Al-Najjar hold the profession and the surname to back it up. Najjar (Arabic for carpenter) brings 20 years of experience having owned his own carpentry workshop, which was all lost unfortunately in the recent years. Thanks to Mohamad, we were able to implement the same standard of wooden structural support used over three hundred years ago and use it in the restoration process. His extensive experience and robust capabilities have earned him the trusted position of handling all carpentry and wood works in the ongoing restoration operations.

Saeed carries 35 years of experience in stone work, a profession that is on the brink of extension. He began his career working in white stone cladding of villas, a common practice in the region. Aware of the importance of fully understanding the nature of each kind of stone and the structural system of the typical Damascene house and its architectural elements, Saeed spent three years between 1998 and 2001 studying the types and structural nature of stones in Old Damascus. He chose to specialize in
building and renovating old buildings, mastering each and every Islamic architectural element in the Damascene buildings; arches, stone walls, floors, domes, vaults, etc. He participated in renovating more than 20 heritage buildings in Old Damascus, including the Farhi Pasha Al-Mou’allem Palace in the Jewish Quarter, as well as the famous Al-Malek Al-Zaher Bath, and the Beit Jabri and Beit Jeddi restaurants in the old city.

A profession passed down from three generations in the family; the Arabic mortar (or Teen Al-Arabi) is one of the oldest and most deeply-rooted materials used in the renovation of ancient buildings. The Khan was lucky enough to have Sari’s father, Abo Deeb onboard. Abo Deeb’s meticulous and tireless efforts in developing a suitable mortar mixture that meets the scientific resistance requirements.

After more than 50 years of experience that reached Saudi Arabia, Libya, Kuwait, and Lebanon (Baalbak), Abo Deeb sadly passed away at age 72. His legacy and work with the Khan are carried on by his son Sari, who brings more than 20 years of experience in the same field. Together, the Dinhawis have made great achievements restoring many ancient houses and sites across the old city. These include the Bab Sharqi and Bab Touma walls, multiple khans in Souk Medhat Pasha, more than 20 houses in the Jewish Quarter, as well as many store fronts in Al Hariqa, Bzouria, Al-Hamdiyah, and Al-Asrouniah souks, among others.

The Khan’s scientific, architectural, and structural study was prepared and implemented under the supervision of the Center for Architectural and Structural Consultancy headed by the architect Mr. Abdul-Nasser Amairy and his team of engineers Mr. Mohammad Ayman Hafez and Mr. Ahmad Abo Samra.

Mr. Nasser is the head of the Heritage Committee in the Engineering Syndicate in Damascus. He is also an official expert consultant in restoration of traditional and heritage buildings and a lecturer at the Center of Heritage Building Restoration in the Faculty of Architecture at Damascus University. Mr. Amairy’s scientific and professional supervision of this project, and his commitment to maintaining the building’s original architecture make this an essentially scientific and historical restoration project. Amairy and his team are supervising the ongoing restorations, and have taken upon themselves to train young staff members to ensure the sustainability of this operation’s future.

A seasoned project manager, Mr. Ammar is managing the Khan’s restoration with great order and detail. His career began in 1990 in contracting, and he has since completed the construction a variety of engineering and commercial buildings, and has gained extensive and diverse experience in marketing, project management, tenders, and bids.