La demeure abandonnée d’un ancien premier ministre, l’un des plus remarquables édifices de Zokak el-Blat à Beyrouth, un ancien hôtel de prestige qui expose désormais ses blessures de guerre, un palace du XVIIe siècle à Deir El Qamar, un sublime hammam du XIVe siècle à l’abandon, le complexe de la Foire internationale de Tripoli, un ensemble construit par Oscar Niemeyer tombé en ruine avant même d’avoir été terminé, des bâtiments désertés, des architectures grandioses délabrées…
Guerres civiles, manque de considération pour un patrimoine en danger, explosion du port de Beyrouth… le temps a fait son oeuvre sur de nombreux joyaux architecturaux du Liban.
Un reportage photographique exceptionnel.
L’histoire d’amour du photographe James Kerwin avec le Liban a commencé en 2017, lorsqu’il a lancé ses recherches pour localiser des lieux abandonnés uniques. Le coup de foudre s’est confirmé en 2019 lorsqu’il a enfin pu s’y rendre en personne et découvrir de ses propres yeux les merveilles architecturales qui y dorment.
Beautiful yet haunting photographs of abandoned places in Lebanon – once-thriving buildings now ravaged by nature and time are the subject of this fascinating, coffee table photo book. Lebanon is a country that still holds many secrets of what life was like there prior to the civil war, and more recently the Beirut port blast.
Inside, we discover ruins, deserted buildings, and glamorous architecture all tucked away from the public eye. These include the abandoned mansion of a former prime minister, one of the most remarkable buildings in Zokak el-Blat, Beirut, a once glorious hotel now bearing its war wounds, a 17th-century palace in Deir El Qamar, and a stunning yet unfinished passion project, where each arch of the structure reflects a different civilization.
The book features properties from North to South, including Tripoli, Beirut, and further South – with some lesser-known gems mixed throughout the pages. I’ve also included sections on the Lebanese mansion, containing some stunning Baghdadi Ceilings. And a section on the 2020 Beirut Blast recovery.
My love affair with Lebanon started in 2017 when he began his research into locating interesting, unique, and abandoned architecture. That relationship grew stronger when he finally set foot in the country for the first time in 2019 and began uncovering these architectural delights – I returned in 2021 to complete this publication.
