The Department of Architecture was invited to Bkassine by its Municipality as well as the Ministry of Tourism on Saturday, April 23 to celebrate the village’s selection as one of the “Best Tourism Villages,” per the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Led by Ms. Layla Jabbour and Dr. Kristine Samara, a group of 10 students participated in this achievement under the hospice of President Michel Aoun, with the presence of national authorities and international embassies.
The team designed a Land Art Installation from natural materials collected from the immediate forest environment. They spent 2 days on site finalizing their project, titled “The Magnifier of Senses, Perception of the Disappeared.”
Famed for its 200-ha pine forest, the largest in Lebanon and the Middle East, Bkassine’s part in the UNWTO pilot initiative is to advance the role of tourism in safeguarding rural villages along with their landscapes, natural and cultural diversity, and their local values and activities.
A total of 44 villages from 32 countries across the five world regions were granted the “Best Tourism Village” acknowledgement in 2021, in recognition of their commitment to making tourism a facilitator of their development and wellbeing, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The students’ proposed installation is an isolation portal where the curious visitor is shielded from their surroundings; it is an added dimension through which one enters the realm of the forest.
As a “Magnifier of Senses,” the portal enhances the power of perception: the texture of the earth, the skin of the tree, the whistling wind, the birdsongs, the aromas, and colors are all brought to the forefront of the experience.
The cocoon-like space comprises pine tree branches intertwined to create a play of shades and shadows, teasing the visitor. The interior is covered with pine twigs in order to recreate the feel and sounds of the natural surroundings as it leads the way through a tunnel that opens up to a shaft chamber encircling a pine tree and redirecting the gaze of the visitor towards the sky.
The team was awarded a trophy for delivering the best piece and for taking up the challenge.