An outstanding photographic report that draws attention to the often dramatic fate of Lebanon's abandoned heritage and its frequently forgotten beauty.

In Architecture, Power and Religion in Lebanon, Ward Vloeberghs explores Rafiq Hariri’s patronage and his posthumous legacy to demonstrate how religious architecture becomes a site for power struggles in contemporary Beirut. By tracing the 150 year-long history of the Muhammad al-Amin Mosque – Lebanon’s principal Sunni mosque – and the subsequent development of the site as a commemoration venue, this account offers a unique illustration of how architecture, religion and power become discursively and visually entangled. Set in a multi-confessional society marked by social inequalities and political fragmentation, this interdisciplinary study analyses how architectural practice and urban reconfigurations reveal a nascent personality cult, communal mourning, and the consolidation of political territory in relation to constantly shifting circumstances.

Residential architecture as a discipline is heavily influenced by culture: both of the architect and of the country where it is located. This dazzling collection of homes by Lebanese architects is richly informed by both historical and modern Lebanon, taking into account all factors of life in that country, from the climate and the vernacular architecture, to the troubled past and Beirut's explosion as a fashionable, modern city. Featuring both urban and rural residences, and even works by trailblazing Lebanese architects in other countries, this book provides and unforgettable glimpse into the traditions, aspirations and influences of Lebanese innovators in the fields of architecture and design.

The small city of Anjar lies about sixty kilometers east of Beirut, in Lebanon. Its history borders on the miraculous. In 1939 a group of Armenians from the area Musa Dagh, who had survived the massacre and persecution perpetrated by the Young Turks, found each other. With support from the French colonial government, they managed to buy the land. Not only did the city planning that ensued foresee giving each family some land and a house, they also built three confessional schools in Anjar-apostolic, catholic, protestant. In celebration of the city's eightieth anniversary, the architects Vartivar Jaklian and Hossep Bahovan discuss this utopia, which is devoted to social and individual life, in this illustrated volume containing historical sketches and current photographs, as well as companion texts. The film accompanying the book also features interviews with today's residents of Anjar.

1.Introduction 2.The Arab Region 3.The origins of architecture 4. Traditional materials for construction 5. Traditional structures 6.Shelter in the Arab Region 7.The planning elements 8.Water and waste management 9.Traditional design strategies 10.Exceptions to the rule 11.Case studies 12.Western vs Eastern ways 13.Appendix.

"A balance of sophistication and clarity in the writing, authoritative entries, and strong cross-referencing that links archtects and structures to entries on the history and theory of the profession make this an especially useful source on a century of the world's most notable architecture. The contents feature major architects, firms, and professional issues; buildings, styles, and sites; the architecture of cities and countries; critics and historians; construction, materials, and planning topics; schools, movements, and stylistic and theoretical terms. Entries include well-selected bibliographies and illustrations."--"Reference that rocks," American Libraries, May 2005.