectural Theory’ is established by a dogmatic situation of an architect or architects who stem their beliefs from the surrounding circumstances whether art, philosophy, industry, policy, social traditions, culture, economy, technology, and others. Another part of this field tackles the modular design standards, identifying the human dimensions and needed distances for the architectural spaces. While the field “History of Architecture’ is meant with tracing changes in architecture throughout time. It analyses the motives, ideologies, styles, typologies, features, and elements of each architectural epoch. This analysis deepening the study about societies’ traditions, customs, and norms. It unveils the secrets of architectural forms and produces explanations for their ambiguous compositions. On parallel, the field “Humanities and Social Studies in Architecture’ defines architecture as a social container to allow expression of human behaviours. This field directs architecture students and researchers to study the humanistic aspects such as language, values, literature, philosophy, history, and theology and how can architects reflect these aspects in their architectural spaces.

"Theories, History, and Humanities in Architecture" emerges as a cornerstone research theme emphasizing the vital role of intellectual depth and cultural context in shaping architecture. It investigates the relations between architecture and the human sciences and traces the architects' thoughts of how they can fulfil human needs from tangible and intangible perspectives. This subtheme tries to answer the question of “How Social Science can shape our built environment?’ This subtheme critically explores architectural theories, historical perspectives, and humanities-related dimensions, fostering a profound understanding of the discipline's evolution. Researchers within this subtheme delve into the intersection of culture, society, and architectural expression, unlocking insights that enrich contemporary design philosophies.

The Faculty, therefore, adopts the research attempts, projects, ideas, and experiments that endeavour to serve the different categories of people (kids, adults, elderly, women, pregnant women, handicapped, visually impaired, individuals living with kinds of phobia, etc.). This subtheme is aligned with three UN-SDGs: SDG5. Gender Equality, SDG10 Reduced Inequalities, and SDG16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.    

Research Action Plan:

The faculty undertakes this subtheme to prioritise always the human dimension above all other aspects. Over the six levels (five undergraduate levels + MArch level), the “Architectural Design Studios’ encourage students to adopt concepts from other disciplines. There is a well-known motto in architecture says: “If you would like to be a successful architect you have to think outside architecture’. Instructors are triggering students’ minds to inspire their ideas from outside architecture, such as literature, art, history, religion, music, mythology, science, and human sciences, … etc. Since 2021, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has been keen to implement new Education Themes and Values in the architecture education and practice. One of these new themes is "Histories, theories, and methodologies", asking students to analyze and research narratives, cultural, and social values in architecture to understand and extend architectural pedagogy. In the current academic year 2023-2024, the faculty tackles the theme of "Navigate with Human-Centered Design", which gives a chance to the expected users to participate - even in small / few interferences - with a part of design solution. To cover this subtheme, the faculty, therefore, welcomes conducting research through the following tracks:

 

  • Contemporary theories and trends in architecture
  • Humanities, pedagogical and social studies in architecture
  • Architectural criticism
  • Conservation of heritage and historic buildings / (Heritage of Islamic Arab Architecture)
  • Culture, philosophy, intentions, and interpretations in architecture
  • Justice, equality, and equity in architecture and urban planning
  • Post-crisis architecture and urban planning

 

On both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, the faculty offers some courses, such as "Theory of Architecture", "History of Architecture", "Social Studies in Architecture", "Architectural Criticism", "Environmental Psychology", "History of Arts", "History of Islamic Arts", "Conservation of Historic Buildings", and others concern with studying the human sciences in architecture. In the Spring semester of the academic year 2022-2023, the faculty established a student club, titled: "Architectural Criticism Club". Its vision is to graduate our students with insightful eyes having the ability to release judicious judgment statements. Another important initiative in 2022, the faculty staff supervised a process of conserving Nawfal Palace in Tripoli, using technological tools. In addition, as serious attempts that covered the above tracks, postgraduate students conducted research as follows:

 

  • Investigating the "Storytelling" Approach in the Contemporary Architecture in the Islamic Arab Cities

Master Thesis, defended by Ms. Lamis Mantash in 2017

Supervised by Assoc. Prof. Maged Youssef and Assoc. Prof. Hisham Al-Arnaouty

 

  • Dialectical ingenuity of Heritage and Contemporary Architecture in Arab Cities

PhD Thesis, defended by Mr. Sami Al-Sabbagh in 2021

Supervised by Prof. Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi, Prof. Ayman Afify, and Assoc. Prof. Maged Youssef

 

  • Urban Resilience as an Approach to Improve the Open Public Space in the Post-Disaster Cities

Master Thesis, defended by Ms. Aya Chehab in 2022

Supervised by Prof. Baher Farahat and Assoc. Prof. Maged Youssef     

 

Beside this thesis work, Beirut Arab University for the first time published a book entitled "Architecture and Metaphor" for the fulltime staff member Assoc. Prof. Maged Youssef. This book tried to re-read the contemporary architecture from a different perspective, disclosing the secrets of architects and uncovering their intentions. It explains the rhetoric phenomenon "Metaphor" and how architects manipulated using ambiguous forms, needed to be newly re-interpreted. This production of research indicates that the Faculty concerns with this subtheme a lot and provides a number of books and references in its library.

Prominent Research:

  • Amna Trad, Mostafa Khalifa, Eslam El-Samahy, Khaled El-Daghar, Mary Felix & Ayman Afify. (2024). Reviving Cultural Heritage Identity in Historical Areas Through Leftover Spaces – Application of a Cultural Park in Abu Ali River Region, Tripoli, Lebanon". Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ): 30(1), Article 6, ISSN 2789-8547. Published by Elsevier Digital Commons. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54729/2789-8547.1247
  • Baher Farahat and Helga Omar Alaeddine (2023). Improving Assessment Criteria of Universal Design - Towards an Equitable Approach. MSA Engineering Journal, Vol. 2, Issue 3, June 2023, pp. 132-167.
  • Mohamed Abdulzaher, Maged Youssef, and Tang Jian (2023). Effect of Memory on the Contemporary Architectural Design Concept. Ain Shams Engineering Journal - Q1 Journal, Vol. 14, Issue 5, Published by Elsevier.
  • Chirine Traboulsi, Mostafa Khalifa, Eslam El-Samahy, Khaled El-Daghar & Mary Felix. (2023). Urban Waterfront Revitalization Through Landscape Design Enhancing Social-Cultural Conditions of El-Mina, Tripoli. Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ): 29(1), Article 5, ISSN 2789-8547. Published by Elsevier Digital Commons. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54729/2789-8547.1189
  • Maged Youssef and Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi (2022). Architectural Representations of Human Rights. BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 4, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier - Digital Commons.
  • Mohamed Abdulzaher, Maged Youssef and Tang Jian (2021). Secrets beyond Rhythm of Ancient Egyptian Architecture. Technology Reports of Kansai University, Vol. 63, Issue 08, Published by Kansai University.
  • Khaled El-Daghar. (2021). Conserving Symbolism in Architectural Heritage – Case Study Eloquence in Depicting Philosophical Ideas Inspired by the Principles of Islam on Islamic Architecture through Ages. In: Versaci, A. et al. (eds) Conservation of Architectural Heritage. 2nd Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation - (Q2 Book-Chapter): 2(#1), 109-124, ISSN 2522-8722, ISBN 978-3-030-74482-3. Springer, Cham; Switzerland. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74482-3_10
  • Nehmat Karim and Ayman Afify (2021). Open Spaces as vibrant places to reduce social and physical fragmentation - Case of Beirut Cornish, Lebanon. BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 2, Issue 2, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Mostafa Khalika and Mostafa El-Hefnawi (2020). Enhancing undergraduate Architectural Education (Scale 1 to 1 Design-Build Method). Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ), Vol. 26, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Sima El-Sheikh, Mary Felix, Nabil Mohareb, and Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi (2020). Investigating the relationship between user’s densities and Functions distribution on Mediterranean waterfronts: Statistical analysis approach. Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ), Vol. 26, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Khaled El-Daghar. (2020). Conservation Techniques of Architectural Heritage and Private Property Legal Rights – Case Study Alexandria, Egypt. The Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development (ESSD) Journal - (Q4 Journal): 5(#1), 25-36, ISSN 2357-0857. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21625/essd.v5i1.715
  • Ali Sedki and Farah Laali (2020). Enhancing pedestrian flow in public space through user segregation. Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ), Vol. 26, Issue 1, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Sima El-Cheikh, Mary Felix, Nabel Mohareb, and Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi (2020). Monitoring participatory approaches in Mediterranean waterfront developments (El-Mina Lebanon, Alexandria Egypt, and Antalya Turkey). BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development, Vol. 1, Issue 2, Published by Elsevier Digital Commons.
  • Lamis Mantash and Maged Youssef (2019). Exploring Utopian Representations in the Architecture of Art Museums in the Middle East. Proceedings of the international conference on Utopian and Sacred Architecture Studies (USAS), organized by IEREK Research & Knowledge Enrichment in partnership with University degli Studi and della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa, Italy, 11-13 June 2019. It was published as a book chapter in the book “Advances in Utopian Studies and Sacred Architecture’, pp. 105-125, Published by Springer.
  • Khaled El-Daghar. (2019). Self-financing for Conservation Based on Global Experiences – Case Study Preserving the Architectural Heritage of Historical Tripoli, Lebanon. Resourceedings; International Journal on: Proceedings of Science and Technology: 2(#2), 224-236, ISSN 2537-074X. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Conservation of Architectural Heritage (CAH) - Regeneration & Management (A Conference). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21625/resourceedings.v2i2.701
  • Mary Felix & Khaled El-Daghar. (2019). Historical Urban Fabrics and the Effect of New Building Shadings on Social Activities – Case Study Tripoli Lebanon. In: Hawkes D. et al. (eds) Conservation of Architectural Heritage. 1st Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation - (Q2 Book-Chapter): 1(#1), 179-189, ISSN 2522-8722, ISBN 978-3-030-10871-7. Springer, Cham; Switzerland. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10871-7_15
  • Lamis Kanso and Maged Youssef (2016). Problems of Design Juries in Schools of Architecture. Proceedings of the 1st International Conference (RAE’2016, Rethinking Architectural Education: Towards a better practice), Faculty of Architectural Engineering, Beirut Arab University in partnership with RIBA, Debbieh, Lebanon, 9-11 March, 2016.
  • Maged Youssef (2015). How can one building change a city from locality to internationality? Proceedings of (ARCHTHEO, Theory and History of Architecture 2015), DAKAM, Istanbul, Turkey, 5-7 November 2015.
  • Maged Youssef (2014). Language of Minimalism in Architecture. Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, Vol. 61, Issue 5, pp. 413-435.