Historical Context: The Khan al Askar, Caravanserai of Soldiers, also known as Khan al Asra, Caravanserai of Hostages and Khan al Hareer, Caravanserai of Silk was built in Tripoli in the 13th Century to serve as a garrison for the new city. This would explain the mammoth scale of its two massive units, too large for any ordinary trading or commercial purpose. In the more recent past, the Khan al- Askar certainly performed that very function for the Ottomans and French.

In 1955 Tripoli’s Abu Ali River overflowed, destroying dozens of homes and businesses. Many families were temporarily moved to the Khan al Askar until they could be compensated and relocated. Their stay in the Khan, ended up lasting for more than 50 years.
As of 2005, when the most recent census was conducted, the khan housed 71 families –Approximately 350 people – and had 47 shops in and around it. When the rehabilitation project was launched in 2010 the families living in the Khan moved into their new apartments, a short walk from where many lived for half a century.

Client: Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) - Cultural Heritage and Urban Development (CHUD)
Consultant/Designer: Rafik El-Khoury & Partners Consulting Engineers – Team/Bitar
Funding: Co‐financed with a loan from the World Bank, French Agency for Development and Italian Cooperation.

Project area: 5200 m2

Description: Khan al Askar consists mainly of two adjoining rectangular khans, designated as Block A for the big khan and Block B for the small one. Since "the original" building is the outcome of continuous change during many centuries, the question was which historical phase of the Khan to emphasize on or to restore.
The original late‐Mamluk building layout was respected, its typology re‐valorized and its in situ elements preserved. Elements, belonging to other phases [ottoman, late‐ottoman and mandate] and that are still present on site were identified and restored.
Elements on which we have no evidence weren't invented or imagined, as per international restoration charters. The concrete additions after the war damages and the inhabitants’ interventions were removed and the collapsed vault in the 1st floor rebuilt after the study of the original vaulting system. A whitewashed lime plaster was added to protect the stone covered masonry of the building.
In some spots new systems were invented mainly to avoid maintenance issues; it is clear that they are a new addition and not a copy from existing structures.

Works included:

- Review and Complete the Preliminary Design and Survey
- Preparing the Detailed Design Drawings
- Cleaning of the historical buildings and removing chaotic additions
- Consolidation and reparation of structural problems
- Restoration of the elevations and roof, openings
- Setting up of mechanical and electrical main installations
- Final restoration of some of the shops at the ground floor level
- The final finishing works are to be carried out in a next phase depending on the users and the function to be integrated in the building.

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