From top-down to people-centred urban recovery: a Beirut case study

Urban recovery which follows structural devastation presents a multitude of challenges. While top-down recovery approaches are relatively common, there is a growing emphasis on people-centred design, which prioritises the needs and visions of the primary users of the structures involved in recovery. This article identifies the shift from top-down to bottom-up approaches in urban recovery through three case studies from Beirut: the Beirut Central District, Al-Masar Al-Akhdar, and the Karantina neighbourhood. Based on in-situ research, case studies were selected to highlight the contrasting outcomes of top-down versus people-centred recovery efforts. These efforts are particularly evident after the explosion at the port in 2020. Unlike the post-war recovery, the post-blast recovery underscores the complexity and sustainability of people-centred recovery. The article concludes that people-centred approaches to recovery more effectively meet the needs of local communities while fostering the long-term sustainability of the recovered neighbourhoods.