"Description of the restoration of Beit as-Saifi, a rare and outstanding example of 19th Century Lebanese residential architecture that has escaped destruction at the hands of property developers. The book traces the history of the house within the context of the social and economic development of the Saifi district of Beirut. It includes a summary of the Lebanese laws and regulations that currently inhibit the restoration of traditional buildings and private dwellings. This book is of primary interest to an architectural and historical readership."