urban sprawl

Master-Planning in Lebanon: Manufacturing Landscapes of Inequality

How is urban planning practiced in Lebanon? What is the motive behind issuing master plans? And in what way do these plans violate fundamental rights? We tried during the years 2017 and 2018 …

From Dossier Research-Based Article

Planning Zouk Mikael:

Ignoring the Power Plant of Death

Anyone passing between al-Kalb River (Nahr al-Kalb) and Jounieh cannot miss the sight of two columns, striped orange and white, rising into the sky from the Zouk Mikael seafront. Though they are a …

From Dossier

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 …

From Dossier Interview

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 …

From Dossier Research-Based Article

The Construction Sector in Lebanon: How Neoliberal Urbanization Destroys the Environment

Lebanon faces a multitude of environmental threats, primarily driven by a neoliberal approach to urbanization. This approach prioritizes short-term private economic gains in the construction industry and associated businesses, including a dominant cement …

Dossier

How Urbanization is an issue of climate Justice

The fight against climate change often centers on shifting to renewable energy sources and reducing carbon pollution—two needed actions which cannot be worthwhile unless we reconsider the whole way in which we are …

Investigation

About Ein el-Hilweh Camp

Yesterday in Ein el-Hilweh camp, and today in Gaza, Palestinians lose their land and neighborhoods for different reasons, with occupation and displacement serving as the common thread that binds their struggles. This article …

Report

The Council of Exceptions: A report on the decisions of the “Higher Council for Urban Planning” (2019-2021)

The General Directorate for Urban Planning and its higher Council are Lebanon’s official and primary bodies for urban planning. They support urban development and favor the interests of real estate developers and the …

Policy Watch

On the Agenda of the Higher Council of Urban Planning

Subdividing Forestry Land in Ihmij for the Benefit of Investors.

Read details in Arabic here.

From Dossier Research-Based Article

Residents Facing Land Consolidation and Parcellation Projects:

The Example of El-Tanak Neighborhood in Mina

In this article, our focus revolves around the Land Consolidation and Parcellation projects in the cities of Tripoli and Mina in North Lebanon. We examine their influence on the economic and urban identity …

Law Commentary

Local Members of Parliament Are Proposing a Parcellation Draft Law Which Sacrifices Agricultural Lands in Hermel and Younine

Proposing an accelerated law on the consolidation and parcellation of El Hermel and Younine cadastral zones in the Baalbek-El Hermel governorate.

The committee found that the proposed law requires further study and inspection, and thus decided to postpone its decision about it and to request the concerned administrative entities to provide some observations that are related to application of the proposal, in case of its approval.

Law Commentary

The Future and Resistance blocs facilitate construction in rural regions without addressing housing needs

Proposing the law of exemption of some building permits from fees according to prototypical designs.

It was referred to the Administration and Justice, Finance and Budget, and Public Works Committees on 10/6/2020.