ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses water infrastructure in Lebanon, its current state and demise, and proposes a new water narrative that moves away from large-scale infrastructure to prioritize small-scale, decentralized, and agile water systems favoring people and environment over profit and political proclamations. It frames the water dilemma and narrative as part of an urgent global concern requiring a necessary re-evaluation as commons. The chapter moves to highlight this approach to a new local narrative through the methodology of an advanced architecture seminar, “Micro Infrastructure”, and the work of the students at the American University of Beirut. Revolving around scalar problematics of regional water struggles, local corruption, pollution, and toxicity, the work highlights a descaled, decentralized, and agile attitude towards the water sector, and aims to shift the local water narrative to generate a momentum for change.
