Academics to discuss impact of 'reconstruction ' on urban cities

Architecture academics and business experts will be gathering virtually to discuss how reconstruction has impacted cities across the world.

The free online event, titled 'The Aftermath of Reconstruction: From Beirut to Coventry ', hosted by Chamber patron Arup alongside the online urbanist platform and magazine, Arab Urbanism, will take place on 10 March starting from 2pm.

In the panel discussion, speakers will cover the process of post-war reconstruction in Beirut and Coventry, comparing their different historical moments and regional settings.

While both cities remain culturally and geographically different, Arup says that parallels can be drawn between the destruction caused to the architecture and central spaces in Coventry during the Blitz of the Second World War and also in Beirut during the Lebanon War and how the two cities have had to rebuild their infrastructures after experiencing such devastation.

Arup says that with more cities under threat of new losses to their social, cultural and urban fabrics as a result of decades of destruction, the event will focus what can be learnt from Beirut and Coventry about the long-term consequences of reconstruction.

Leading the event is Ammar Azzouz (pictured), architect and research associate at the School of Geography and the Environment for the University of Oxford where he focusses on urban violence, destruction and reconstruction of contested cities.

He is also an analyst at Arup, a collective member at CITY academic journal and an editor for Arab Urbanism.

Ammar will also be joined by Dr Aya Nassar (Durham University), Dr Elly Harrowell (Coventry University), Dr Mark Webb (Medieval Coventry) , Dr Hiba Bou Akar (Columbia GSAPP) and Professor Howayda Al-Harithy (American University of Beirut)

Ammar said: “During the last decade, my city Homs in Syria has been transformed by mass destruction of its architecture and displacement of its people. But before Homs, other cities in History, such as Beirut and Coventry, have been reshaped by destruction and reconstruction.

“As many cities today are in ruins, it is important to learn from what Beirut and Coventry can tell us about the impact that reconstruction can have on these cities decades later. ”

For more information or to book your place, click here.