Aouad Guest Critic on TU-Delft/IESR Complex Projects Studio Collaboration
Image courtesy of TU-Delft
Once called ‘Paris of the East’, the Lebanese capital has been devastated by a shocking blast in August 2020, leaving hundreds of fatalities and thousands of injured. Dwellings, public service, healthcare and infrastructure were left in shambles. Lebanon has already been facing its worst humanitarian, socioeconomic and financial crisis, since the 1975-1990 civil war, which has led to widespread protests for political reform in 2019. Exacerbated by the impact of sanctions and dwindling US dollar reserves, as well as the effects of the global pandemic, Lebanon’s economy has been in a free-fall. The recent explosion at the port of Beirut which has damaged almost half of the city is just further compounding the turmoil.
The explosion should be seen as an impetus for the change. Besides the immediate humanitarian relief and early recovery, the city needs to establish long-term measures to return to a path of stability and development. In collaboration with Lebanese American University and its Institute for Environmental Studies and Research, the studio will address Beirut’s multiple acute challenges, notably its protracted socio-economic crisis, the reconstruction of Beirut and the restoration of its heritage.
