“Beirut is a disaster right now,” says local architect Bernard Mallat, commenting on the aftermath of last year’s explosion that killed over 216 people, among them his colleague Jean-Marc Bonfils. The blast at the port’s warehouse destroyed tens of thousands of homes, businesses, and livelihoods. But the city, while mourning what it has lost, is rebuilding itself slowly, thanks to the energies of legions of volunteers.
Architect Lina Ghotmeh, whose Stone Garden apartment tower (10 years in the making, and completed a month before the blast), is still uninhabited – with its windows and interiors being restored. “What happened was surreal,” she told RECORD, noting that her building remained, fortunately, structurally sound and relatively intact. Like hers, countless other buildings are still in disrepair, while rubble and debris linger in the streets. On the other side of the city to the east, however, is a darker tale, with a 2014 residential apartment tower by Bernard Khoury standing like a hollowed-out shell, beyond repair. It is the most damaged building (the port is 1 kilometer away), and entire portions of the 25-story facade are missing, leaving its interiors like open-air rooms and stripped down to their bones.
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.