"To me, a place has to be human. I’m not an architect, but I don’t like tall buildings, I like the old homes. A place like the RKIF that has cultural heritage for us needs to be rehabilitated so that it can be accessible to the people of Lebanon," says Ramzi Maalouf, son of the late Khalil Maalouf, one of the founders of ACE/DAR, the engineering firm subcontracted to build the Rachid Karami International Fair (RKIF).
Thanks to Ramzi’s detailed recollection, the legacy of Khalil Maalouf has come to life once more. Khalil was a visionary engineer whose contributions to Lebanon's infrastructure and engineering education remain foundational. Born in an era of great transition, Khalil Maalouf graduated from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 1941 with a Bachelor of Arts. He began his career teaching at AUB from 1941 to 1944 before joining the first-ever class of the Bachelor of Science in Engineering program at AUB in 1944.
His academic journey took him to Imperial College London for graduate studies, where he earned a Diploma of Imperial College (DIC) and a PhD in 1950. Although he had also been offered a place at MIT, Khalil opted for Imperial College due to its proximity to Lebanon and his love for music, particularly the nearby Music Hall, as he was an avid pianist.
Returning to Lebanon, Khalil sought a government position but was denied due to sectarian considerations. This led him in 1951 to accept a role with the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) in Tripoli, where he became the hydraulic engineer responsible for managing water flow from Kirkuk to Tripoli. By 1954, he had returned to Beirut, troubled by two issues: the gap between academic engineering and fieldwork, and the absence of professional consulting engineering firms in the Middle East.
Determined to address these gaps, Khalil initiated a work project at AUB to bridge the gap between theory and practice for engineering students. In 1955, he founded the Middle East's first professional consulting firm, which became known as Dar al Handassah and ACE (Associated Consulting Engineers), with a focus on collaborative, multidisciplinary engineering.
The firm's early days began humbly, operating out of Ramzi Maalouf’s childhood bedroom. Khalil partnered with some of the region’s top engineers, including AUB professors Samir Tabet, Victor Andraoss, Nazih Taleb, and Kamal Shair. Though the firm initially operated under a unified name, it split into separate entities soon after its foundation. Khalil’s vision was always team-oriented, emphasizing that great work could only be accomplished through collaboration.
"My father was one of the best engineers of his time," Ramzi reflects. "Not because he was my father, but because he had a vision, embraced multidisciplinary approaches, and knew that the strength of a team far outweighed the efforts of any one individual."
Khalil Maalouf’s career extended beyond his consulting work. He continued teaching graduate courses at AUB until the late 1960s and served as Head of the Beirut Syndicate of Engineers and Architects between 1973 and 1974. However, with the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War in 1975, Khalil sold ACE to Alex Bourri. In his later years, he acted as a special advisor to the president of the Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC).
Ramzi remembers his father as a deeply private man, more animated in social settings, but always focused on his professional endeavors. Ramzi also shares a fascinating family connection: a helicopter ride in 1967 where his father, Pierre Gemayel, and then-CEGP head Malek Salam surveyed a public project site. Khalil Maalouf’s engineering expertise and relationships with influential Lebanese figures, such as the Karami family, who he met in London in 1949, helped secure his place as an authority in the field.
Reflecting on his father's work on the RKIF, Ramzi considers the importance of preserving Lebanon's cultural heritage. He believes that rehabilitating the RKIF would not only honor its history but also make it a vibrant space for future generations. "People might not initially understand the importance of the RKIF’s architectural features, but exposure to such spaces shapes the new generation. Just as I didn’t understand music as a child, yet grew to love it, future generations will grow to appreciate this site’s significance."
Khalil Maalouf's story is one of vision, resilience, and dedication to Lebanon’s progress. His influence lives on through his contributions to engineering and cultural heritage, inspiring those who follow in his footsteps.
