SOLIDERE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 8
INTRODUCTION Brief history of the city center About Solidere
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FIRM STRUCTURE Shares Hierarchy of roles Clients Services Infrastructure works Real estate development Property management Landscape management
LANDSCAPE DEPARTMENT 30 Project development as solidere
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Landscape projects Competitions Case study Zaitunay bay Solidere international Case study al zorah
OTHER SERVICES 48 Sustainability 50 Marketing 51 Activities 56 57 58 60
CONCLUSIONS Awards Publications Visions References
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INTRODUCTION
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BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CITY CENTER Beirut city center has evolved in a place that has been inhabited for over 5,000 years. The redevelopment of this district is taking into account its past while creating a modern district which spreads over 191 hectares, one third of which is reclaimed land. Solidere, a private joint-stock company, have been entrusted with this challenging and historical mission. Its aim is to restore life to this country while serving an important political and symbolic dimension in a once traditionally vital meeting place of all cultural activity. Hence, the city center has re-emerged as an active district with the collision of historic, business, cultural, and social sectors. The new and renovated facilities accommodate a variety of activities; most of which enjoy landscaped open space and proximity to a striking waterfront. This ambitious venture has received international prosperity and acclaim as a model of sustainable urban development.
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ABOUT SOLIDERE Founded on May 5,1994 by the former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Solidere was listed as a privately owned company listed on the Lebanese stock exchange market. It is a Lebanese joint-stock company that assumes responsibility of planning, redeveloping, and managing the Beirut Central District. The decision of redeveloping the city center followed the conclusion of the country’s tragic civil war in 1990, which left tremendous amounts of the city in ruins. The name Solidere stands for Société Libanaise pour le Développement et la Reconstruction de Beyrouth, which translates into “The Lebanese Company for the Development and Reconstruction of Beirut.” Solidere was the largest urban project that was established in the 1990s.
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Other than the fact that Solidere leads as a model in the development and reconstruction of Beirut city center, it has several roles ranging from land developers, real estate developer, property owner, and property and services manager and operator. Solidere is renowned for the vast impact it has on the cityc enter as well as its value-added activities, which continue to add prosperity and worldwide recognition to the Solidere name. In addition to managing the City center’s property portfolio, Solidere offers its owners the right to market their property and thus their management and maintenance. After handing it over to public authorities to expand the company’s framework, the company is also set to provide management services for infrastructure, public utilities, marinas, car parks, and open landscaped areas.
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FIRM STRUCTURE
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SHARES The city center offers many interesting investment opportunities. One approach to participate in Beirut city center redevelopment is through the purchase of Solidere shares or GDRs. Solidere has a capital of 1.65 billion USD consisting of 100 million A shares and 65 million B shares. The same rights are attached to the shares; the difference between them is purely historical. These shares are traded on the Beirut Stock Exchange. Shares can be purchased through any member of the BSE. The only restriction is that no shareholder should own more than 10% of the stock. They may purchase land, or rent vacant lots for activities deemed to add value to the property portfolio, to be held in temporary structures
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HIERARCHY OF ROLES
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CLIENTS MARFAA Assicurazione Generali FFA Private Bank Foch Residence Solidere Co-Owned Properties Tamari Group Solidere Office MINA EL HOSN Berytus Parks Park View The Platinum Tower Solidere Residential Rental Properties Solidere Co-Owned Properties ZOKAK EL BLATT Embassies Complex Solidere Residential Rental Properties
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logos?
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SERVICES The main scope within which Solidere operates is the supervision of the government authorized reconstruction plans, financing and developing the property, new construction and rehabilitation of post-war damaged infrastructure, urban landscaping and the management of property.
TYPES OF PROJECTS 1. 2. 3. 4.
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Infrastructure Works Real Estate Development Property Management Landscape Management
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INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS Solidere assumes responsibility and control of executing all infrastructure works within the Beirut Central District specifically. The scope of their infrastructural works includes the reclaimed land from the sea in the area facing the Normandy and Hilton hotels, which was protected and treated, along with the development of two marinas. According to the Council of Minister’s decision on August 10, 1994, Solidere will be reimbursed by the government for all infrastructure costs suffered, including installing roads, gardens, public open areas, pavements, light posts, a power transformer unit, and parking areas. Moreover, Solidere assumed responsibility in the reclaimed zone near the Hilton Hotel in order to treat the landfill I the area, spread and compact it, protect the sea, install the infrastructure, the seaside promenade, public parks, and two marinas. The project will around to 292,000 square meters in the reclaimed lands, with the remaining 316,000 belonging to the state following the Master Plan’s specifications of implementing public spaces following the compensation for 106,000 squared meters of land in the Beirut Central District on March 4,1994.
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REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT Within the scope of restoring and revitalizing the city center, Solidere plans to redevelop and restore preserved traditional infrastructure that have not been renovated by their former tenants. Around 260 buildings have been deemed for renovation due to safety and infrastructural issues. Regarding new real estate development, the company will develop and enhance part of the available land belonging to Solidere and will sell the rest to real estate developers. Around 571, 00 square meters will be eligible for new development in the central district along with another 260,000 square meters in the reclaimed area around the Hilton Hotel.
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1991 2003
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PROPRETY MANAGEMENT The third role that Solidere assumes is the management of real estate properties, buildings, and other facilities. One of the reasons as to why Solidere is renowned for its prosperity in the Lebanese region is the ability of the company to attract some of the most recognized and successful people in the desired fields. The core management team includes specialists with international experience and draws on a variety of disciplines such as urban planning, development, finance, marketing, and sales. The company could also subcontract advice and funding from outside while combining visionary strategic planning with their own abilities to identify business opportunities and strengths, as well as structuring and closing any complex deals that they face.
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LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT With 39 ha of landscaped public spaces in the capital of Lebanon, Beirut city center, which represents 10 percent of municipal Beirut, will contain half of the capital’s green areas. The public domain will consist of approximately 60 parks, gardens, squares, pedestrian areas and seafront promenades. The most important of which will be waterfront City Park in the Waterfront District. As the latter awaits construction, most of the public open spaces are found in the traditional city center.
Samir Kassir Square Designed by Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture
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LANDSCAPE DEPARTMENT
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PROJECT DEVELOPMENT as Solidere The landscape department is comprised of a landscape department manager, landscape designers, and a landscape engineer. 1 Solidere is the client on the Beirut project and the framework within which Solidere operates is project management. After choosing the consultant, Solidere works towards a project vision. As a client, Solidere’s role is to review the design and hold meetings, which occur in a process of phasing. Phases range from site analysis to concept design to the design phase. In most cases, a Lebanese local firm takes up phases beyond the schematic design, which mainly focus on construction documents, and comprise 20% of the whole project. With respect to construction, Solidere has a supervision role.1 After obtaining management approval, Solidere commissions new open spaces by preparing a Request for Proposal, which is submitted by the construction and landscape department. Solidere proceeds by stating the general description of the project, objectives, and requirements, while waiting for a confirmation of interest.1 After the confirmation, steps are taken in further defining who are the consultants and whether or not they have their own sub consultants since they usually have their
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Interview with Graham Stevenson 1
Interview with Graham Stevenson 1
own preferences. Moreover, Solidere hosts several competitions that encompass numerous scales; however, a project that is handled in a competition is not always carried out fully until implementation. Since the Beirut Project and the development of the central district was such an immense success, international parties were interested in having a replica of Solidere in their own countries. Thus, Solidere International (SI) was established as an extension of the actual Solidere firm. SI sets the vision for what the project should be and chooses the appropriate landscape architects to cooperate with. Then, SI supervises projects and commences with the design phase. Solidere and SI both manage projects, however SI is an intermediate between the client and the consultant, while Solidere is the final client.1
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Project Development Diagram
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Landscaped areas in percentages 39 Ha of landscaped spaces in Lebanon
1/2 of which are located in Downtown Beirut
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LANDSCAPE PROJECTS (selection) Rafic Hariri Sculptural Garden Designed by Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture in 2011. Includes a sloping garden with water features and a sculpture. The Gebran Tueiny Memorial Designed by VDLA and completed in 2011. Includes engraved text from Tueiny’s articles and a monument. Hadiqat As Samah (Garden of Forgiveness) Designed by Gustafson Porter. Solidere initiated it on an archeological site at the heart of the city center and has completed all streets and passages around the garden. Bab Idriss Square Designed by Olivier Vidal and used to be home to the ancient arcaded street that led to the Roman Hippodrome. It is still under construction. Harbor Square Design by Gustafson – Porter. The design includes part of the reconstructed harbor wall, water features and extensive pergola shading. 34
COMPETITIONS The Roman Baths Garden -Participants: Machado and Silvetti Associates (US), Péna & Peña (France), Ilex (France-UK) and Gillespies (UK) -Winning Design: Gillespies - Considers the Roman grid as a unique and sacred whole and offers the best solution for all round viewing of the archeological remains Omar Daouk Square -Participants: Machado and Silvetti Associates (US), Péna & Peña (France), Ilex (France-UK) and Gillespies (UK). -Winning Design: Gillespies -Replaces the existing north- south road with a pedestrian passage, thereby enlarging the square Khan Antoun Bey Square -Participants: Gruppo di Diseno Urbano (Spain), Ilex (UK-France), Martha Schwartz Partners (US-UK), PROAP (Portugal) and Olivier Vidal (France). -Winning Design: PROAP - Incorporates the idea of the former wood port, which connected the Souks to the sea, by the dominant use of stone, water and wood 35
CASE STUDY: ZAITOUNAY BAY Located at the Beirut Marina, with 17 restaurants and cafes, 5 Boutiques and 2 activity centers to discover, Zaitunay Bay is accessible to the general public. The upper and lower promenades form an intensely active area where individuals enjoy a wide array of food choices, as well as spaces for events, cultural festivals, and concerts. It is designed by Steven Holl Architects. Zaitunay Bay has been a much-anticipated Solidere initiative, imagined as a premier waterfront destination. The project visionary team consists of Nabil Gholam Architects, Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture (VDLA), and CBA GROUP for landscape detailing, and owned by Beirut Waterfront Development. It is a 50/50 joint venture with Solidere. The quayside restaurant strip of 17 restaurants is completed while the Yacht club is under construction.
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SOLIDERE INTERNATIONAL Established in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) on June 7, 2007. 99.5% owned by Solidere. The other Shareholders are elite individual and institutional investors from the Middle East and Europe, including several international investment funds.
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The goal of SI is to identify, promote, purchase, invest in, develop, market and manage real estate projects in the Middle East and the Mediterranean Basin. SI benefits from the Solidere city-making philosophy which involves
-designing and implementing a landscaped public domain -creating a self-sustainable environment -developing a high-quality mixed-use environment (including retail, office, residential, leisure, tourist facilities, arts districts and cultural activities) -quality real estate development -property management and maintenance
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CASE STUDY: AL ZORAH Al Zorah, in Ajman, United Arab Emirates, is Solidere International’s flagship project and marks SI’s official debut into the region’s real estate market. The Project consists in the planning and development of 12 million square meters of coastal and seareclaimed land, with an extended waterfront of 12 kilometers. The design process responds directly to the site itself and includes sustainable development and energy conservation. The urban model objectives are to preserve the natural context and create a high-value environment for residents and visitors; promote tourism and ecotourism; create a new business hub responding to demand for office and business parks; enhance roads and bridges serving Al Zorah and connecting it to the rest of Ajman and to the national highway grid. Quality mixed-use real estate products totaling around 22 million sq m of built-up space are to be developed, with almost all the properties enjoying water and mangroves views. They include world-class beachfront resorts and hotels, several residential zones, office buildings of different heights and sizes, an important mall, and institutional facilities.
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OTHER SERVICES
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SUSTAINABILITY In a green environment, energy performance is of the utmost importance. The rising costs of energy and carbon emissions make efficient performance crucial to the viability of a building. Solidere is committed to offering advisory services aimed at raising awareness and implementation of best practices in environmental sustainability. Solidere’s present standards are in line with the concept of green technology, with emphasis on recycling, environmental remediation, and energy conservation. It incorporates internationally recognized green guidelines that have already been applied in credible rating systems. Standards and regulations will be issued as ‘mandatory’ standards for all developments in the Waterfront district.
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MARKETING Solidere tends to market itself in a subtle way within several medias. First of all, downtown itself is a touristic attraction whether for local residents or foreign, it is a source of indirect revenue. With its busy restaurants, activities, exhibitions and retail centers, Solidere succeeds in expanding itself as a brand. Moreover, Solidere markets itself through being affiliated with the Beirut Stock exchange. The fact that individuals are able to buy shares and invest in Solidere also acts as a tool of being able to market the company.
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ACTIVITIES Beirut city is known for being a focus of activity at a local, regional, and international level. Some of the world’s most significant conferences are held in the city center such as the Arab summit and the Francophone conference. The city center is also hoping to host the Formula One Grand Prix in the future. Large scale events also include international book fairs, music festivals, beauty contests, regional car rallies; the Souk Al Barghout flea market, now a Beirut downtown tradition; as well as Heritage Day. Activities revolving around culture also take place in the city center, ranging from theatre and musical performances, art and photography exhibitions, book launches, to reading days and story-telling events regularly held. Furthermore, the city center, which is affiliated with Solidere, also hosts leisure activities such as international marathons, sponsored walking events, chess competitions, and gala dinners.
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CONCLUSION
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AWARDS 1. 2002 Charter award from the Congress for the New UrbanismWaterfront district sector plan 2. Recipient of an international award, the celebrated Agha Khan Award for Architecture for the year 2007, won by the Samir Kassir Garden 3. Heritage award- Prince Sultan Bin Salman award for Urban Heritage 4. Landfill treatment project received Beirut municipality nomination for the Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment
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CORPORATE BROCHURE
ANNUAL REPORTS
QUARTERLY REPORTS
PUBLICATIONS
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VISIONS It is evident from above that Solidere is prospering within the region and internationally day-by-day. Along with its achievements, it gained a name as one of the most awarded and prestigious firms that acts as a role model for others in the region. Integration and cohesion are two main principles that continue to characterize Solidere. Generally, Solidere advocates that in open spaces, diversity of work ethics is recommended; however at the same time a coherent identity is required. This is because the end product should resemble a coherent vision and not a fragmented vision within the project. Hence, Solidere continues to implement its philosophical and ethical principles within their projects that pave the way for a prosperous future in the realm of development companies. “Integration and cohesion are more important than diversity; Usually in open spaces you need to diversify, but at the same time we needed to create an identity� Graham Stevenson landscape department manager
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IDENTITY UNIFORMITY DIVERSITY
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REFERENCES “Solidere - Lebanese Company for the Development and Reconstruction of Beirut City Center.” Solidere - Lebanese Company for the Development and Reconstruction of Beirut City Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2012. <http://solidere.com/>. “Solidere Approves Distribution of Dividends to Shareholders | Business , Lebanon | THE DAILY STAR.” The Daily Star Newspaper. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/Lebanon/2012/ Jul-31/182715-solidere-approves-distribution-of-dividends-to-shareholders. ashx>. “Construction @ Lebanon.com - Beirut - What Is Solidere?” Construction @ Lebanon.com - Beirut - What Is Solidere? N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2012. <http://www.lebanon.com/construction/beirut/solidere.htm>.
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American University of Beirut Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences Professional Practice Kristelle Boulos & Yasmine Esteitieh
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