we design beirut postponed to 2024 due to the israel

we design beirut postponed to march 2024

Following the devastating Israel-Gaza war that erupted this month, Lebanon’s highly anticipated four-day festival, We Design Beirut, has been postponed until March 2024. The violence, which claimed over 1,500 lives, has spilled over Lebanon’s southern borders, prompting event founders and designboom’s media partners to press pause for now. ‘Due to the recent tragic events in Gaza and Israel, we cannot fathom putting anyone at risk, in any way, shape, or form. We also cannot consider celebrating our city at such a dark moment in time, when so many lives have been taken in such a brutal and unjust way, on all sides,’ writes Mariana Wehbe, founder & creative director of We Design Beirut.

Initially scheduled to run between October 27 and October 30, 2023, WE DESIGN BEIRUT represents Lebanon’s grand return to the design scene after the country succumbed to a series of tragic events: a debilitating economic crisis, the Covid pandemic, and the devastating 2020 Beirut Port Explosion. ‘We had hoped that We Design Beirut would revive our country, and demonstrate the immense creativity of Beirut. A project we would invite you all to be part of with open arms,’ continues Mariana.

Beit Kassar – Baghdadi ceiling | image © Colombe Clier

reviving lebanon’s design scene following years of turmoil

Set in the Lebanese capital, We Design Beirut is a non-profit four-day design experience that celebrates and promotes design and creativity through a rich program of designer showcases, installations, talks, and workshops in the fields of interior design, architecture, furniture, product design, functional art, ceramics, home accessories, and rugs. Founded by Mariana Wehbe of Mariana Wehbe Public Relations, in partnership with Samer Alameen and Bananamonkey, the yearly event engages the creative talent of both established and emerging designers, artisans, specialists, and educators in the event’s themes of empowerment, preservation, and sustainability.

Funquetry occasional table by Nada Debs | image © courtesy We Design Beirut

a glance at the program

Staged against the backdrop of some of Lebanon’s most iconic sites, We Design Beirut pays homage to Beirut’s design history and creative spirit centered around our three pillars: WE Empower, WE Preserve, and WE Sustain. Sprawled across the city and beyond, WE Sites include The Abroyan Factory I Union Marks, an old abandoned textile factory, which will serve as a hub for the theme of sustainability. Further afield in Tripoli, a visit and walk-through of the Oscar Neimeyer Fairgrounds, the largest project for the revered architect outside of his native Brazil, and recently partially renovated by the Aga Khan award recipients for 2022, EAST Architecture Studio. Meanwhile, the internatinally renowned lighting design house PSLab, which was destroyed by the blast, will serve as the official headquarters of We Design Beirut. Another noteworthy activation site is the 1960s Cinema Royal landmark, previously abandoned and now transformed into a vibrant cultural center.

JHania | image courtesy We Design Beirut

Despite the brutal and heavy reality draping over the region today, Mariana Wehbe assures that this event ‘will never be cancelled, and we now have great assurance of its need and certain success.‘ She ends her message with a touching note of hope and perserverance for Lebanese and everyone affected by this tragedy: ‘We do not despair and continue to have hope, and what we know and promise you is a beautiful spring with many of the flowers and trees, and everything we know in the city coming back to life, like it always does and will continue to do.’ The new dates for We Design Beirut are set for March 4-7, 2024.

Rachid Karami International Fair by Oscar Niemeyer | image courtesy We Design Beirut