 Dar Al-Handasah was commissioned by the Lebanese Council for Development and Reconstruction to prepare a master-plan for the rebuilding of the dilapidated central district.Henri Eddeh, a senior architect planner at Dar al-Handasah proposed a complete demolition of the historical city center which was to be replaced by modern buildings and infrastructure.The notion of bulldozing the entire cityscape stirred a heated polemic within the intellectual circles and widespread opposition to the master-plan led to the adoption of an alternate strategy aiming at preserving and renovating what could be salvaged of Beirut's historic buildings.