Beirut City Center

After the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), a massive rebuilding of the destroyed city of Beirut was undertaken. Solidere was formed with the goal of re-developing and reconstructing Beirut's Central District into the finest city center in the Middle East. In 2002, the photographer Larry E. McPherson was commissioned to document the current state of the City Center. Between 2002 and 2004, he made four trips, spending a total of six months photographing in Lebanon. McPherson's understated, visually affectionate photographs convey the natural beauty of Beirut's setting between the Mediterranean Sea and Lebanon's snow covered mountains. It also encompasses the archeological sites made into public areas, gardens, perfectly restored architecture from the Ottoman and French periods, and elegantly integrated new construction.