Marwan Rechmaoui examines the interplay between architectural forms, industrial materials and map-making. His sculptures often act as minimalist totems, interweaving  continuous struggle over urban control and development with never-ending reconstruction. Monument for the Living (2001–2008) is a concrete scale model of the abandoned Burj Al Murr in central Beirut. This 34-storey high-rise building played a significant role in the ‘Battle of the Hotels’ (1975–1977) during the Lebanese Civil War. The top floors of the building served as an outpost for snipers, while the basement became a site for interrogation and ammunition storage. Rechmaoui’s work testifies to the suffering of his hometown, endured in the complexities of the post-war rebuilding as well as the ravages of war. Unlike model-making in architecture, which usually showcases progress and future development, Monument for the Living memorialises a past marked by destruction, loss and instability.