Port of Beirut Revitalization

Project idea

The project of integrated revitalization of the seaport of Beirut in Lebanon demonstrate the strategy for the port’s restoration of Beirut and a global rethinking of its future. The architectural and planning solution presented in the work provides saturation of the environment with fundamentally new functions: public, recreational, transport, as well as giving the renewal and modernization of the port area. The main goal of this work was the creation of a diversified modern port center that would meet current public needs and stimulate the promising development of the entire city.

Project description

In a linearly developing structure, the new port is divided into a public and port area, connected by a central transport hub, but in the space-planning structure it is a single urban planning ensemble. The planning solution has a linear-nodal structure connecting the western part of the port with the central one. A pedestrian network intercepts and connects the city with the central embankment. At the intersections of these axes, open public spaces are formed. Green corridors lead to the memorial park, which is the central recreational link of the territory. In the center of the composition is the building of the destroyed silo, reminiscent of the victims of the disaster.
This chosen model of the planning structure is reflected architectural appearance of the buildings, which have a dynamic character. A block building sets the main direction of the form, while being subordinated to a zigzag structure. The high-rise dominants of the administrative and business complex stand out against the background of the massive buildings of the cultural and exhibition centers. Thanks to the storeys’ difference, the building has its view on the park and is well seen from the water.
As approaching the port area, the buildings begin to acquire an industrial manner, while corresponding to the public on the architectural solution, and becoming part of the urban planning ensemble. The composition is completed by the hotel complex. The link between the public and port parts of the complex is a transport interchange hub. The abandoned railroad has been modified into a light rail system. The core center of the passenger complex is the intermodal passenger terminal. It performs the function of redistributing passenger traffic among three types of transport. The object presents a space with an internal vehicle maintenance system.
In the industrial part of the port, it is planned to preserve the existing links and optimize them in accordance with modern requirements. The port part includes 5 main operating areas: an oil terminal, a granary, a bulk cargo area, a container terminal and an administrative complex. An innovative solution is the creation of a multi-level container terminal and an automated transshipment complex. The port area has an efficient railway communication network as well.

Technical information

The presented port development model is a hybrid architectural template that can be adapted to further implementation of design solutions for subsequent optimization and improvement of the project.
Considering the complexity of the object being designed, we tried to take a comprehensive approach to the development of design solutions, taking into account the architectural, urban planning, transport and industrial aspects of design. The implemented solutions are based on modern principles of architectural design of marine complexes, meet global trends and are implemented using innovative architectural modeling tools.
The presented project was developed by me at a conceptual level, however, given its potential and relevance in the Lebanese context, it can be further implemented in the framework of the ongoing port rehabilitation program.

Documentation

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