Khaled Mouzanar at We Design Beirut 2025 – Photo by Charbel Saade.

Design “We Design Beirut is about rebuilding connection with our city, our people, and our creative roots,” the design week’s founder, Mariana Wehbe, told Archipanic. For its second edition, the Lebanese capital became a living stage for the country’s creativity, gathering designers, architects, and artisans to celebrate design, craftsmanship, and heritage across some of Beirut’s most historically and architecturally treasured landmarks. Set against the city’s layered urban fabric, We Design Beirut showcased exhibitions, installations, talks, workshops, and excursions that highlighted the dialogue between past, present, and future.

• RELATED STORIES: Read more about We Design Beirut on Archipanic.

Mariana Wehbe – Portrait by Marco Pinarelli.

“Design has always been a form of resilience here; it allows us to reimagine what’s possible, even in the face of ongoing challenges.” This edition explored legacy, revival, and continuity, staging a cultural renaissance fifty years after the start of Lebanon’s civil conflict. “We Design Beirut isn’t about celebrating objects; it’s about celebrating people, collaboration, culture, heritage, and the energy that is created when a community comes together in unity.”

Of Water and Stone exhibition – Photo by Walid Rashid.

Anchored in empowerment, preservation, and sustainability, We Design Beirut fostered cross-disciplinary collaboration, creating a living network of creative exchange between students, designers, artisans, educators, and architects.

Design ‘In’ Conflict at Burj El Murr – Photo by Ieva Saudargaite.

Challenges for Lebanese creatives remain daunting. “There are many: instability, limited resources, and the constant pressure to leave in search of opportunity. But at the same time, there’s a deep sense of commitment to stay, to create here, and to redefine what it means to build a future in Lebanon. This moment has pushed many designers and craftsmen to be more resourceful, more collaborative, and more intentional about the kind of work they put into the world.”

WDB at the Abroyan Factory – Photo by Bernard Khalil.

Highlights included a youth-led show at the neglected Burj El Murr skyscraper, reflecting on how conflict shapes space, architecture, and design and Beirut-inspired design totems at a beautifully restored 20th-century Ottoman villa. Meanwhile, installations at Beirut’s Roman baths reimagined ancient rituals of cleansing and connection through contemporary marble design. Find out more.

Installation at the Immeuble de l’Union – Photo by Youssef Itani.

We Design Beirut 2025 served as both a healing platform and an international showcase, reigniting passion, bridging generations, and highlighting Lebanon’s role as a resilient hub of design in the Middle East. Every corner of the city, every exhibition and installation, reminded visitors why We Design Beirut isn’t just an event—it’s a movement.

WDB 2025 at Villa Audi – Photo by Charbel Saade.

All photos are by We Design Beirut.

• RELATED STORIES: Read more about Lebanese architecture and design on Archipanic.

In the centre: Hala Matta and Zein Daouk at WDB 2025 – Photo by Charbel Saade.