Roots of Resilience

Beirut, Lebanon

Roots of Resilience is a memorial and community center that honors the strength and perseverance of the Lebanese people in the face of historical challenges, particularly the 2020 Beirut port explosion. The project occupies a site near the blast zone, transforming a damaged area into a place of remembrance, healing, and community gathering. The architecture employs a powerful yet restrained language that balances commemoration with forward-looking optimism. The memorial component features a contemplative garden with a series of sculptural elements that represent different aspects of Lebanese resilience throughout history. Water plays a central role in the design, with reflecting pools that create moments of quiet contemplation while symbolizing renewal and continuity. The community center provides flexible spaces for cultural events, educational programs, and support services that address ongoing community needs. The building incorporates fragments of structures damaged in the explosion, preserving these elements as powerful reminders while integrating them into a new context that speaks to recovery and rebuilding. The landscape design uses native Lebanese plants arranged in patterns inspired by traditional agricultural terracing, connecting the site to the broader cultural landscape. The project was developed through an extensive community engagement process, ensuring that it authentically represents collective memory while serving practical functions for neighborhood residents.