real estate developers

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.

From Dossier Research-Based Article

Planning Dibbiyeh:

Between Private Interests and Public Apprehensions

Dibbiyeh is located 30 kilometers south of Beirut and is the coastal gateway to Iqlim al-Kharroub in Chouf. It consists of the old village, located at the heights of the towns, and a …

From Dossier Research-Based Article

The Apprehensions of the Past in Building the Future:

Do the Master Plans for Damour Encourage Return?

Last year, a broad debate surrounded director Ziad Doueiri’s film The Insult, especially after it was nominated for the 2018 Oscar for best foreign language film. This was the first time that a …

From Dossier Study

After the Collapses: The Fate of Displaced Residents

Over the past five years, devastating building collapses have shaken various Lebanese cities. These tragic and recurring incidents have resulted in significant human casualties and extensive material losses. However, they are not isolated …

Dossier

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, …

Article

Sahra Chouaifat Building Collapse:

The threat of buildings constructed between 1990 and 2005

Yesterday, a 5-storey building collapsed in Sahra Choueifat. As a result, about 13 families and a number of shops were displaced, all of which survived by chance. The collapse was also followed by …

Law Commentary

The 2024 budget:

Rewarding property owners and speculators

This article discusses the 2024 budget in Lebanon, emphasizing the lack of substantial changes to rebuild the collapsing economy. The budget focuses on providing legal cover for state expenses without addressing existing policies, …

From Dossier Investigation

A Month After the Collapse of the Mansourieh Building

Engineering, a Profession Hijacked by the Market

In this article, we investigate the case of the collapsed building in the Yazbek-Hamoush residential complex in Mansourieh (16 October 2023), in an effort to raise necessary questions about the causes of the …

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 …

Law Commentary

The “Murr Floor” Project Returns: The Government Provides no Solution to the Housing Crisis and Increases Speculation on Land Prices

A proposal to amend Article 66 of Law No. 144 (Budget Law).

It has been included in the agenda of the Parliament on 07/12/2021.

Research-Based Article

Baalbek: Construction as a Material for Partisan Clientelism

After an introduction to the urban social context of the city, we will focus in this text on construction permits. The latters are read as a tool used to violate social norms in …