Monica Basbous

Beyond Cement:

Towards an Alternative Vision for Chekka and Surrounding Towns

The towns of Chekka and Koura in North Lebanon have become prime examples of what public policies in Lebanon generate. The “Green Koura” in residents’ memories sat atop an abundance of groundwater and …

Beyond Cement

Towards an Alternative Vision for Chekka and Surrounding Towns

Download the book in Arabic Research and production: Monica Basbous, Nadine Bekdache, Tala Alaeddine, Abir SaksoukDesign: Imad KaafaraniEditing: Hashem HashemReport localisation: Sassine Kouzli Due to the presence of cement factories and quarries on …

The Architect, the Law, the Sponsor and the Maid’s Room

This installation aims to deconstruct the process of (re)producing «The Maid’s Room» using a combination of archival documents, audio clips, and a sectional model. Through this work, we hope to encourage the public …

Housing, Displacement and the Elderly:

Intersectional Spatial Narratives from Tareek El Jdeede, Beirut

The project aims to investigate the relationship between the housing conditions of vulnerable social groups and the transformation of urban and suburban landscapes. Specifically, it seeks to answer questions such as how urban …

Play in the Camp

In Mar Elias Camp, as in other Palestinian camps, the built environment and shared spaces are in deteriorating conditions. Development projects that are implemented in these settings rarely correspond to the aspirations and …

Play in the Camp

In Mar Elias Camp, as in other Palestinian camps, the built environment and shared spaces are in deteriorating conditions. Development projects that are implemented in these settings rarely correspond to the aspirations and …

Ras Beirut: Housing Narratives in the City

Over the past 150 years Ras Beirut has changed from an agricultural community to a dense urban neighborhood, particularly distinguished for its social, economic and cultural diversity. This diversity is however increasingly threatened …

Housing Narratives in Ras Beirut

Over the past 150 years Ras Beirut has changed from an agricultural community to a dense urban neighborhood, particularly distinguished for its social, economic and cultural diversity. This diversity is however increasingly threatened …

Planning in Lebanon:

Manufacturing Landscapes of Inequality

Urban planning and land use maps are a reflection/embodiment of the country’s larger policy choices and economic conceptions. It is the voice and instrument of authority, as it includes the political-economic vision and …

Urbanism and Law: Master-planning in Lebanon and its Impact on People and Places

Over the past decade, many urban geographers engaged with the relation between law and geography, in an attempt to clarify the connections between these two increasingly complex concepts. In Lebanon, law has often …

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 …

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 …