Beirut Grand Theater

Gerges House

MSc in Architectural Renovation Final Thesis Requalification and Extension Beirut Central District, Lebanon

The Grand Theater of Beirut, a ghosted building standing the capital’s center has always raised the curiosity of the people and visitors of Beirut. This eclectic building could be the core of the urban regeneration of the abandoned city center and thus became the subject of my thesis.

The thesis is divided into three parts. The Post War Reconstruction in Beirut, or commonly known as the SOLIDERE empire, was analyzed as well as its effects on cultural heritage and its citizens. Thorough analysis of the building and the way it reflects the city, and finally the design proposition. An alternative project was developed in order to bring back life to the ghosted building and regenerate the city center: an art foundation using the theater itself as its centerpiece opening it to the public.

Lebanon’s location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean basin and the Arabian hinterland facilitated its rich history and its religious and ethnic diversity. At just 10,452 km2, it is the smallest recognized sovereign state on the mainland Asian continent.

The Capital of Lebanon, one of the oldest cities in the world, Beirut is characterized by its rich history and its ongoing adaptability. To understand the complexity of this city, one must overlap its rich history with its ability to change and adapt to each different civilization that passed.

The Beirut Central District (BCD) or Centre Ville is the name given to the historical and geographical core of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. The BCD, has been described the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hub of the country.” It is an area thousands of years old, with traditionally a focus of business, finance, culture and leisure.

ANCIENT: PHOEANICIANS

64 BC ANTIQUITY: ROMANS

0 635 AD MEDIVEVAL: ISLAMIC AND CRUSADERS

1110 1291 1516 OTTOMAN

1920 FRENCH GOLDEN AGE CIVIL WAR

1943 1975 1990

THE PHOENICIAN PORT CITY

Phoenicians arrived in the region in about 3000 B.C. The Phoenicians were traders, specifically between the Middle East, and countries around the Mediterranean. Phoenicians founded Berytus (today Beirut) as a trade and religious center.

THE ROMAN & BYZANTINE CITY

Beirut grew into becoming the most important city and became the military & commercial metropolitan of the Romans in the East. A new city was built according to the Roman concept: The urban form was that of the gridiron plan, in which there are two main curculation streets, known as the Cardomaximus & the Decanumus. ISLAMIC & CRUSADERS CONQUESTS

The Ummayad was particularly a peaceful time when Beirut had time to grow & with its Urban Fabric taking on an organic pattern of growth. When the Crusaders took control over Beirut, they maintained most of the city's urban form, adding churches and monasteries. In 1291, the Mamluk conquest over Beirut began.

THE OTTOMAN PROVINCIAL WILAYA

Up until 1840, there was minimal city growth. In the late Ottoman period, Beirut was now known as "Port of the Levant". There was partial demolition of the traditional urban fabric, and an emergence of a geometric street layout was evident with new buildings types, ranging from hotels, to banks, to department stores. THE FRENCH MANDATE CAPITAL

After WWI, Beirut was allotted to France. The creation of infrastructure of harbors and roads became prominent aspect of the city's reconstruction. The French imposed their urban design models (Place de l'Etoile). New building types once again were evident within the city: Parliament, exhibition pavilions, cinemas... THE GOLDEN AGE OF BEIRUT

The city continued expanding according to the French Regulations. Beirut witnessed a great economic growth, and a great touristic flow. This how some streets like Banks Street came to life while many hotels were erected. Beirut has a great heritage of modern and brutalist buildings from that period. THE DIVIDED CAPITAL

During this period the capital was divided in two parts: East-Beirut & West-Beirut.

The Green line dividing the city was crossing in the heart of what is considered today the BCD, which left the area deserted for more than 15 years. THE SOLIDERE EMPIRE

SOLIDERE s.a.l. is a Lebanese joint-stock company responsible for planning and redeveloping the BCD. It was founded in 1994 under the authority of the Council of Development and Reconstruction following the vision of the Prime Minister back then Rafik El- Hariri. SOLIDERE was listed on the stock exchange as a privately owned company.

The master plan is based on the cluster of 10 sectors, each with its own regulations, plan and unique character.

eirut a city w ith out a core

SOLIDERE’S MASTERPLAN Because of the tight security around the showpiece Place d’Etoile area near Lebanon’s parliament, people cannot access the area freely and most shops and restaurants have closed The ultra-modern global cityscape created by futuristic urban landscaping was greatly criticized. Solidere has sold on most of the buildings there, but the area’s decline has deterred investors. The major critiques against the master plan were: The adjacent Beirut Souks shopping area, where SOLIDERE makes money from rent, also pushed visitors away from the center, leaving city center deserted.

CHART SHOWING THE LAND AREAS IN THE BCD MASTER PLAN

31% Roads and infrastructure 37% New and future Developments

20% “Public spaces”

12 % Retained buildings CHART SHOWING THE FACILITIES IN THE BCD MASTER PLAN

34% Offices for upper social layer

42% High end Residential (real estate)

12% 8% commercial Gov. Cultural 4% buildings hotel The drainage of state resources to transform the center of the city into an island for rich people, while the rest of the country remains underdeveloped and fragmented because of economic inequalities and sectarian divisions. In addition to the neglect of continuity with rest of the city and country.

The marginalization of the State from planning process through the colonization of the public sphere by private enterprise which is expected to be dangerous for the public welfare.

Office space and apartments in the district are destined for use only by an economic and social upper layer.

The missing of Public goods needed such as public transport or social housing.

The Discontinuity from historical bonds. Beirut’s historical and cultural memory being erased for the sake of empty modern towers.

sol idere’s vision of eirut heritage

The selected “remaining buildings” (265 buildings and 27 public or religious buildings) were retained for preservation. Buildings are “rejuvenated” through the use of skylight atria, roof gardens or glazed roofs. Interiors are fitted with modern equipment for functionality. In residential neighborhoods, this is allied with sensitivity to the Mediterranean typology. In office buildings, open plan design allows optimal and flexible use of floor area. Restored buildings are maintained on a regular basis. But let’s not forget: “80 % of the buildings originally listed as historical landmarks after the war ended in 1990 have since been destroyed.”

The 2019Lebanese Revolution, is a series of country-wide protests, motivated by the government›s failure to find solutions to the economic crisis, while wasting public money and stealing governmental entities. For the first time in 20 years, the BCD is alive! The lost spaces are now filled with food stands, DJ booths, light performances... There was thirst for a place to exercise the right to dance, sing come together, unleash creativity...

th e grand th eat er

«From the beginning of the manifestations, three previously closed down places of the BCD : the Grand Theater, the EGG and the church of St Vincent de Paul were taken over by curious protestors. Today the mass is rediscovering these cultural spaces and symbols of the Lebanese glory.» -L›orient Le jour

MAARAD STREET This street was initiated by the modernization of Beirut that had started under the Ottoman Rule in 1915, and was continued by the French Mandate authorities. The buildings stand strictly aligned, respectful of a determined height, coherent with arched walkways. They are built with local yellow stone and expose iron handrails on cantilever balconies protruding from bold masses with vertical elegance. This street is one of the few legacies that were preserved after the war. The Grand Théâtre is definitely part of that urban condition; yet, it stood singular. It dialogued with the buildings across the street and followed their architectural & urban features, but it does not comply with the symmetrical composition, it rather addresses the corner of the plot. amir bachir street This street connects two major piazzas: Martyr’s square and Riad el Solh square. The walk from one pole to the other is rich in heritage passing by the Amin Amir Mosque, the St Georges Cathedral, the theater and a visual access to the Garden of forgiveness.

Syria Street It is a historical street, but unfortunately now just leads to parking area of BCD and missing pedestrian flow.

THE EGG: an unfinished cinema structure from 1965, now occasionally an alternative exhibition space THE GRAND THEATER: In the background of Maarad St. but addresses the corner of 3 major streets : advantageous location and great views STAR SQUARE: Designed and The center of the BCD

SYRIA ST. AMIR BACHIR ST.

view fromth eat er to Maarad st

ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES RELIGIOUS SITES

THE OLD GHALGHOUL DISTRICT The empty backyard of the BCD district (now parking plots) MAARAD ST.

The at rium

sh ops hot el apart ements

& offices

Although the building is attributed to Youssef Aftimus, original plans were not discovered.

During the end of the Ottoman Empire, Eclecticism imposed itself on Istanbul: with the need of separating itself from Asia while keeping an identity. It was later legitimized by the Occidental school of Beaux Arts, the trend materialized and developed fundamental principles and orders of its own. Towards the end of the XX c. with the development of concrete it was possible to cast any shape freeing architecture from the Art Nouveau steel revolution to move to precast elements for ornamentation.

The Grand Theater is a perfect example of late Eclectic style in Beirut. With its imported stylistic elements from Istanbul and Paris. It represents the changing point between ottoman revival and the beginning of modernism. The arched porch surmounted by 4 small arches on that corner, serves as a main entrance to the theatre. The gallery covering the sidewalk is lined with columns and sculpted capitals representing various fruits and crops (peaches, prunes, grapes and vines, wheat.)

a mixed use uild ing

The program of the building comprised several functions distributed among a basement, four stories from ground level, and a roof floor. At street level, shops are found giving on Syria Street and Amir Bashir Street. They were mostly bookshops and used the basements for storage. In the original design, the eastern side of the building had a hotel on two floors, accessible from Syria street. The rest of the building offered apartments of various sizes for rent. It is comparable to the famous Chicago Auditorium in that way : the theater standing in its core with other functions around. This plurality of programs was very Avant-guard in that period.

Tempering between an orientalist façade and a contemporary program in its core, the theatre is an eclectic building. For such a program, the architect had to recourse to an appropriate material like reinforced concrete, yet operate a dialogue with the neighboring buildings all built in stone, while the interior partitions of hollow concrete blocks.

The at rium

Crossing a steel door with geometric motifs, one entered the first hall where the ticket booths were located, and then moved towards the lobby covered with a domed ceiling with richly colored stained glass. The floor of the lobby had a steel structure carrying glass panels. In daytime, light filtered to the basement through the floor while in nighttime the hall was illuminated with a carpet of light. In the lobby, two large red felt panels received posters announcing the events.

From there, one either proceeded towards the main theatre hall or took the different stairs leading to the first and second balconies.

In that period reinforced concrete was still new and this is why it was extensively used. Nevertheless the architect used beams to create different geometrical pattern on the ceilings. After the latest restoration the building was stripped of its partitions and is now a forest of columns.

The th eat er

The theatre follows the Italian style theatre, with a proscenium, an orchestra and 2 balconies. The horseshoe shape has a round space for the audience. Although it is often compared to the Opéra- Garnier in Paris, its dome does not show from the outside. From inside, the dome that covers the space of the audience has apparent concrete ribs and is topped by a small electrically operated steel dome sliding on rails and providing excellent ventilation. Its closure would announce the beginning of the show.

The Grand Théâtre offered a perfect sight as the spectators experienced a plunging view on the wide stage. The performers who experienced its good acoustics. The theater has 630 seats for the whole audience. It is characterized by a colorful interior and was repeatedly repainted.

1960 1975 1990 1994

LE GRAND THEATRE DES MILLES ET UNE NUIT

Initially, The Theater was intended to the bourgeoisie, it offered a very diverse set of shows in three languages, ballets, comedies, local theater… Interested, the common people used to climb up the dome and watch the shows from the Occulus.

THE CINEMA FOR ALL

In 1960, it was transformed into a movie theater, a cinema and became more public lost the bourgeoisie feel of it, a projection room was added, still standing and tickets became more affordable allowing anyone from the then popular city center to go in and watch a show.

survey of th e act ual st at e

STANDING TALL IN THE GREEN LINE

During the war, the grand theater, with its stable structure stood tall in the no man’s land.

“Living every day as if it’s your last day, the same person can fight in the morning and party at night, while the other is fighting at night and praying in the morning”

This duality reflected on the building, it was a shelter for some while being a strategic sniper location for others. It was on the no man’s land and yet it developed into becoming a cinema showing pornographic films, serving alcohol.

SOLIDERE'S TAKE OVER :

When the war was over, Solidere took custody of the building. The company proposes to restore the old structure in its original design as a boutique hotel with the theater as its centerpiece.

The main façades were restored, with strengthening works to the footings and most of the partitioning walls were distroyed leaving the floors as open plans punctured by forests of concrete columns.

The project was not developed it stands as a restored shell of a ghosted unaccessible building.

PROTESTORS TAKE OVER

«Since the begining of the revolution, curious protestors took over the ghosted gated buildings. The mass rediscovered these cultural spaces and symbols of the Lebanese Glory.» - OLJ

Due to its perfect location, the grand theater was at the center of the protest: artists resurected the concrete walls while some went on playing music. This was a symbol of taking back the lost public space.

Standing at the background of Maarad Street the expressive building will attract pedestrians visiting the BCD. The Grand theater will become the gate to the new art hub of the city. Amir Amin street now new spine connecting major attractions. The new building will act as a new urban façade to the south overlooking the new public art hub and the archeology.

Requalifying the Grand Theater to become an art foundation that incorporates Beirut’s modern façade and cultural buildings. The will shift the BCD Backyard from stagnant to vivid.

new art hu Urban Requalification of the BCD›s empty backyard eirut art foundat ion Grand Theater becomes the Gate to the new hub sp ine Main spine filtering people in to the new district

AMIR AMIN STREET

ARTIST RESIDENCE Single studios Common rooms (kitchen, laundry..)

THEATER Restoration of the old theater and flexibility allowing outdoor event PUBLIC THEATER An extension of the theater to the outdoor : directly connected to the art hub

ADMINISTRATION OFFICES

RETAIL SPACES

PUBLIC SPACES Public toilets

RESTAURANT & ROOFTOP BAR

DANCE/THEATER STUDIOS (changing rooms, connected to theater) WORKSPACES Fine art workshops (flexible spaces indoor and outdoor)

RENTABLE OFFICE SPACES Open flexible spaces and common meeting room / conference room

ADDITION

EXHIBITION SPACE EXHIBITION SPACE Extension of the galleries

PUBLIC SPACES Public toilets

PUBLIC LIBRARY

The exterior facades have already been restored using the stylistic method as they are back the pristine state. The interior will be restored using the approach of Preservation Adaptation and Reuse : THE SCIENTI FIC/CRITI CAL APPROA CH. The traces of time, war, and post war will be preserved as clear reminders of the memory of Beirut, that this building represents and these traces will constitute the “permanent museum collection”. The original structure has already been reinforced by SOLIDERE . The wounds scars and missing parts will be treated using new elements when needed giving a new life while marking the absence.

The New building uses the totality of the plot following its lines, while opening up unto a courtyard. It follows the height of the theater at the damascus street. The south facade will serve as the background of the new district. as a public art square will stand

art square

direct ext ension

The massing is a direct extension of the east wing as the galleries and the workshops are intertwining allowing maximum flexibility. it continues the rythm of the columns and the levels of the slabs. The old galleries and the new are connected by a bridge.

art square

publ ic th eat er ext ension

The building opens up on a public courtyard that will serve as an extension of the art square. The courtyard will act as an extension of the theater as it will now serve both the public seating or the existing seating.

art square

rememb ering art deco

The new building faces the hot south. A double skin facade system of breeze concrete blocks is used to cool the building allowing light to sift in while in turn it lighting up in the art square at night. The new additions on the old building are of concrete painted in contrasting gold remembering the art deco days. arch eol ogical site: The grand theater overlooks this newly excavated site

ree t st m aara d arch eol ogical site: A break to look through on Amir Amin street

a m ir a m in st ree t

eirut art fou ndation: The gate to the new art district.