What about the Lebanese Traditional Architecture? And a message after august the 4th’s tragedy: the Beirut port explosion.
1- Lebanon’s Heritage
The three arched windows, the calm and soothing presence of the gallery of arches (Riwaq) situated parallel to the pine trees, the mere presence of a Beiruti architecture household facing the sea in a direction, and facing the mountains in another. we can gaze and gaze towards the synchronicity between the materials of the buildings and the whole natural elements of this location. The amazing roof clay tiles or as they arrived to Lebanon: “ tuile de marseille “ that characterize the Lebanese villages, a feature that perfectly marries the limestone walls that form the body of the building.
Who haven’t seen traditional Lebanese buildings spreading their wings with their beautiful elements? Those elements that go so well not just with the lands their in, but with the whole culture of the country.
What do I mean? I mean that:
- I bet that if you would play songs of one of our old Lebanese artists, like Fairouz or Sabah to a Lebanese, the first thing that would come to their mind is sipping coffee on a traditionally themed balcony / veranda facing the mountains/sea.
- I bet that wherever you’re cruising in the world, you would always remember cruising and being taken by the beauty of the triple arched house on your way to Gemmayze along with the colorful renders around it in the house’s exterior.
- I bet that you would dream of having to sit in a house where your triangular window in the slanted roof, supporting the “ tuile de marseille “, is displaying Jezzine’s amazing waterfall.
- I bet that whenever you crave for mediteranean food, you would remember the taste of “Mankoushe”, “Labne”, olives, “Zaatar” & cheese, specifically from the old “Furn” (bakery) with the arched entry door (Iwan) .
- I bet that if you ever lived, or played when you were young, in a dar that has a small pond/fountain, you would still remember it as one of the most peaceful places with the refreshing sound of water.
- I bet that if you look down and see mosaic tiles flooring wherever you are, you would still imagine yourself surrounded by the Lebanese building characteristics or traits ….
- I bet that if you walked just one time in the Christmas season in Beirut Downtown, You will remember it each Christmas wherever you are. You would want to see the decoration red & spanning form balcony to balcony, mixed with the ornamented corbels supporting the marble tiles of each veranda there; with their metallic balustrades hugged by the lights and red flowers.
So know that when I said in my video that this country’s architecture is it’s identity, I wasn’t overstating it. Make sure to watch my video to know more about these gems and understand what the discussion is about.
2- The message
All of the aforementioned elements and more, were already in danger way before the year 2020, victims of neglection. But in 4 august 2020 an old enemy came back in action, destruction. Beirut, a city that has been destroyed and rebuilt MULTIPLE times, does surely know destruction.
BUTTTT!!!! there is something new this time.
This time, Beirut knows that there are thousands of Lebanese: engineers and architects ready to restore, rehabilitate, retrofit & strengthen the affected buildings; and bring them to life with minimal differences to their initial state. Thus showing the world again why Lebanon is symbolized by the ever resurrecting phoenix.
With all the technology in our hands right now, with all the knowledge we have in: civil and structural engineering, architecture, the architectural history, in addition to the advanced surveying equipment, the advanced construction methods on-site, building information modeling and integrated with project management; all of those could be used for maximum precision and correct implementation of designs according to international & local building codes.
Unfortunately this is not the only thing we need currently, we need the awakening of public concern and interest towards these particular types of buildings located in Lebanon, we need political, legal & economical support. Because for projects we need investors, in addition we need land / home owners that know the need to maintain their structures, and they need to have the economic capability to do so. With the whole current situation here in Lebanon all of this might be very hard especially at the moment, but what do we do? We Give up?
We owe it to future generations, for them to witness the face of their country in a way where, as there is a place for modern and futuristic architecture, there is also a place for the traditional. Forming like a bridge between our past, present and future.
That’s why I have made a YouTube video targeting a big audience where I introduced key familiar elements in the Lebanese Traditional Architecture, the different typologies, materials, structural systems, construction methods, equipment used and so on; that way people would get more acquainted with the buildings on a deeper level (in a more detailed manner). Where now people aren’t just connected with the elements’ aesthetics, but to the process of how they have been constructed/done, to the materials or ingredients that form them, to how they started/arrived to Lebanon and how they evolved.
Although this video wasn’t meant to be a structural guide for Lebanon’s traditional architecture, but coming from my structural engineering background I’ve mentioned many comments regarding this topic. An introduction that is meant to help rebuild/restore does have to take into consideration the behavior of certain common structures used in Lebanon from ages. For it will be the first step before the study of building evaluation & strengthening.
If you might be interested in the topics I discuss make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and follow me in my social media to stay updated for more content.
NOW IT’S TIME TO SHARE!!
And keep on sharing, because with better reach the impact would be magnified! And when further action can be taken everything will be ready.
P.S. I hope this article would contribute for this cause, as much as it contributed to my home-sickness these days as I posted the video in my country and now written this article in another one.