Beirut's Design Scene Turns Scars into Foundations at Interiors Lebanon and Project Lebanon
The third edition of Interiors Lebanon and the 27th Project Lebanon event recently occurred in Beirut, highlighting the resilience of the local design scene amid tough times. The city has faced numerous trials, such as the October 2019 protests, the tragic port explosion in August 2020, and ongoing southern border tensions. Architect Lina Ghotmeh’s Stone Garden incorporates openings that mirror the city’s bullet-marked walls. The Beit Beirut museum serves as a tribute to the Civil War's impact, while the grain silos remind everyone of the explosion. Beirut’s historical significance as a trading center and its vast diaspora add to its vibrant culture. The restoration of places like the Albergo symbolizes hope and renewal for the city’s future.
Key facts
- Beirut hosted the third edition of Interiors Lebanon and the 27th edition of Project Lebanon, a fair about construction.
- The October 2019 protests marked the beginning of a series of crises in Lebanon.
- The August 2020 port blast delivered unprecedented devastation to Beirut.
- Lina Ghotmeh's Stone Garden is a 13-storey residential and cultural tower in Beirut with deep, irregular openings echoing bullet-pocked façades.
- The Beit Beirut museum's façade preserves bullet holes and shell damage from the Civil War rather than renovating them.
- The grain silos at the port were gutted by the 2020 blast and their fate remains uncertain.
- A vast Lebanese diaspora has returned to Beirut, contributing to its cultural melting pot and architectural landscape.
- The iconic Albergo hotel in Beirut has been meticulously restored after weathering the storm.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Interiors Lebanon
- Project Lebanon
- Beit Beirut
- Albergo
- Monocle
Locations
- Beirut
- Lebanon
Sources
- Monocle —