On the 4th of August 2020, a massive explosion hit the heart of the city of Beirut. The Epicenter of this explosion was the main port surrounded by the historic center of the city. This scar left more than 300,000 people without a home, and destroyed hundreds of historical buildings. The area was also known to be an attraction to a majority of the Lebanese youth, an Art and Cultural Hub standing side to side with a Nightlife and culinary center. The area affected was part of a collective memory of generations and generations evolving organically with the passing years. It was a perfect example of how a historic area can intuitively evolve and keep up with the times without losing its features.
Today all that remains are destroyed buildings, crumbling walls, and shattered windows. Since Urban Network was founded on the principal of using design as a tool for human improvement and development, we felt a professional and personal responsibility to be a part of the healing process of Beirut. There is a dire need to fix what has been destroyed, but an even more crucial one: restoring a lost collective memory. What is then the role of architects and designers in posttraumatic events? How can the urban space play a role in healing the scars left by natural (or man-made) disasters? But most importantly how can design be the motor for urban regeneration?
