This panel is organized to bring together architects and planners to comment on the ongoing reconstructions in Beirut after the deadly explosion of August 4, 2020, by contextualizing it in the city’s urban development and the relatively recent urban reconstruction of its center after the civil war. How, when, and by whom should the reconstruction projects be designed and implemented? What are lessons learned from the reconstruction of the city center after the civil war? With the looming danger of opportunistic gentrification, how might the reconstruction process alter the area’s use and the lives and livelihoods of its residents? How may it affect Beirut’s place in the world cultural heritage and global imagination? How can international organizations and academic institutions partner with local organizations for the redesign/rebuilding of the destroyed neighborhoods? How should the different affected neighborhoods be approached when it comes to redesign/rebuilding?

Speakers

Elie Haddad | Lebanese American UniversityMona Harb | American University of BeirutModerator

Mostafa Minawi | Cornell University Panel Questions

Elie Boutros | Cornell AlumniDana Muhsen | Cornell AlumniThe panel is sponsored by the Institute for European Studies (IES) and the Ottoman & Turkish Studies Initiative (OTSI) of the Einaudi Center for International Studies at Cornell University. It is organized as part of the IES Migration Series for its AY 2020-21 theme Repair and Reparations. You may find information about the past events including their video recordings here: https://einaudi.cornell.edu/programs/institute-european-studies/events/…

For questions or accessibility accommodations, please contact Pamela Hampton ph55@cornell.edu