Talks at the Venice Biennale Talks at the Venice Biennale | Episode 4. Land Lores: soil stories from Latvia and Lebanon
Jul 3, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Liene Jākobsone, a Riga-based architect and co-curator for Latvia, teams up with Shereen Doummar from the Collective for Architecture Lebanon. They delve into the impact of war on landscapes, focusing on Latvia's border fortifications and Lebanon's ecological crises. The conversation highlights the urgent need for architects to tackle environmental degradation and address migration challenges. They also explore how architecture can advocate for policy change, emphasizing resilience in the face of conflict.
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Importance of Raising Awareness
- Bringing war-affected land issues to platforms like Venice Biennale raises global awareness effectively.
- It enables architectural professionals to engage with critical geopolitical and environmental topics.
Architecture’s Role in Ecocide Crisis
- Ecocide is the deliberate destruction of environment to erase local people's livelihoods.
- Architecture’s role extends beyond rebuilding to engaging with environment protection amid conflicts.
Living with New Border Restrictions
- Locals near Latvia's border now need special permits to enter border areas previously freely accessed.
- Increased security measures include cameras, alarms, and fences, altering everyday life drastically.