LAU - School of Architecture & Design

Thinking about pursuing graduate studies in art, heritage, or architecture?
The MA in Islamic Art at LAU offers:
✓ Specialized study in Islamic art and material culture
✓ Strong research training and individualized mentorship
✓ Site-based learning and fieldwork opportunities
✓ Access to local and regional heritage resources
Take the next step in your academic journey.

Fully funded scholarships are available for eligible applicants.
Apply before July 15: https://sard.lau.edu.lb/academics/degrees-minors/ma-islamic-art/

The Institute of Art in the Arab World at the LAU School of Architecture & Design, in collaboration with the Arab Image Foundation and the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University, cordially invites you to the opening of:

MARIE EL-KHAZEN (1899–1983): A PIONEER LEBANESE PHOTOGRAPHER

This exhibition presents a remarkable selection of photographs by Marie El-Khazen, one of Lebanon’s earliest women photographers, many of which are being exhibited in Lebanon for the first time.

The opening program includes a roundtable discussion featuring leading voices from the fields of photography, art, literature, and cultural heritage, followed by the exhibition opening.

📅 Thursday, June 18, 2026

Roundtable Discussion
🕓 4:00–5:00 PM
📍 Chafica Balaa Lecture Hall 403, Gezairi Building

Exhibition Opening
🕠 5:30 PM
📍 Art Gallery, Gezairi Building, Beirut Campus

The exhibition will remain open from June 19 to July 28, 2026, weekdays from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

The event is open to the public.

For more information:
https://eventscal.lau.edu.lb/event.php?evt=20260602_marie-el-khazen-18991983-a-pione

LUDUS SERIUS — Terrablu Furniture Design Awards 2026

The Department of Architecture & Interior Design at the LAU School of Architecture & Design proudly opened *LUDUS SERIUS*, the Terrablu Furniture Design Awards 2026 exhibition, in collaboration with Mr. Elie Rababi and Terrablu Design.

Showcasing the work of 27 Interior Design students, the exhibition explored furniture as a space for interaction, imagination, comfort, and play. From initial sketches to full-scale prototypes, students investigated the diverse ways children and adults sit, rest, play, and connect through design.

The exhibition reflects a semester of research, experimentation, and creative thinking, highlighting the role of furniture design in shaping human experience and everyday life.

Congratulations to all participating students and to the award recipients whose projects demonstrated exceptional innovation and design excellence.

The Institute of Art in the Arab World at the LAU School of Architecture & Design hosted a special ceremony celebrating the acquisition of an iconic photograph generously donated by renowned Lebanese photographer Maher Attar.

Now permanently displayed at the Riad Nassar Library, the 1985 photograph depicts a one-legged mother walking with her injured daughter through war-torn Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War. The image became one of the most powerful visual symbols of the conflict and was featured on the front page of The New York Times.

The gathering brought together members of the LAU community, guests, and supporters of the arts to reflect on the role of photography in preserving memory, documenting history, and fostering collective understanding.

The Institute extends its sincere gratitude to Maher Attar for this significant contribution, which will continue to serve as a lasting resource for learning, research, and reflection for future generations.

LAU School of Architecture & Design is pleased to welcome Dr. Miquel Lacasta as the upcoming Chair of the Department of Architecture & Interior Design.

An architect, educator, writer, and co-founder of Archikubik in Barcelona, Prof. Lacasta brings three decades of practice and a long-standing commitment to architectural education as a space of transformation.

His work approaches architecture and interior design not only as disciplines of space, but as cultural, climatic, civic, and human instruments for rethinking how we live, learn, and build together.

“I am deeply excited to become part of LAU SArD, a school where studio culture, collaboration, experimentation, wellbeing, and rigor are already central values,” said Prof. Lacasta.

With Prof. Lacasta’s leadership, LAU School of Architecture & Design looks forward to advancing its commitment to innovative, socially engaged, and forward-thinking design education.