Lebanese Architecture (4): Discovering the Unique Beauty

More than that, there is no public interest at all in constructions with concepts, nor in granting formal permit folders to the individuals.

The main reason, in my opinion, is the lack of education and the ignorance of the availability of specialization. Many buildings were built by civil engineers instead of architects, and many projects need direct supervision from either of them.

Another reason for this rapid change is based on the attitude of some Lebanese investors and businessmen, who are open to all types of development and investment, but often turn off cultural values ​​if those conflict with their material interests.

On the other hand, some resorts have become famous and prosperous vacation destinations in no time, which leads to an unsuccessful result, because they weren’t prepared for such sudden and unexpected prosperity. Fortunately, there is a growing awareness of the importance of maintaining high-quality engineering data and practical learning.

When we face the problem of preserving national heritage, the first requirement is to avoid unnecessary demolitions, spoilage, or amputation of any of this heritage, and preserving it from any damage will come with high benefits for the public of all ages, younger or elders.

Our best heritage: Let's protect it!

In Lebanon, the Antiquities Authority represents the public right for such affairs but nowadays it subordinates to the Ministry of Education. Currently, it operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourism. Any item discovered in the excavation that precedes the construction process has its own classification by a Republican Decree and according to a request from the Antiquities Authority has also control over the building environment and the entire lot built over it.

Landowners have the right to request compensation if their building is being acquired. The value of this compensation is proposed by an expert committee usually appointed by the court.

Finally, after completing the expropriation process, the Antiquities Authority will start with the investigation and restoration of the discovered items. The common problem in Lebanon is the abundance of buildings with historical landmarks, which makes the cost of their acquisition very high.

Generally speaking, the Lebanese individual does not value organized design, nor doesn’t care about beauty and well-finished work. And if there has been slight progress in recent years, there is still a lack of artistic taste among people. To get a real renaissance, there is only one way out: Educate the Lebanese citizens on how to get well-designed buildings and value their own national heritage.

Contemporary Lebanese Architecture | Conclusion

The newly used architectural elements have no longer any special resemblance to the old Lebanese traditional architectural elements previously described; That is due to the introduction of new materials that have an aesthetic role, in addition to their ease of use and implementation.

Even though many architects tried to work on some elements related to the old traditional style and merge it with the modern style, unfortunately, most of them failed to make the right integration, and their projects still look like copy-pasted work!

Having this said, it is not surprising that the architectural forms take on new and modern features looking toward the future. Therefore, we find it is slowly moving away from old architecture, and if traditional elements are used in some cases, they do not come with their traditional form and materials, but rather they are formulated in a new way and with new materials.

Contemporary Lebanese Traditional Architecture is a mixture of several civilizations and perspectives, as it interfered with the Western character, whether with its materials or with its composition, and it fused totally with it, which results in a work of magnificence and beauty.

As a live example and reference of what was told above, I choose the PLATINUM TOWER project in Beirut, an apartment and hotel building. (See next figure)

The Complete Skyline Transformation (Image Credits to Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura | archello.com)

No additional words about the design: It reveals a wide experience in the industry. But all over we can't ignore this beauty while passing by; A bunch of future visuals comes in the air!