Towards A Knowledge-Sharing Space in Interior Design: A Case Study of Roman Theatre Design

This paper presents the results of a collaborative research project that combines the fields of interior design, architecture, conservation of built heritage, archeology, history, communications and computer science. This study of new methods of experimentation will enable us to define and validate new orientations in the way we understand structure and transfer acquired knowledge about a given significant space. The objective of the project is to present the various experiences obtained during the interpretation of interior spaces, and in particular theatres, while adopting an interdisciplinary vision in the development of interior design education and outreach initiatives to better reflect the richness and subtlety of theater design. More specifically, it involves acquiring, through historians’ knowledge and archaeologists’ accurate documentation, as well as information and communication technologies (ICT), an understanding of the consequences of successive occupations of a Roman theater on its current condition. It also seeks to gain a better understanding of the construction techniques and know-how of the Ancients. Another objective of this project is to introduce collaboration between various disciplines as a tool capable of helping us understand theater design while drawing lessons from the past. This work will reflect on how to respond to certain challenges using the example of the experiences acquired at a Roman theater located in the ancient city of Byblos in Lebanon, a city included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list since 1984.