The city of Damascus represents a paradigmatic case of reconstruction due to its multiple urban issues. Following the 11-year war, Damascus faced two specific problems: first, reconstructing a social fabric for the massive number of displaced people in the eastern and southern parts of the city; second, the need to redefine its cultural and urban identity that has always relied on an attitude of progressive multiculturalism. Throughout its long history, the city became interwoven with multi-cultural and religious architectural buildings and traditional elements that defined the nature of the city. The mixed social structure in terms of ethnicity with different neighborhoods engaged in historical overexposure of a variety of minorities and groups has been a constant element throughout its history. Additionally, the city struggled with an exacerbation of ethnic and socio-economic segregation that affected the increased urban sprawls and informal settlements. This paper aims to address the problem of reconstruction in its broadest sense concentrating on the issue of informal settlements, those related to the tension between socio-economic and cultural aspects that generated after the war several issues in the city’s social resilience and urban development. It will discuss potential criteria for the reconstruction through the mapping of informal settlements, and focus on historical, cultural, and typological in-depth analysis of the city. The criteria for reconstruction and future urban development of informal settlements combine the integration of the local architectural identity and its essential elements with guidelines for possible contemporary interventions. These criteria aim to reintegrate the question of architectural identity into the future reconstruction of these areas, creating a balance between the historical neighborhoods and the new development.