With her Beirut- and Paris-based company Culture in Architecture, Lebanese architect Aline Asmar d’Amman has led private residential projects across Europe and the Middle East since 2011. For her most ambitious project to date, she oversaw the artistic direction of the Hôtel de Crillon’s four-year renovation and the interior design of some of the Paris hotel’s historic spaces and suites. Though deeply inspired by travel, her affections lie squarely with Beirut, her first love and home until the start of her career, where she returns regularly. Following recent protests in Beirut in reaction to President Trump’s recent announcements, she spoke to us about why you should feel at ease visiting the city, where to eat and shop, and how to navigate once you’re there.

Why is it a good time to visit Beirut?

Despite recent and ongoing political tensions, visiting Beirut is a must. It’s a city of diversity and multiculturalism. Being in Beirut means living in the moment intensely… and sometimes on the edge. The Lebanese will do anything to make a tourist feel safe and at home. It’s important to remember that the Lebanese mentality is forged on the idea of enjoying life urgently, as you never know what tomorrow brings. This creates a unique energy that must be experienced.

On the ground, the city is buzzing with creativity. You can sense it from the proliferation of artistic, literary, and design fairs (like the Beirut Design Fair) in addition to many new and renovated museums. For example, the legendary Sursock Museum was renovated by Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Jacques Aboukhaled and hosts highly anticipated exhibitions alongside the founder Nicolas Sursock’s personal collection.

It's a city that upholds its authenticity; it is an anti-Dubai. A place where intensity has great resonance.

You've been going back and forth between Paris and Beirut for years. What do you look forward to most when you land in Beirut for another visit?

First and foremost, Beirut means coming home, so I look forward to the comfort food at my parent’s house and sleeping in my bedroom filled with books. Beyond that, I mainly enjoy seeing the horizon. The Mediterranean Sea is the beginning of everything—the alphabet, knowledge, endless movement, and better tomorrows. There’s nothing I miss more when I leave Beirut than to be able to look far and refuel with this enchanting view.