Assem Salam, Lebanese architecture, old building Beirut

Assem Salam - Architect, Former President of the Order of Engineers and Architects in Lebanon

Can you describe a typical Lebanese home?
In Lebanon traditional architecture goes beyond any concept of class distinction as the vernacular house caters to everyone irrespective of wealth or social origin. This is our architecture's real value, yet it is often overlooked. The typical Lebanese home is generally square and built of stone with a pyramidal red-tiled roof. There are three components to Lebanese architecture: the plan, the material and the decorative elements. The plan is very simple. There is always a central hall that serves all the rooms in the house cancelling the need for corridors: all the activities spring from the central hall. Moreover, the orientation is usually South-West, exposed to prevailing winds, in order to maximize air circulation. The ceilings are high allowing the heat to go up and cool air is regenerated. This is mostly the case in coastal homes whereas in the mountains, ceilings are much lower, to conserve the heat. The house also enjoys a strong relationship with its immediate surrounding, usually a private garden and open spaces.

The most common material used for the traditional Lebanese house is stone, which is worked in a very refined way. It is an ancestral know-how. The stone treatment is quite clever and the use is perfect. Red tiles, coming from Marseille, have served to cover roofs since the late 19th century. Before that, roofs were flat, made of compacted mud.
Decorative elements such as arches and vaults take their inspiration from Venice and Arab origins. Slender columns, made of stone or marble, support the arches.

How would you describe modern Lebanese architecture?
The social conditions have dramatically changed in the past three decades. Speculators have destroyed the city by building without any concern for heritage. The individual dwelling has changed and the environment has been in great part damaged. There are almost no more village-like districts in Beirut and I believe that people are unaware of the fact that they are throwing away their own heritage. Where you live is what you are and when I see the destructions taking place. I fear that our architectural history is vanishing. The major problem is the use of space and the lack of urban control. I have been struggling for years now to preserve the Lebanese cachet in architecture, and the destructions are not all tied to the civil war. Architecture reflects the society and in Lebanon it seems that chaos has the upper hand.

Why are there so few parks in the city?
There is no such thing as rationalized urbanism in this country and this explains why public spaces and public parks have never been a priority. In the old days, the garden was integrated to the house and each citizen had his own private garden. Unfortunately, little has been done in Lebanon to develop an urban quality planning with community facilities such as playgrounds, parks, green spaces and woods within the city. Instead, the crowdedness of construction and chaos prevail. The high density and ground occupancy is an uncontrolled phenomenon.

According to you, why are the old buildings not protected?
There is no powerful law to protect old houses and monuments. Even if the law exists, it is not applied. Speculators can destroy whatever they want. Sadly, the Lebanese don't give much importance to their architectural heritage and there is very little awareness from the responsible people.

What are your favorite Beirut neighborhoods?
I am fond of Gemmayze where you can still feel that village-like atmosphere. It is very important to protect this part of town before it gets destroyed. Otherwise, I do regret the loss of Beirut's former center, the Borj and the Souks, which were a thriving commercial area, much more oriental in its nature and certainly worth preserving.

Are there any genuine Lebanese village left?
The villages of Amchit, Jbeil, Deir El Qamar, Douma, Hassroun and some others have kept their authenticity with their red-roofed old houses. You can still get a sense of how traditional Lebanese villages looked like in these places.

About architecture...
- As Houda Kassatly writes in her beautiful book Dwellings in the Bekaa (Geutner): "...in the past, dwellers' skills created houses that melted into the scenery...".
- In 1962, Lady Cochrane, Assem Salam and Camille Aboussouan founded the Association for the Preservation of Natural Sites and Ancient Buildings (APSAD). Since then, the association has been struggling to preserve the Lebanese architecture's heritage.
- The density in Lebanon is very high: 400 hab./km2

Assem Salam - Architect, Former President of the Order of Engineers and Architects in Lebanon
Extract from the book 'A Complete insiders Guide to Lebanon