My approach towards design is to always try and look at things from a new perspective, all the while respecting a certain essence and context that is required. I always strive for balance and playfulness while working on a new project, trying to appeal to an emotional reaction but also functionality and thoughtfulness. When it all finally aligns in my mind, then I know I’ve done a good job.
Today, more than ever, we cannot create while overlooking the climate we are in, whether political, social, or environmental. We evaluate a project from all angles at all levels, starting with the bigger picture and focusing on the stakeholders and users.
Being transparent about our strategies and valuing clarity among the team is crucial to keeping a well-oiled machine, and necessary for maintaining a good relationship with our clients.
A sense of responsibility falls on our shoulders as designers. Offering local artisans a chance to showcase their skills is not only financially beneficial in dire times like these, but also an opportunity to preserve a national heritage at risk of decline.
Although the ancient craft of sericulture originated in China, it has been present in Lebanon for centuries. In the first half of the 1900s, silk production was responsible for 50% to 60% of the GDP in Mount Lebanon. Thanks to cheap labor, French interest in producing “baladi” silk grew and many factories dubbed “Kerkhaneh” were established. Lebanese men of low social status now had a new job opportunity to make ends meet.
In order to sustain the silkworm’s diet of mulberry leaves, mulberry trees were planted all over the region.
Soon, however, the Lebanese male workers proved to be too stubborn and proud to take orders from their French supervisors. Having to quickly find a solution, French factory owners had the idea of offering these jobs to women. Not only were they more “docile,” but they worked for half the salary a man did. At the time, in such a rural and traditional community, women leaving their houses to work was unheard of.Despite the heavy burden, shame, and intense labor these women had to go through, they became, for the first time, the breadwinners in their families.
The silk industry became so successful that the transport of silk from Beirut to Marseilles led to the establishment of maritime transport agencies in Lebanon, the Beirut Port, as well as the first Lebanese bank.
However, the decline of sericulture in Lebanon started in 1915 due to a horrible locust infestation that ravaged all vegetation, effectively damaging a vast majority of mulberry trees and causing a widespread famine in the country. What really put the final nail in the coffin in 1950 was the commercialization of Chinese synthetic silk, which drove consumers away due to its more competitive price and rapid manufacturing.
