on august 4th 2020, lebanon‘s coastal capital was devastated by a massive explosion at the city’s port. in the following news coverage that shook countries around the world, the lasting image was the crumbling grain silos that absorbed the blast. beirut-based architect gioia sawaya shares her report on the civil engineering details that explain the robust typology behind the monolithic structure, how it protected the western part of the city from further damage, and the reason the building is still partially standing today.