Living Heritage Atlas | Beirut

Living Heritage Atlas | Beirut is a design-based research project that contributes to the urban planning discussion on Beirut's heritage by rendering visible the often unrecognized living heritage of craftsmanship — with its crafts, public spaces, and local knowledge.

The goal of this atlas is to shed light on the intangible heritage of Beirut by highlighting craftspeople's cultural significance, vulnerability, and potential role in crafting the future of Beirut. The project recognizes that craftspeople are an exponentially marginalized and vulnerable group of individuals, operating at the intersection of heritage, the infrastructure of making, and the local economy at different urban scales.

This project seemingly bridges the digital to the physical by advancing three key interventions:

It constructs a digital archive of geolocated historic data and images using visual and textual materials from local archives, residents, and craftspeople.

It implements a series of small neighborhood-wide interventions by disseminating site-specific street stickers and physical signages that connect physical spaces in contemporary Beirut to the historic images available on the Living Heritage Atlas | Beirut digital archive.

It connects stakeholders working on the topic of craftsmanship through community meetings, participatory mapping workshops, and share-your-story events on the spaces and history of craftsmanship in Beirut.