UNRWA + NBRC: Refugee Camp

A joint effort by an international agency and a national comission, the reconstruction of the Nahr el-Bared camp in Lebanon gives 27,000 refugees a place to live, and was shortlisted for the 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

The reconstruction of Nahr el-Bared Refugee Camp by the United Nations Relief & Works Agency (UNRWA) in collaboration with the Nahr el-Bared Reconstruction Commission for Civil Action and Studies (NBRC), completed in 2011, has been shortlisted for the 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The project undertook the reconstruction of a 27,000 refugee camp, which had been almost fully destroyed during the 2007 war, and involved a planning effort with the entire community, followed by a series of eight construction phases. Limited land and the need of recreating physical and social fabrics were primary considerations.

Established in 1948, the camp followed the extended-family pattern and building typology of the refugees’ villages. In a layout where roads provided light and ventilation, the goal was to increase non-built areas from 11% to 35%: it was achieved by giving each building an independent structural system allowing for vertical expansion up to four floors on a reduced footprint.

On top: Aerial photo of Sasa'a neighbourhood with the camp's adjacent areas. Photo by Abdelnaser Ayi, AKAA. Above: Nahr el-Bared Refugee Camp before the reconstruction. Photo courtesy of the architects, AKAA

Nahr el-Bared Refugee Camp
Location: Tripoli, Lebanon
Architect: United Nations Relief & Works Agency (UNRWA), Nahr el-Bared Reconstruction Commission for Civil Action and Studies (NBRC)
Client: United Nations Relief & Works Agency (UNRWA), Beirut, Lebanon
Completion: 2011
Site size: 190,000 square metres

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Until November 23, 2025, Venice is the global hub for architectural discussion with "Time Space Existence." This biennial exhibition, spearheaded by the European Cultural Centre, features projects from 52 countries, all focused on "Repairing, Regenerating, and Reusing" for a more sustainable future.

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UNRWA + NBRC: Refugee Camp

A joint effort by an international agency and a national comission, the reconstruction of the Nahr el-Bared camp in Lebanon gives 27,000 refugees a place to live, and was shortlisted for the 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

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Time Space Existence: the Future of Architecture In Venice

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