demolition

Policy Watch

Green light to destroy Beirut’s theater:

The Ministry of Culture removes protection under pressure from the Shoura Council and the owner's threats

The Ministry of Culture delisted lot number 243 in the Ain Mreisseh district (Beirut) from the general inventory list of historical buildings is a striking decision. This contradiction raises questions about the motives behind the decision, specifically that the lot includes Beirut Theater.
In this article, we review the details of the property and previous attempts to protect it, revealing an alarming threat on the theater and the adjacent buildings.

Policy Watch

The Ministry of Culture classifies buildings on the inventory list:

Preserving the urban heritage requires additional steps.

In a surprising step compared to previous years, which did not witness similar activity, the Ministry of Culture classified a number of buildings on the General Inventory of Historic Buildings. We offer an understanding of what is needed in terms of effective practical steps to preserve Lebanon’s urban spatial heritage.

Field Watch

 In Bir Hassan, Eviction After Displacement, Under the Pressure of Real Estate Development, and the Pretext of Protecting the Safety of Residents

After a long history of threatening families displaced by the Lebanese Civil War with eviction from a residential building in Bir Hassan under the pretext of being “illegal occupants,” and following failed negotiations, …

Petition

Save Kojak-Jaber Building in Ramlet Al-Bayda, Where the Thinker Hussein Mroueh Resided:

An Open letter to the Ministry of Culture and Beirut Municipality

The Kojak-Jaber building, a symbol of modern architecture in Ramlet Al-Bayda, and home to one of the region’s most prominent philosophers and thinkers, is facing the threat of demolition. Since it is our …

Field Watch

Ramlet Al-Bayda’s Kojak-Jaber Building Faces Demolition

The Kojak-Jaber building, a symbol of modern architecture in Ramlet El Bayda, and home to one of the region’s most prominent philosophers and thinkers, is facing the threat of demolition. Designed by Victor …

Alerts Periodic Report

Understanding Housing Transformations Amid Recent Events

This periodic report documents cases received by the “Housing Monitor” from January 2022 to May 2023. It emphasizes the correlation between recent escalating events and the number of monitored cases, totaling 563 reports, …

Publication

Think Housing

In an effort to advocate for affordable housing and more inclusive cities, Think Housing competition sought innovative proposals for inclusive urban housing options that challenge the dominant models of urban development by reversing …

Project

Think Housing: The First Competition for Housing Alternatives in Beirut

In an effort to address the affordable housing shortage in Beirut, Think Housing competition sought innovative proposals for inclusive urban housing options that challenge the dominant models of urban development, by reversing ongoing …