Walking Beirut

Project idea

From the beginning of our analysis, one of the crucial aspects for us was to reintroduce the idea of ​​Beirut as a port city, which was lost, both with the city's growth and other factors inherent to the country's history. One of them was the militarization action carried out during and after the Lebanese civil war, which took over some infrastructure and areas of the city, thus creating physical barriers to public access to some areas of the city. Another factor is the design of the city's main highway, which traces the old coastline and plays an important role in the distribution of goods both to the rest of Lebanon and to neighbouring countries, and separates de port from the rest of the city.
Another aspect that seemed essential to solving was the lack of natural elements accessible by foot, in a city that is mostly designed for the car, which makes individual travel around the city quite uncomfortable.

Project description

In this way, the proposal is assumed in two moments, the first is in the light structure that crosses the port in the direction of the identified axes in the urban fabric. The second moment is in the program that is designed from this structure.
The port master plan is divided into 4 different areas according to the required program. The first two most central are the passenger terminal area connected to the free zone.
The cruise terminal assumes … The free zone is designed under a light structure that draws a square. This square serves both as a connection to the transport terminals, at Charles Helou, as well as as an entrance to the commercial area of ​​the free zone. The third is the reactivation of the martyrs' square… And the fourth is the area of ​​the container terminal located opposite the karantina.

Technical information

A Walkable Structure that allows you to pass the barrier of major roadways.

Documentation

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