A restaurant, park, museum, motel and several multipurpose halls are the main components of this complex, built in a style inspired by traditional Lebanese and Islamic architecture. Set up by a charity to provide employment opportunities for orphans, the centre is a tourist destination and a site for cultural events such as poetry readings. As far as possible, the structure is environmentally friendly, making use of recycled material from ruined buildings: principally sandstone, but also wood and rubble. The construction technology, however, is contemporary, with prestressed concrete I-beams allowing for large spans in the multipurpose halls.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture