Hijacked City: Urban Planning for a Better Beirut | Mona Fawaz

In this episode of the afikra podcast, we tackle the alternative histories of Beirut, planning cities that put communities first, and rethinking public spaces. Mona Fawaz - co-founder of Beirut Urban Lab and professor of Urban Studies and Planning at the American University of Beirut (AUB) - tells us about her research into Lebanon's temporary settlements, and why the city still goes by its masterplan from the 50s which puts cars first. She explains the intricacies of urban studies, what "planning" as a profession actually means, and why she considers Beirut to be a "hijacked city". Finally, Mona tells us about the fascinating work and research that Beirut Urban Lab is doing and the visions she has for the future of this city.
0:00 Introduction
1:14 Do You Like Beirut?
2:59 Dominant vs Alternative Histories of Beirut
7:22 Beirut’s Informal Settlements: Hayy el-Sellom, Nabaa & Zaitriyeh
10:24 Formal vs Informal Settlements
16:53 Beirut’s Master Plan from the 1950s
30:53 Successful Examples of Community-based Cities
38:00 Reclaimed Land in Beirut: Biel
44:20 Visions for Beirut’s Port Siloes
50:14 Beirut Urban Lab
58:35 Imagining a Better Beirut in a Stateless Country
Mona Fawaz is a Professor in Urban Studies and Planning at the American University of Beirut (AUB). She is also the co-founder of the Beirut Urban Lab at AUB, and serves as the director of the Social Justice and the City research program at the Issam Fares Institute of Public Policy (also at AUB). Mona was a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Studies at Harvard University during the 2014/15 academic year and in Summer 2017.
Connect with Mona 👉 www.linkedin.com/in/mona-fawa...
Beirut Urban Lab is a collaborative and interdisciplinary research space. It produces scholarship on urbanization by documenting and analyzing ongoing transformation processes in Lebanon and its region's natural and built environments. It intervenes as an interlocutor and contributor to academic debates about historical and contemporary urbanization from its position in the Global South.
Discover Beirut Urban Lab 👉 beiruturbanlab.com/
Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 spoti.fi/47I59ns
Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 mikey_mu?h...
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afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region - past, present and future - through conversations driven by curiosity.
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#Beirut #Architecture #UrbanPlanning #ArabArchitects #ArabArchitecture #MiddleEastCities

[@xaviermadrazo7249]

Thank you for this interview, I enjoyed it a lot ❤

[@afikra]

We're happy you did!

[@konstantinoskatsounis1109]

Beirut is internal - No city in the middle east can compare to The sophistication - The attitude of the people- their genuine Warmth - their positive Attitude - their hope & deep abiding dedication to the preservation Of their way of life - Which is so unique - These indomitable People have endured So much - but they are resilient & steadfast - Good bless them -

[@Corporaysh]

amazing interview

[@afikra]

We're glad you enjoyed it!

[@afikra]

Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:14 Do You Like Beirut? 2:59 Dominant vs Alternative Histories of Beirut 7:22 Beirut’s Informal Settlements: Hayy el-Sellom, Nabaa & Zaitriyeh 10:24 Formal vs Informal Settlements 16:53 Beirut’s Master Plan from the 1950s 30:53 Successful Examples of Community-based Cities 38:00 Reclaimed Land in Beirut: Biel 44:20 Visions for Beirut’s Port Siloes 50:14 Beirut Urban Lab 58:35 Imagining a Better Beirut in a Stateless Country