Following the explosion in the port of Beirut on 4 August 2020, hundreds of 18th and 19th century historic buildings and palaces, as well as museums, libraries, art galleries, and people’s homes were damaged instantly. Frames warped, doors were blown out, glass shattered, and roofs collapsed.
One of those most severely affected was the historic Ministry of Foreign Affairs building. The Bustros Palace has been home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for over 70 years. The family were one of the original Beirut families who constituted the traditional high society of Beirut. In 1944, Eveline Bustros (formerly Tuéni), who lived there after her marriage to Gabriel Bustros, rented the palace to the state.
Read more about the history of the palace
- The Bustros Family: Wikipedia Commons
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs History and destiny of a palace. www.DiscoverLebanon.com
- The Evelyne Bustros Collection, 1878-1971. A Finding Aid to the Collection in the University Libraries, AUB. Prepared by: Dalya Nouh. Archives and Special Collections Department, American University of Beirut, Lebanon © 2018
- Lorenzo Trombetta: The Private Archive of the Sursuqs, a Beirut Family of Christian Notables: An Early Investigation.
Free download available from Academia.edu
Following the blast, urgent intervention was required. The blast resulted in the complete loss of all doors and windows, the damaging of the roof structure and the loss of tiles, and subsequently the detachment of the northern wall. The inside of the building, namely its two floors, was filled with a large amount of rubble and debris that included various architectural and decoration elements and antique furniture; its Baghdadi ceiling (traditional construction of the inside ceilings consisting of wood, grills and plaster layers, held by the roof structure) was severely damaged and partly collapsed and obstructed entry to areas of the building. The roof – which supported the walls – was mostly destroyed, and the walls began to bow, becoming unstable. The roof itself was wooden, covered with clay tiles. There was a risk of materials disappeared into the black market and urgent work was needed.
Three parties working on securing and protecting the building with the constant support and presence of the DGA: LAF, UNIFIL and the Blue Shield.
Blue Shield had the main tasks of assessing the building and ensuring a thorough research about the state it was in, in order to be able to apply the right techniques and involve the right people in the right tasks so to provide the best progress.
- coordination between the 4 parties
- procuring materials
- procuring funds
- providing the expertise for the operation with a team of 4 architects (2 of which are university professors)
The LAF was in charge of the heavy duty tasks as well as providing a helping hand for the ministry officials to remove official documents and secure them. The heavy duty tasks consisted mostly of removing the extra debris load off of the roof structure in order to, first, assess the condition of the wooden structure, second, alleviate the extra dumb weight that might cause extra damage and third, give access to the expert to elaborate a detail for the temporary covering without applying an invasive method that would obstruct future renovation plans. Lastly and more importantly, the LAF had the crucial role of covering the roof with ToT panels (corrugated metal sheets) to insulate the structure from the elements, specifically the rain. The army had the following tasks:
- Procuring the trained personnel (carpenters, smiths, tilers, etc.)
- Covering the roof
- Securing official documents
On the other hand, the UNIFIL had the fundamental tasks of preparing and producing the material, procured by BS, to be sent up to the LAF on the roof in order for them to work more efficiently. However, the UNIFIL also had the task of sorting the debris, and storing, in specifically prepared rooms, all salvageable architectural and decorative elements to be restored and used in the future, such as (sandstone blocks from the interior arcade supporting the central part of the roof that collapsed and caused what’s above it to fall in the central hall, wooden elements decorating the windows, marble columns , gypsum cornices and painted part of the ceilings, etc.) These items were cleaned before storage for use in the future studies for restoration as well. The UNIFIL had the following tasks:
- Clearing rubble
- Sorting debris and storing them
- Covering exposed elements
- Producing the needed material for the LAF
Architect‐restorer Jean Samaha organised a follow‐up detailed survey of the damage and the work at all levels. The work was completed in a span of 5 weeks in the MOFA and it was one of the very first historical houses to be secured in Beirut by this team.
Download the Architect’s reports of damage and interventions.
With thanks to Jean Samha
Intervention urgente sur la charpente en bois Lot N 31 Ashrafieh:
(Report of the Required Urgent Interventions and Method Statement – FRENCH ONLY)
Survey and Urgent Interventions Undertaken (English overview)
1- Consolidation.
2- Visitors, and surrounding security.
3- Risks of Fire.
4- Hygiene and shrubs removal.
5- Artifacts protection and brief documentation.
6- Protection against vandalism and intrusions.
7- Waterproofing,
8- Contextual issues.
(Status: report issued following the work which lasted for nine days at the end of October 2020. FRENCH ONLY)
