Aouad to Give Lecture at DGS 2024
The Diriyah Global Seminar, organised by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, will take place from 8 to 9 December 2024 under the theme: “The Crossroads of Trade and Tradition: Diriyah and Central Arabia’s Role in Global Exchange.“ The seminar aims to promote academic research on Diriyah and Central Arabia, exploring their rich history and deeply rooted heritage within Saudi culture. Serving as a platform for knowledge exchange, the seminar will bring together a diverse group of researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts interested in the history and cultural heritage of the region.
Within the framework of the specific panel of “Mapping Cultural Landscapes: From Beirut to Diriyah”, Aouad, along with colleagues Roula El-Khoury and Carine Lteif from IESR/LAU will be presenting their paper “The Aesthetics of Sustainability: Mud as a Living Material in Urban Design”. This paper investigates the multifaceted role of mud in heritage preservation, focusing on the Bayt Issa restoration project in old Irqah within Wadi Hanifa, a site rich in historical significance. It presents a two-fold perspective: first, the significance of mud as a semiotic material imbued with cultural meaning, sensorial qualities, and traditional communal practices; and second, the nature of mud construction as a private initiative unbound by conventional building regulations.
Link to dgs website and full program
December 8th 2024. Diriyah Education Office, Riyadh, KSA.
