Land Management and Planning

Buildings Collapse in Lebanon

It is difficult to be surprised today by the collapse of buildings around the Lebanese territory, being aware of the amount of legal and material factors that have weakened and destabilized their structure, …

Five Factors that Contributed to the Deterioration of the Urban Environment in Lebanon

This text highlights Lebanon’s urgent issue of severe physical degradation in its urban environment, with over 18,000 buildings at risk of collapse, particularly in Beirut and Tripoli. It attributes urban decay to a …

Editorial

During the past decade, many researchers have studied the relationship between geography and law in an attempt to clarify the links between these two increasingly complex concepts. In reality, comparing law and the …

Interview with Engineer Rabih Taksh

Member of Nabatieh El Tahta Municipality for 28 Years and Director of "Jihad al-Bina" in South Lebanon after the 2006 War

The interview with Engineer Rabih Taksh was conducted by Public Works Studio as part of the project “Planning in Lebanon: Manufacturing Landscapes of Inequality” (2017-2018). It explores the transformation of land use in …

Interview with Engineer Mohammad Fawwaz

Ex-director of the General Directorate of Urban Planning (1973-1993)

The interview with Engineer Mohammad Fawwaz was conducted by Public Works Studio as part of the project “Planning in Lebanon: Manufacturing Landscapes of Inequality” (2017-2018). It explores the history of urban planning practice …

In KfarAbida: Raghida Dergham takes over public property through the policies of the higher Council of Urban Planning

Last Sunday, June 9, 2024, residents and activists in the town of KfarAbida gathered in front of the villa of journalist Raghida Dergham, to denounce the building violations she is committing, and to …

The creation of Jabal Mohsen Neighborhood:

On Sectarianism as a factor in Urban Production

A law draft was proposed, establishing the Jabal Mohsen neighborhood in the city of Tripoli. This proposal contends that creating such a neighborhood reflects the social and geographical reality in tripoli, in a …

The Government’s Collusion with the Violating Cement Companies:

Towards Further Depletion of Natural Resources

In its latest decision No. 36 issued on May 28, 2024, the government granted cement companies an “exceptional” one-year extension to continue extracting raw materials from their quarries. This decision, which came at …

Informal neighborhoods: This is where the just city begins

Part 2: Local and International approaches

In the first part of this article, we presented an overview of the emergence and growth of informal settlements in Lebanon and countries of the Global South, and we addressed the ongoing debates …

Local Authorities Normalize Illegality:

15 Discriminatory Circulars Against Syrians Documented Between April 9 and 24, 2024

Following the Cypriot President’s demand to the president of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen, to mediate between them and the Lebanese authorities, for the latters to prevent the boats of Syrian …

Postponing Municipal Elections has Become a Norm

“Truly, fair elections can only happen in normal times, and they are at the heart of democracy, ensuring power is not concentrated in one group for too long.” With these words, Deputy Jihad …

Informal neighborhoods: This is where the just city begins

Part 1: Discussions and Origins

Informal settlements in Lebanon, a complex and long-standing phenomenon, are the result of multiple factors. These include influxes of refugees, rural-to-urban migration, the scars of civil war and ongoing conflicts, and the adoption …