CSBE Mission Statement

The quality of life that we human beings lead greatly depends on the character of the buildings and cities we inhabit. We consequently deserve architecture that is well designed, that engages our aesthetic sensibilities, and that uses efficient and environmentally sensitive technologies. We deserve cities that provide healthy environments for the various activities in which human beings engage, have adequate open spaces, are unpolluted, and are friendly to pedestrians. We need to protect our architectural and urban heritage in a manner that connects us to our past, but also allows us to look forward to the future.

The Center for the Study of the Built Environment (CSBE), which was founded in 1999, is a non-profit, private study and research institution that aims at addressing these challenges affecting the built environment in Jordan and beyond. The built environment is defined in a comprehensive manner to include all physical components of human settlements such as buildings, streets, open spaces, and infrastructure. CSBE is therefore an interdisciplinary center that addresses areas including environmental studies, urban design and planning, conservation, architecture, landscape architecture, and construction technologies. To accomplish our goals, we engage in a variety of activities including research projects, print and digital publishing, workshops, and the design and implementation of pilot projects.

Prezi Presentation on CSBE: This presentation includes an overview of CSBE's mission, vision, and areas of focus. It also features information on CSBE’s projects, activities, as well as publications and recourses.

Lecture on CSBE: This lecture by CSBE Founding Director Mohammad al-Asad, which is entitled “The Center for the Study of the Built Environment (CSBE): A Twenty-Year Journey,” and which was delivered at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design in October 2018, provides an overview of the evolution of CSBE and its work.

Note: CSBE closed in October 2021. The CSBE website, however, will continue to be operational. The website provides extensive documentation of the work that CSBE carried out during the 22 years of its existence.