THE NEW HEART OF BEIRUT

Project idea

The designed concept for the reconstruction of the Beirut Seaport involves the creation of a space containing multiple coexisting functions. The presented urban premise has been divided into two main zones: open to the city and the closed port area. Within the former there are many residential, service, cultural, sports and recreational facilities, as well as extensive green areas. The closed port area, which is larger in area, is accessible only to employees of the industrial part of the Port. Within it, among other things, the loading and unloading of ships, storage of goods, customs control, and other industrial and logistical services related to maritime trade operate. Numerous paved spaces between the buildings serve as storage areas for containers arriving by ship at the Port.

Project description

CLOSED DISTRICT AREA

The division of the closed part of the port is very clear, and its layout is related to the creation of the most balanced unit possible in terms of operational efficiency. The main entrance to the closed part is the passage under the new Port Administration Building, which acts as a "gateway" to this area of the industrial part.
This part is divided into the various zones necessary for the proper operation of the port: the administration zone, the zone of storage and industrial buildings, a yard for import and export vehicles, an area for storing empty containers, space for a new storage silo, a terminal area for loaded containers prepared for shipment, and a parking area for trucks. All these areas are located in adjacent sectors and are directly interconnected. This layout makes the port's operation run smoothly and achieves the best results in terms of speed and convenience.
An important aspect for the warehousing and industrial facilities being designed in this area is the proposed use of photovoltaic panels on the roofs, which will generate the electricity needed to cover the electricity demand of this part of the port. This solution will provide partial independence of this area from external situations and will significantly reduce the cost of operating the complex.
In addition, the port-industrial part includes, as well as a free storage zone, which can be rented by various types of business entities whose activities do not have to be directly related to maritime trade. Therefore, this zone is not an integral part of the closed port establishment.

OPEN DISTRICT AREA

In the open part of the presented concept, an urban layout has been designed, from which emerges a new city district with multifunctional buildings, with numerous public spaces and green areas. In this area, a clear division of zones was applied, taking into account the function performed by the buildings located in each of them.
There was created a zone for multi-family residential buildings, an office and service zone, a recreational space with a sports hall and outdoor fields, a collective zone for the transportation infrastructure of the entire district with a bus station building and a multi-level parking lot. In addition, an important object in the whole concept is the passenger terminal building located at the waterfront. Facades are created from various types of geometric patterns, which are a contemporary interpretation of traditional Middle Eastern ornamentation derived from organic floral patterns and calligraphically represented symbols, have been proposed as possible facades of the designed objects. The structures of the designed objects should guarantee the safety of users, including in the conditions of future possible disasters, for example, by implementing selected material and construction solutions.
The entirety of the designed zones is unified by numerous public spaces, parks, squares, greenery forming buffers between areas, squares, tree rows or boulevards. Among the most important public spaces is the central square designed next to the silo, which is intended to serve as a space of remembrance and accommodation, uniting Beirut's currently divided and often conflicted society. The second important space is the largest park located in the center of the entire establishment, with numerous paths, vegetation of varying heights and distinctive circles, creating a coherent vision for the entire park. As part of the public spaces, water basins have also been created, which, in combination with the reservoirs in individual buildings and the overall installation, can serve as an overall water retention and control system.
The last important element that makes the designed establishment an integral whole is the issue of communication. In this aspect, it was considered that the main means of communication in the designed area should be public transportation in the form of buses supplemented by walking. For this reason, an interchange with a bus station and multi-story parking was created at the main entrance to the designed district. The whole premise, however, does not exclude the possibility of movement by private transport, given the reality that getting to, in some places, must rely on access by car. For this purpose, part of the road leading to the passenger terminal has been placed in a tunnel underground, and exits to underground parking lots have been designed next to many buildings. The planned parking lots should be of a design suitable for their additional function, which would be to serve as shelters for the citizens of Beirut in the event of disasters occurring.

Technical information

CHARACTERISTICS OF BUILDINGS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FUNCTION

Residential buildings

The new district, which is being built from scratch, proposes to create a large zone for multi-family housing. The area is closely adjacent to the coast and is one of the most attractive areas of the city. In addition, the location, which is very rich in greenery and various services, is sure to quickly become one of the most desirable places for Beirutis to live. Its proximity to the long boulevard leading along the Mediterranean coast is also an immeasurable asset that is expected to attract many eager apartment buyers. In addition, a significant portion of the units have a direct view from the window of the greenery and the sea, which will allow for a moment of relaxation and relaxation in the heart of a city of more than 2 million people. At the same time, in view of the research and analysis carried out, as well as contemporary trends in the field of housing, it is suggested that the creation of housing facilities opera be based on cooperation between the private and public sectors and the creation of a certain framework for social housing, e.g. through requirements to allocate a certain percentage of projected apartments for low-cost rental housing, or to put these parts of the units under the management of the city government. Such measures are supposed to level social stratification, prevent gentrification and the creation of "islands" for rich citizens only.

Sports and recreation facilities

The sports hall being built as part of the proposed district underscores the new role that sports is beginning to play in Middle Eastern countries. The organization of the 2015 Handball World Cup and the 2022 soccer World Cup, numerous financial investments in Europe's most recognizable soccer clubs, or new racetracks sprouting up like mushrooms for Formula One competitions are just a few examples of projects implemented in recent years in this part of the world. The planned sports center, along with accompanying infrastructure in the form of a soccer field, basketball and tennis courts, is intended to provide a training base for both professional and amateur athletes.

Opera house, memorial and cultural buildings

Following the examples of other cities around the world, such as Sydney, for example, or Oslo in the immediate vicinity of the waterfront could not miss a place for the opera house. This facility dedicated to musical events occupies a very prominent place on the plan of the new district. Located near Central Square, the building attracts attention with its innovative parametric facade and interesting shape of the entrance. The opera house is an unquestionable opportunity to promote classical music in this part of the world. At the same time, Lebanon will also be a significant beneficiary of this investment, attracting numerous well-known personalities from the world of music, which could boost the country's international popularity.
The tragedy that the 2020 ammonium nitrate explosion at the port was undoubtedly for Beirut is best recalled by the memorial located perfectly at the epicenter of the event. This parametric dome conceals a permanent exhibition and a short multimedia show referring to the said event. This is extremely important, first of all, in the context of learning lessons for the future and constantly reminding people how tragic this moment was in the history of Lebanon, but also of the entire world. The presence of the site will also help highlight the scale of the transformation that Beirut has undergone. The entire neighborhood created on the ruins of that catastrophe will prove that it is possible to emerge from any crisis and start a new life.

Hotel (public buildings)

The tallest building in the project area serves as a hotel. The rooms in this 150-meter-high skyscraper offer breathtaking views in all directions. Guests can enjoy views of Central Square with the ruins of an old silo, the modern port district, the historic architecture of older parts of Beirut and the tranquil waters of the Mediterranean Sea, among others. The property was built primarily to serve as a base for travelers arriving by ship in the Lebanese capital, but the 40 floors of this luxury hotel will have enough space for all guests wishing to relax in the heart of the "The New Heart of Beirut."

Observation tower

The dominant feature crowning one of the project's main compositional axes is the observation tower. It is a tourist attraction that provides a bird's eye view of Beirut. Its location is also not accidental in the context of the events related to the ammonium nitrate explosion at the port on August 4, 2020. Looking from its top in a northeasterly direction, one will notice both the ruins of the old silo, the exact epicenter of the tragedy, as well as the new, rebuilt silo, which functions as part of the new port establishment. The parametric shape of the tower is reminiscent of contemporary Arab architecture, and creates a coherent urban design with the rest of the designed district.

Bus station - transport infrastructure

Given the scale and prominence of the designed space, one of the key elements to ensure proper functioning is the planning of quality transportation. To this end, a bus station, among other things, was created as part of the designed urban establishment. It allows rapid transportation of tourists traveling by ship from the port to the airport or to other parts of the capital. The introduction of public transportation within the project is an unpopular phenomenon in this part of the world. However, these days, due to, among other things, constantly tightening regulations on ecology, we are trying to implement and spread solutions leading to the reduction of exhaust fumes and other pollutants produced by cars to the necessary minimum.

Warehouse and industrial facilities

Within the part of the port that is closed to tourists, a number of production and storage halls have been built to store raw materials or manufactured products necessary for the proper operation of the port. The architecture of these facilities is quite simple. They consist of a representative part, which houses, among other things, offices and conference rooms, and a much larger production part. Their height is 15 meters, which allows for the high storage of goods and the introduction of various types of production machinery inside the hall. Particularly noteworthy are the rows of photovoltaic panels placed on the roof, the energy produced from which will allow the majority of the port's infrastructure to be powered.

Documentation

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