We Design Beirut 2025 Blurs Disciplines Across City Landmarks

From October 22 to 26, We Design Beirut staged its second edition across multiple architectural sites in Beirut, Lebanon. Founder Mariana Wehbe emphasized the event's goal to unite communities rather than categorize disciplines, moving beyond commercial fairs. Eight curated exhibitions featured site-specific installations by artists, designers, and architects exploring revival, legacy, and continuity. At the Abroyan Factory, illustrator Ahmed Amer collaborated with artisans on 'Textured Love,' a monumental textile mural using deadstock fabrics with Levantine embroidery motifs. The Roman Baths archaeological site hosted 'Of Water & Stone,' where 21 designers created marble sculptures; French-Egyptian artist Omar Chakil presented 'Memory Upcycle' with 700 stone capsules. Éditions Levantine's 'Daughters of Berytus' series told stories of historical Beirut women through marble objects. Villa Audi featured 'Totems of the Present & the Absent' with over 50 creatives, including Atelier l'Inconnu's wicker figure and Lea Majdalani's wax candle arrangement. Artist Sara Badr Schmidt, represented by Saleh Barakat Gallery, contributed 'Page Blanche,' a textile work with colored threads symbolizing Beirut's identity. The event fostered city-wide dialogue on Lebanon's complex history and creative resilience, focusing on collaboration and collective healing.