Burj Al Barajneh

Lessons from the “Waad” Reconstruction Project

After thirty-three days of continuous bombardment that killed more than 1,000 people, the 2006 war affected a total of 1,232 buildings, mostly residential.
On November 14, 2006, a meeting was held with residents, where they expressed one primary concern: returning to their homes as soon as possible. Accordingly, the local political party promised to rebuild Beirut’s southern suburbs, making them “more beautiful than before,” as the slogan of the project became.
In this text, we present the project and its challenges, especially at the urban level.

Evacuation and demolition of shops in Burj al-Barajneh: a struggle between Planning and Social Marginalization

In January 2025, the Burj al-Barajneh municipality, backed by the Lebanese army and security forces, evicted and demolished informal shops, sparking resident protests. While the municipality claimed it was reclaiming public land, its move suggests an attempt to control the area’s informal economy.

Collective evictions: The most prominent pattern in the Housing Monitor Report

Periodic Report | June - December 2023

This report covers cases received by the “Housing Monitor” from June to December 2023, documenting 345 cases, reaching a peak in August (143 cases). The majority of these cases originated from Syrian refugees …

Designing 7 Public Libraries in 7 Palestinian Camps

Through the design of 7 libraries within existing buildings in 7 Palestinian camps, we value importance of working on design projects in camps or informal areas. Such spatial interventions highlight the possibilities informality …