Where is the sea in Dbayeh? I can’t see it.

In this article, published for the first time as part of Public Works Studio’s “Planning in Lebanon: Manufacturing Landscapes of Inequality” project (2017-2018), we delve into the history of land reclamation and privatization along the Lebanese coastline, by focusing on the Waterfront City project, a massive mixed-use real estate development in Dbayeh, tightly linked to the Linor project initiated in the 1980s. The article exposes the project’s elitist nature. Private beaches and facilities cater only to the wealthy, while locals lose their connection to the sea. 

Dbayeh is not the only case, the battle for Ramlet el Baida is ongoing. From Khaldeh and the airport, to Zouk and the center of Beirut, the sea is no longer what it used to be. Only 1 or 2 percent of Lebanon’s population may currently own more than 90 percent of its beaches. The rest have become prisoners in cities surrounded by walls of residential complexes, tourist resorts and private properties. Should they travel abroad, you find them eager to see the beauty of the sea.

Read the full article in Arabic.