urban sprawl

Law Commentary

A law proposal to establish a separate cadastral zone for the municipality of Saadiyat, submitted by MP Bilal Abdullah, represents a pivotal point for a deeper discussion around the history of these areas and their evolving social boundaries. In the case of Damour and Saadiyat, the area became a symbol of the profound political crisis brought about by demographic changes in the Chouf coastal region, resulting from transformations and repeated waves of displacement to and from it.

From Dossier Investigation

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.

From Dossier Investigation

The Beirut Central District Reconstruction Experience (Solidere)

Solidere was established after the end of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) to undertake the reconstruction of downtown Beirut, which is now known by its name. This company’s experience represents the neoliberal model of reconstruction, a model that has been subject to much criticism and questioning.
This article reviews Solidere’s experience with the aim of recalling it and rethinking the social and cultural repercussions of the neoliberal model it followed.

From Dossier Investigation

Aita al-Shaab: How do we rebuild a village?

Bulldozing the old neighborhood in Aita al-Shaab, a Lebanese village on the southern borders, following the 2006 israeli war, the solidere-like approach to reconstruction, or the many stories we heard from returnees and their experiences during the war, highlighting the meaning of losing their home, their village, and their community. We will attempt to address these three levels through this text, while exploring the experiences of a group of urban planners who volunteered to support reconstruction efforts in the village immediately after the war.

Investigation

Who’s Beirut?

On the Necessity of a Unified Conception of the City that Goes Beyond its Municipal Borders

Over the course of more than a century, Beirut has witnessed a radical transformation and tremendous urban and population growth intertwined with major historical events. Aerial maps show this expansion, but also they raise a basic question: Who is Beirut today, with its urban complexities and interactions?

Dossier

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 …