TOPOHOOD

Project idea

Topohood represents a neighbourhood project closely connected with topography in a very dynamic gesture to form new nature like environment while creating a solution that tackles sea-level rise issue as well as forms new community that incorporates elements representing the culture and lifestyle of Beirut citizens in the newly redeveloped area of the Beirut port.

Project description

Sea-level rise is an ongoing issue that estimates to cause massive damages in major cities all over the world with predicted 0,6 to 1,1m (1 to 3 feet) increase by the year 2100 followed by 4 meters by 2400. In order to protect the Beirut city, this proposal uses on site resources in a strategic manner to reshape the port topography that creates long spanning flood protection barrier that reacts on this ongoing issue while creating spaces focused on community and social lifestyle as well as enhancing the economic growth with newly proposed program and improved industrial port.
The residential area is surrounded by various programs supporting social, cultural, active, educational and business life. The diversity of these amenities is defined by the context in both continuation as well as filling the missing gaps supporting all the needs that citizens and visitors would have. The topography blended with the program creates public spaces that form different activities focusing on more community like environment. The highlight of Topohood is memorial island located in the hearth of the public zone.
Memorial island is a special place that brings all the people together without any racial, social and religious differences as same as it did right after the blast when people wanted to help each other by forming strong and bonded society. The island uses natural power of water that would shape the coastline over time creating an iconic space to commemorate, reflect and connect with the beloved ones.

Technical information

Our proposal offers more land for social and economic growth in central and western part of the site that blends with the city context while offers over 2 800m of a public coastline back to local citizens. The destroyed residential clusters within an existing industrial zone would be moved to more feasible space on the central and western part of the site offering better condition for living and working for both physical and mental health. The buffer between the public coastline and industrial harbour is created by the telescopic harbour bridge that forms two bays. The bridge functions as a pedestrian connection with breakwater as well as the boundary for large ships to enter the public coastline. The industrial part of the port of Beirut is located on the eastern part of the site, spanning from container terminal to the expressway connecting with the industrial zone already designed in this area offering rentable spaces for further development of the city, industry and economy.

Documentation

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