We are deeply saddened to share the death of Houssam Batal ‘10 MSRED, CEO of Premium Projects, who was lost in the tragic explosion on August 4 in Beirut, Lebanon. As an established real estate developer, he served on the Board of Directors of the Lebanon Real Estate Developers Association, and built properties in New York, Los Angeles, and Beirut over the past 15 years. Houssam was a champion of the arts as a universal means of communication, and invested in the Belvedere Art Space, a gallery based in Beirut that promoted a diverse roster of international artists. He was also an avid restaurant investor in Beirut’s Zaytouna Bay area, namely credited with the success of St. Elmo’s, Cro Magnon, and Lekmet Gebran, among others.

We remember Houssam’s entrepreneurial spirit, leadership, and ingenuity, and, above all, his incredible kindness and generosity to the Columbia GSAPP community. He is survived by his wife and two children, siblings and parents, as well as countless friends and colleagues around the world.