Architecture

In Rmeil, south of Charles Helou.

Visually, Beirut ranks high on the wow scale. Walking around anywhere in the city, you’ll see rich examples of midcentury, French Mandate, neo-Ottoman, Art Deco, Brutalist and Unauthorized Cinderblock architecture. I made that last one up. If the light is right, even a bit of flaking paint can look like a frothy embellishment. I can’t identify them all, but I remember exactly where I was when each of these structures caught my eye.

Fransabank in Hamra. Designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.

Sursock Musee.

Haigazian University (foreground). Hamra Street.

Building at right has sign that says "East Village." Armenia Street.

Allenby Street in Minet El Hosn.

On Armenia Street.

Hamieh Road, southern outskirts.

Gen. Foaad Chehab in Bab Idriss.

Al Amin Mosque (Sunni). Completed in 2005, inaugurated in 2008.

"The Egg" on Bechara El Khoury. Originally intended to be a cinema, it was wrecked in the civil war. Obvs.

St. Dimitri Church and graveyard, Alfred Naccash Street.

East of Adib Ishac, north of the Hotel Dieu Hospital.

Apartment building, also on Adib Ishac, south of Sassine Square.

Where Armenia Street splits into Gouraud and Pasteur in Mar Mikhael. 

Rue Gouraud.

Crap. OK, I can't remember exactly where this is. In Sanayeh,
pretty sure, along Emile Edde/Spears or one of the north-south
streets off it. Too cool to leave out!

Syrian refugee tents, the architecture of their lives having disintegrated. May they return home soon.

Ceiling, Al Amin Mosque.