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This architectural research project was developed by Arine APRAHAMIAN under the mentorship of Anne LACATON and supported by the Rolex Perpetual Arts Initiative.
The full scope of the research will be published in a book of the same title, scheduled for release in mid-2026.

The Value of the Existing is an architectural exercise focusing on Bourj Hammoud, a densely populated, relatively lower-income neighborhood located in the eastern suburbs of Beirut, just beyond the Beirut River.



By recognizing the value in the existing before intervening, the study explores how minimal yet intentional design strategies can enhance spatial and living quality, as well as climate comfort, within the economic constraints of a neighborhood where space is a luxury and public areas are nearly absent.