Beirut Souks

Designed by Rafael Moneo

Beirut, Lebanon

Photographed in 2018

The South Souks, Moneo’s 2009 project in Beirut, responds to a long history and anticipates a lasting future. After the city’s historic souq (outdoor marketplace) was destroyed during the Lebanese Civil War, developer Solidere began rebuilding the commercial area in 1991. As part of the project, Moneo designed an arcaded shopping district that follows the ancient Hellenistic grid and retains original street names.

Designing a city fragment that was sensitive in its meeting points with the existing city, that was identifiable as an entity, able to accommodate a large parking lot, etc., in compliance with all of the modern city’s ordinances, gave rise to a project that, given its size, would play a decisive role in linking the different parts of a city whose war wounds were still healing.