Architecture as Document
Preserving the modernist heritage of the 1930s and 40s in Beirut
The project of the Centre for Documentary Architecture is dedicated to documenting the modern architecture of the 1930s and 40s in Beirut. The aim is to document the remaining buildings of international modernism and the efforts to preserve them. Scattered throughout the city of Beirut, these architectures have been subjected to decades of war, destruction and neglect since their construction. In addition, the blast wave from the massive explosion in the port of Beirut in 2020, which killed more than 135 people and injured more than 5,000, destroyed many unique structures in adjacent residential neighbourhoods that were already in a precarious state.- © Anna Luise Schubert, Centre for Documentary Architecture
- © Anna Luise Schubert, Centre for Documentary Architecture
- © Anna Luise Schubert, Centre for Documentary Architecture
- © Anna Luise Schubert, Centre for Documentary Architecture
A central approach is to view architecture as documents that, in their materiality and the way they are preserved, also shed light on political, economic and social issues. The focus on buildings from the 1930s and 40s is ultimately intended to highlight the forgotten history of international modernism in the region and to show regionally closely networked connections between architects, builders, traders and migration movements. The project promotes the exchange of knowledge, working methods and interests across regional borders and contributes to a new understanding of the historical and cultural significance of this architecture.