On 4 August 2020, Beirut was rocked by the biggest non-nuclear explosion ever recorded in an urban context. How should the reconstruction of the city now take place in its current political and socio-economic context?

This symposium will look at the different forces that shaped what happened, the incident itself, and the different strategies required to reconstruct Beirut in the aftermath of this tragedy. As a series of short-term and long-term proposals, sessions across this day-long event will be chaired by AA students and will discuss ways in which heritage, reconstruction, community-led projects, and interdisciplinary exchange can all be addressed in the post-blast context.

10.00 - CONTEXT INTRODUCTION
Introduction - Riyad Yassine
Session Introduction - Philip Gharios
Mobilising in a period of crisis: Lebanon - Sibylle George, IMPACT LEBANON
Beirut Port Explosion: Tools for Investigation - Kishan San, FORENSIC ARCHITECTURE
Initiatives in Response to the Beirut Blast - Nour Zoghby Fares, BEIRUT URBAN LAB
Souls of Beirut - Sensy Mania, AA School
Discussion and Q&A - Chaired by Philip Gharios

11.00 - BREAK

11.30 - URGENCY / IN SITU / ACTIVISM
Introduction - Judi Diab
Le Palais Sursock. A Photographic Record of Destruction - Alex Cochrane
Shelter in (a) place; Beirut Post Blast - Rana Samara, NUSANED
Bebw’shebbek: A grassroots’ role in urban resurrection post-blast - Mariana Wehbe, MARIANA WEHBE PR
Let’s Play - Sandra Rishani, Nada Borgi, [HATCH], Etienne Bastormagi, STUDIO ETIENNE BASTORMAGI
Discussion and Q&A - Chaired by Judi Diab

13.00 - LUNCH BREAK


14.00 - NOSTALGIA / MEMORY / HOPEFUL ARCHITECTURE
Introduction - Riyad Yassine
Shadow of Beirut: a Material Register - Haya Mrowa
The Return of the Repressed - Frederik Weissenborn
Inheriting Heritage: Consequences and Responsibilities - Omaya Malaeb
Beirut Blast: Recovering Public Spaces - Aude Azzi
Beirut, After the Apocalypse - Roula Salamoun
Body of Mayhem - Samer Eid
Discussion and Q&A - Chaired by Riyad Yassine

16.00 - BREAK


16.30 - RECONSTRUCTING BEIRUT
Introduction - Riyad Yassine
Savage Construction and Profiteers - Mark Doumet, LOFT CONSTRUCTION
Socialising Evidence - Samaneh Moafi, FORENSIC ARCHITECTURE
Stitching the Skyline - Bernard Khoury, BERNARD KHOURY / DW5
Fill In The Blanks - Rana Haddad, AAVS Beirut
Recovering Architecture - Mona Fawaz, Beirut Urban Lab

17.30 CLOSING CONVERSATION
Chaired by Riyad Yassine (All speakers welcome to attend and recap)


Link to event page https://www.aaschool.ac.uk/publicprogramme/whatson/reconstructing-beirut