Copyright © 2025 Motivate Media Group. All rights reserved.
Beirut-based architects and designers share stories from the day of the Beirut blast
Can you share your experience of what happened at the time of the Beirut blast? On August 4, I was in my apartment/studio located in the historical street of Mar Mikhayel. I was working when I heard the first explosion. I went on my balcony to see what was going on. I saw grey smoke rising to the sky from the port, located 300 metres away. At 6:07 pm, the ground shook at 4.5 on the Richter scale. I understood that something was wrong. I only had time to cover my head with my hands and lie on the floor. Then boom.
Was your home and studio damaged? The whole house got destroyed. The windows, doors, elevator doors, lamps, false ceiling, aluminium window frames, everything got damaged in a single second. Luckily, I lost nothing.
Photography by Sandra Chidiac
What are your feelings after this incident? It is very hard. After the explosion, I went down to the street to see what was going on and check on my friends and neighbours. It was chaos. I could only see grey and red everywhere. People were screaming and crying, the firefighters were hopeless. I was trying to understand what happened. Today, I am very sensitive to noise and cannot handle hearing too much of it. We have some difficulties sleeping. We are stressed and very down, but lucky to be alive. Since that day I never slept in my apartment again. I cannot live in it anymore.
How did you feel seeing so many volunteers take to the streets to help? And are you planning on getting involved in the rebuilding yourself? The day after the explosion, an army of volunteers rushed to the streets to clean and help the inhabitants. When I saw this, it gave me hopes for the future. And yes, I have gotten in touch with many NGOs and the World Bank who are raising funds to rebuild the city. Architects, engineers, designers, and professionals are working hand in hand to assess the damages and plan the reconstruction.
“Help us, help us, help us! We need your support in everything. Talk about us. Don’t forget us.”
What were some significant buildings that were lost, and do you think it would be possible to restore them? The Cocrhane Palace, the Sursock Museum, all the Ottoman and French buildings located on Trabaud and Armenia streets are severely damaged. The Electricite du Liban building, the Silo in the port and so many more structures are damaged. It is an enormous cultural heritage that has been damaged and a big loss for every Lebanese citizen.
NGOs are working hard to raise money to restore everything as it was. The government, the Beirut Municipality and all the government institution are doing nothing. They are useless. It is going to take years to rebuild everything.
Is there a message that you would like to send out to communities outside of Lebanon? Don’t give a penny to the Lebanese government. Don’t trust anything they are saying. Help us, help us, help us! We need your support in everything. Talk about us. Don’t forget us.
Mohamad Chehab, the general manager of Trend Group Middle East talks about the group's involvement in the Red Sea Projects
APE Grupo brings Spanish expertise to the Middle East with a flagship showroom designed for visionaries
Influenced by Art Deco design, Supreme by TREDEX now features a striking Matt Bourbon finish
Our cover features Gaggenau, a brand that embodies design for the truly discerning.
Sarita Handa and Kristina Zanic Consultants announce the launch of DEEBAJ, a special-edition textile collection that reinterprets the rich cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia through the artistry of Indian craftsmanship.
Inspired by the philosophy of GABA tea, fermented without air or light, Studio Meshary AlNassar translated this concept into an interior that is hidden, intimate, and layered with sensory detail.
ClayArk opens an expanded showroom showcasing their expansion into sanitary ware
California sunshine and French country charm meet in this 510-square metre house with a dream pool cabana and peaceful garden
Nature-inspired meets future-ready for these sustainable pieces
In the heart of Cairo, an old lecture hall at Ain Shams University turns into a theatre
In Dubai’s ever-evolving real estate landscape, this approach has earned Vedra a reputation for integrity and attention to detail
Designsmith is bringing two award-winning residences to life by ISTO