Building with Words: The Alhambra and the Cultural Memory of the Umayyads
AKSOB 0903, LAU Beirut campus
The LAU School of Architecture and Design invites you to a roundtable discussion on November 28 at the LAU Beirut campus. The event will explore the shared cultural heritage between Spain and the Arab world, bringing together leading voices in architecture, film, and cultural history to discuss how memory, art, and craftsmanship shape our understanding of heritage and identity.
This initiative is part of a two-day cultural program, November 27 and 28, celebrating the intersections of film, architecture, and memory, organized in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in Lebanon, the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA) – University of Balamand, and LAU’s School of Architecture and Design.
November 28, Round Table Discussion, LAU
Building with Words: The Alhambra and the Cultural Memory of the Umayyads
Speakers
- Isabel Fernández – Film Director and Producer
Barcelona-based film director, screenwriter, and producer whose documentaries explore the dialogue between history, art, and identity. Her award-winning works, including Corredores de fondo and The Builders of the Alhambra, have been showcased internationally and broadcast on major European networks, earning her recognition for her sensitive visual storytelling and historical insight.
- Dr. May Farhat – Associate Professor, LAU School of Architecture and Design
Specialist in the architectural history of the Middle East, her research spans from medieval Iran to late Ottoman visual culture, with a focus on the transmission of artistic traditions.
- Dr. George Arbid – Director of the Arab Center for Architecture
Architect, researcher, curator, and activist in the preservation of modern architecture and its archives in Lebanon and the Arab world. He operates in publication, exhibition curation and documentary film.
Moderator
- Roula El Khoury – Associate Professor, LAU School of Architecture and Design
Researcher about the city, investigates how capital flows shape urban form and redefine publicness, with attention to inequalities and inclusive urban engagement.
The event will be followed by a reception from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
November 27, Film Screening, ALBA
Movie: The Builders of the Alhambra by Isabel Fernández, Film Director and Producer
At 6:00 p.m. at the Samir Abillama Amphitheatre, ALBA – University of Balamand, Dekwaneh Campus
Program
- Presentation by Isabel Fernández
- Screening of the documentary “The Builders of the Alhambra” (Los Constructores de la Alhambra)
- Discussion with the audience
About the Film
The Builders of the Alhambra (2022) reconstructs the extraordinary story of the craftsmen, architects, and visionaries who created one of the world’s most celebrated monuments of Islamic art. Blending rigorous research and visual poetry, the film illuminates the cultural and historical context of Al-Andalus and has been showcased in international festivals in Montreal, Doha, Buenos Aires, Riyadh, and beyond.