Beirut by Zeina El Masri

Urban Design in Challenging Contexts

AU TH O R S : Mi tch e l l L e g g e , Ke vi n Th u rl ow, Ge o r ge B r i s c o e , Kry z ta Cas ti l l o , Z e i n a E l M a s r i

Contents

Introduction to the project.

Literature review and case study.

Design principles

Pg 4

Pg 15

Pg 30

Concept

Site Analysis

Final Application of Principles

Pg 44

Pg 54

Pg 66

Critical Principles

An Introduction Critical Principles...............................................pg 5 An Introduction..................................................pg 6 Site Challenges...................................................pg 10 The Brief............................................................pg 11 Chapter Findings................................................pg 12

Global warming and ecological catastrophe are immediate issues that are threatening our very way of life. Increasing temperatures caused by the greenhouse gasses that we produce from burning fossil fuels is having a number of extreme impacts; forest fires, polar melting, habitat loss are just a few. In addition to this, the last 100 years has seen the Earth rapidly urbanise in such a way that we have never seen before. Our love for the motor car and our pursuit of capitalist ideals has led to an expanding suburbia that becomes more and more detached each year. Overcrowding in cities such as Mumbai and Shanghai has also demonstrated that the health of a population is vital, and that in our pursuit for urbanisation we must put people first. “Climate change is happening, humans are causing it, I think this is perhaps the most serious environmental issue facing us” (Bill Nye, 2019) The construction sector has contributed to all of these issues. Therefore those who work within it have a responsibility to do better: Through the use of high environmental quality, we can prevent the creation of areas that damage our health. The use of high density and high intensity urban environments will reduce the ownership of motor vehicles and begin to de-construct the sprawling cities. And a focus on greenery and an integration with nature, will help our cities to

work with the landscape instead of against it. These are the key principles that will be applied throughout this design proposal. “How do we safeguard and deliver high levels of environmental quality in the context of increasing intensification of land use?” We will be designing with high density and high intensification as a key principle. 800 people/hectare or 80,000 people/sqkm. The purpose of this ultra high density is to demonstrate the viability of high density environments, and how our future as a species lies within the city limits. This demonstration will use a test site to propose a concept design that can be adjusted accordingly with future research. The challenge for us as designers is to maintain high environmental quality throughout this exercise, and provide a scheme that is not only viable, but beneficial to the ever changing human condition.

Image 1: Tower Hamlets, London

We will investigate the meaning of ‘high levels of environmental quality’ in terms of academic sources, but also the geographical, ecological and historical context for our test site, as this will help to determine critical design elements and principles for a generic concept design.

Image 2: Pollution created by the burning of Fossil Fuels

An Introduction, Beirut Parliament Beirut

Redefine & Rebuild

Beirut is the capital city of Lebanon and is home to the countries only major port. The city has a population 361,366 people, who vary widely in terms of their own cultures. With its 5000 year history, Beirut should be flourishing with a wide range of historical sites and cultural relics from the past. But Beirut has suffered a marked history, filled with war and turmoil that has destroyed large chunks of the cities history and moulded what we see today. Instead the city is host to modern designs and rapid urbanisation from the last 100 years, however it seems that this is no silver lining.

As Beirut begins to rebuild, it is more important than ever to preserve Beirut’s heritage, but with the housing crisis caused by the 2020 explosion, the city also needs rapid urbanisation in order to cater for those who lost their homes. The site we have chosen has virtually no infrastructure, this can therefore be seen as an opportunity to redefine the centre of Beirut.

Cultural Disconnect Sadly Beirut over the course of its history has suffered many disasters, each time seeming to wipe the slate clean and remove the majority of Architecture. The settlement is Roman in heritage but an earthquake and tidal wave destroyed much of the infrastructure and the town was abandoned. Some of this Roman Architecture can still be visited today, however in the last 100 years, several conflicts have seen the city crumble and lose almost all of its heritage. Between 1975-90, the Lebanon civil war saw the city of Beirut fall into chaos, and huge bombing raids during the ‘siege of Beirut’ saw large areas of the city flattened. Largely it was the West side of the city that suffered and although some cultural infrastructure survived, the damage was irreversible.

This disconnect between Beirut and its heritage is tragic and recent developments have not been successful in restoring or reinterpreting the cities history. This has resulted in modern urban design that be sympathetic to Arabic culture in its form, has failed to create a link with the cities prod heritage. Our development will bridge the gap between the classes in Beirut and re-connect with it’s diverse and rich history.

A look at (Figure x) shows us some of the problems Beirut is facing. A distinct lack of green space in its city centre meaning that spaces are mostly used for movement instead of stationary activities.

BCD

The Port

The port in Beirut is Lebanon’s only major port and as an importing nation with very little exports, the country relies on the international trade coming into Beirut. However the explosion has rendered the port unusable, with all of the infrastructure being destroyed. We must rebuild a small section of the port, if a portion of the port can be reconstructed, then the vital imports that country requires can again begin to flow into Beirut. The diagram to the left shows an aerial view of the focal point of Beirut’s recent disaster. The city centres close proximity to the explosion means that large amounts of the cities vital infrastructure was damaged. The image also demonstrates the true extent of the explosion. As the country pushes deeper into debt, the government is unable to provide aid for those displaced by the explosion and repairs to the port have been lethargic and slow. Foreign aid is not available unless the political situation is resolved.

Explosion Crater

The August explosion destroyed the whole of Beiruts major port. Putting a stop to the vital imports that Lebanon needs to survive.

The explosion created a crater 46m deep and nearly 100m wide. Vessels near the epicentre were heavily damaged.

Beirut’s political centre is near the new BCD. Recent years have seen corruption in government and outrage from the people of Beirut.

The BCD masterplan was designed by Solidere. The plan intended to rejuvinate a foreign atraction in Beirute, encouraging investment and tourism.

1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War

A history of Beirut The history of Beirut has been very eventful. This timeline shows the key historic events which have affected and shaped the lives of the people in Beirut and Lebanon. The timeline also shows the population change of Beirut from the 1950s onwards, giving an indication of the number of people these events have affected.

1900

1958 Lebanon Crisis

1943 Lebanese Independence Beirut Named Capital

2008 Lebanese Conflict

1982 Western Beirut largely Destroyed

2006 July War

1948 Palestine War

1920-1939 League of Nations Mandate

2005 Cedar Revolution

2020 Beirut Explosion

2019 Lebanese Liquidity Crisis 2011-2017 Syrian Civil War Spill Over

1915-1918 Great Lebanese Famine

1910

1920 Allied Administration

1930 French Rule

1940

1950 Republic of Lebanon

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020 Population

0.5 Million

1 Million

1.5 Million In the early 20th century Beirut was often referred to as ‘the Paris of the East’. Banks used high interest rates to lure in foreign investments and glamorous hotel resorts attracted tourism from across Europe.

2 Million

2.5 Million

The Brief

The Challenges A city with issues The city of Beirut poses a number of challenging factors that we will seek to address through our design process. The city is lacking in green spaces. Although there is some small scale planting throughout modern developments, the presence of larger public green spaces is restricted to the outskirts of the city. This leads into the next point, which is the cities rapid urban and population growth over the last 100 years. The rapid growth of Beirut has created a lot of spaces on the outskirts that are cramped and detrimental to the health and well-being of its residents. By contrast, the centre of the city enjoys a very high quality of living, through the recent introduction of modern high rise developments. But this has created a class war in Beirut, with the gap between the rich and the poor expanding by the day. Due to the economic crisis these spaces have been left empty and devoid of human experiences. The local businesses have been replaced by western commercial giants, and the traditional ‘bazaar’ style markets have been pushed to near extinction, these now only operate in the old town. The modern developments not only ignore the countries financial woes, but also ignore the rich of the city. Old Architecture has virtually vanished from Beirut and the city is struggling to maintain a grip on its long and proud history.

The city also has issues with pollutants, both airborn and water based. A lack of legislation for industry has meant that very few firms treat their waste, this has resulted in the ejecting of harmful waste into the atmosphere and local bodies of water. The poor treatment of the environment has put the local habitats and wildlife in danger as a number of species in Lebanon have now been declared as endangered. The recent explosion means that much of the cities infrastructure has been damaged. We should be sensitive to this issue and seek to resolve some of the problems it raises.

Key Learnings - A growing gap between the rich adn the poor has created a city centre that is devoid of human life. - A lack of historic Architecture and infrastructure has left the city struggling to keep hold of its past. - Rapid urbanisation over the previous 100 years has created poor quality accomodation towards the edges of the city. - A lack of green space means that there is very little reason for people to stay in the city centre. - How can we produce spaces of high environmental quality whilst catering to these very unique issues?

Responding to a disaster

Connecting with History

A difference in equity

Environmental Quality

The explosion in August of 2020 has left the countries port crippled. We have included a section of the port into our site, this includes the explosion site. We will rebuild this port and revitalise it, creating jobs and allowing Beirut’s imports to continue.

The people of Beirut have a passion to be reconnected with their lost past. Through the use of sympathetic design, we will create a development that is genuinely Arabic, whilst utilising the benefits of western urban design.

The BCD has created an economic divide between the rich adn the poor. We will attempt to bridge this gap by creating multi-use and mixed cost living environments.

Whilst we try to achieve our goals, we will be mindful of the ultimate challenge, which is to produce environments of high environmental quality. These spaces will be restorative and seek to improve the health and wellbeing of residents.

Methodology

Literature & Material Review

An investigation into existing literature and contextual information that is relevant to high environmental qualities, Arabic urban design qualities, high density and high intensity developments.

Environmental Qualities

Once we have identified the key environmental qualities, we will identify design elements and construct a framework for evaluating case studies. This will then be used to analyse our final proposal.

Refinement & Testing

The concept will be tested against the site and our contextual analysis. The design will then be refined to ensure greater success on meeting our design principles.

Findings of Chapter 1 Research into environmental qualities has allowed us to define the elements that construct a space of high environmental quality. This will allow us to apply this knowledge to our design principles framework. A strategic analysis of Beirut, on both a local and city scale, has identified the issues of the city. The challenges we face in this project have been isolated and prioritised to shape our brief. This will allow us to build a scheme that is appropriate and contextually sensitive, whilst still delivering the high quality public spaces that are so vital to successful urban design. The next stage of our project is to review the wider material.

Design Principles

After a thorough review of the relevant case studies and literature, we will propose a number of design principles. These principles will inform our design and be applied to our concept model.

Case Studies

Relevant case studies will be reviewed, this will inform our design framework and design principles. The case studies will be carefully selected to reflect similar characteristics of our site.

Literature & Material Review Introduction

A Review of Relevant Materials Literature Review...............................................pg 16 World Map.........................................................pg 20 Case Studies......................................................pg 21 Chapter Findings................................................pg 29

To understand how to safeguard and deliver high levels of environmental quality, whilst accommodating an intense form of development, it is important to be clear about what constitutes a high quality environment. An initial list of important qualities was identified through preliminary discussions within the group and refined through a concerted review of academic literature. A sense of how the various qualities could be related to one another and prioritised was then achieved, by reviewing information on the global and local context for development in Beirut. This approach of reviewing theory, knowledge and data reflects the group’s conviction that there is unlikely to be a “one size fits all” approach to defining environmental qualities, but that how these are perceived is likely to be influenced by (e.g.) local politics, geography, climate and culture. Over the following pages, the outcomes

of this process are presented. Firstly, the findings of an academic literature review are shown, followed by details of a wider material review and finally a “mind map” to show how the group has connected and prioritised its set of environmental qualities. The literature review has been summarised in terms of three categories: ‘being in nature’, ‘society’ and ‘Beirut-focused’, into which the selected literature naturally fell, due to the group’s initial suggestions of environmental qualities. However, it can be seen from the tabulated results that each source identified multiple qualities that recurred across the categories. This neatly highlights the fact that these qualities are often interrelated. Full details of the literature review are given in the appendix, where early findings for the design task are also highlighted. The relationships and priorities between the environmental qualities are made clear through the mind map, which was developed from the wider material review and interprets its key findings. Finally, these qualities have been used to develop a framework for evaluating case studies within the next section of this report; and for identifying a set of design elements, being ways in which the qualities may be delivered. This last step of identifying design elements connects the environmental qualities with the work to develop a

Image 3: Heritage architecture in Beirut

design concept for their delivery. For the academic literature review, a total of 11 articles and books were read and analysed. Three positive environmental qualities for urban design were identified from the arguments of each literary resource. The resulting lists of environmental qualities have been tabulated on the next page. The academic literature review highlights the challenges of increasing urbanisation and the adverse social, climatic and ecological impacts that it can bring; but these challenges and impacts are always seen and experienced within a spatial context. Whilst the findings of academic research have proved to be a good starting point for clarifying and distilling a list of environmental qualities, the wider material review proved invaluable for establishing the priorities and interrelationships between qualities within a Beirut context.

Image 4: A sign protesting against the Solidere development.

Being In Nature

Society

Beirut-focused

Reviewing the wider material...

From the academic literature, the following list of environmental qualities have been identified as important for design work: • Ecological Harmony • Sustainability • Equitability • Sensory Richness • Walkability • Diversity • Cultural Specificity & Beauty

Author Mostafavi, 2011 Miller, 2005 Booher, 2019 Colding, 2011 Pallasmaa, 2012 Talen, 2012 Yi, 2019 Montgomery, 2013 Al-Hagla, 2009 Leclair-Paquet, 2013 Gavin, 2016

Ecological Harmony

Sustainability

Equitability

Sensory Richness Walkability

Diversity

Cultural Specificity & Beauty

However, different sources offer different priorities and relationships between these qualities. A sense of the relationships between them is needed, one that is bespoke for the tasks of preparing a conceptual design for intensification, to be applied to central Beirut. In addition to the academic literature, we have looked at information from the United Nations on the global context for intensification, and information on the environmental and social context for development in Beirut, from spatially-focused research and the international media. This is the “wider material” of the literature and material review. The following diagrams illustrate the process that has informed a mind map of the environmental qualities and the mind map itself. The wider material has led to an understanding of how the important environmental qualities can be related and prioritised for a design concept that will be tested in central Beirut.

Case Study Location Map Following the literature and wider material review, sustainability has been construed as an over-arching quality that relates to all others. It is clear that sprawling urbanisation and its challenges for sustainability has affected Beirut. In terms of other environmental qualities, the context strongly suggests a focus on ecological harmony and equitability. ‘Equitability’ is important in the Beirut context because the regeneration proposals of the Solidere Masterplan have not addressed the needs of many local residents and lower income groups for housing, services and facilities. This is connected to concerns about diversity and walkability, whilst the pandemic and the 2020 port explosion are events that have exacerbated related social tensions. ‘Ecological harmony’ is particularly important because of the unequal distribution of greenspace across Beirut and the opportunities presented by a site that could support coastal biodiversity. Mental health issues within the population and the socio-political turmoil situate the qualities of sensory richness and cultural specificity in relation to equitability and to designs that would work harmoniously with local nature. The mind map (opposite) illustrates this thinking, whilst providing indications of the design elements that could deliver and safeguard the environmental qualities, within the connecting, light brown boxes. In this way, the mind map demonstrates a process towards identifying design elements for a suitable (contextually appropriate) design concept. More information on how the environmentally qualities have been used to appraise case studies and have been related to generic design elements is available after the case studies themselves.

Key: 1. New Zealand 2. Singapore 3. Beirut 4. New York 5. Hiroshima 6. Qatar

5 6 2

Case Study:

Park Royal Tower

Rapid Construction Cardboard Church The cardboard church was designed by Shigeru Ban. The church was erected in Christchurch New Zealand following the 2011 earthquake. The cathedral was severely damaged and so this new church is to be used until the original can be fully repaired. The cardboard church is therefore a temporary structure, with a lifespan of roughly 10 years. The Structure uses a prefabricated A frame, making it incredibly simple to construct. The structure has made full use of prefab components, using Shipping containers to create entrance ways.

to create additional green space. This case study manages to create more green space than would be possible if the building was not there, this can only be achieved by using the height of the structure to its advantage. There are many benefits to this use of verticality. The greenery absorbs emissions and also produces fresh oxygen, this is beneficial for the health of the population. Greenery also creates more vibrancy at a street level, this passive effect from green space produces restorative environments that seek to revitalise the health of the population. Additional green space also helps to create shade and prevent the overheating of both internal and external spaces.

Image 5: Unfolding skyscraper

Collapsible Skyscraper This collapsible skyscraper can be dropped in via helicopter and then attached to a ground plate. A load bearing hot air balloon then rapidly rises, pulling up the skyscraper until it is fully extended. To add lateral strength to the structure, steel cables will run from the hot air balloon down to the baseplate, under tension these cables will not only support all the floors but also prevent the building from oscillating in the wind. The number of floors can be altered depending on the amount of helium used to fill the balloon. The skyscraper could be used for a number of things, such as first aid, temporary housing and hospitals, storage space and even a vertical farm! It has also been suggested that a solar panel nanofiber could be used, this would mean that the building produced its own power.

Image 7: Park Royal, Sky gardens

Key Learnings - It is possible to produce temporary and rapid structures that can house high densities of people. - High density rapid skyscrapers can house a variety of uses, allowing them to cater to each individual situation. - As Beirut has lost its grain supplies from the explosion, urban farming will be highly appropriate. - Using prefabricated components such as shipping containers are a cost effective method of construction. - Recovery from natural disasters is long term and so solutions can be both rapid and semi rapid.

Singapores high density green space

Key Learnings

Across the city of Singapore it is possible to highlight a variety of different green and public spaces. However their use of vertical gardens to achieve adequate levels of greenery and vibrancy in their high density centres is inspirational and applicable to our own project.

- Increasing building heights open up the opportunity for vertical gardens. - Vertical gardens can be used to create more green space than possible without the structure. - Tall building forms can be made to look less imposing using green podiums at street levels - Internal spaces will still have passive access to green space despite their height.

The Park Royal tower is a prime example of how high density structures can be used

Image 6: Cardboard church in New Zealand

Image 8: Park royal section

Case Study:

Saifi Village, Beirut

New York Waterfront

with Art galleries, exhibition spaces, and boutique stores, in order to attract people into the development. However, many of these commercial uses have closed, and the spaces left vacant. The redevelopment of the area may have aspired to be a walkable neighbourhood, which may be the case for the residents, but the use of “security agents prowling the streets and guarding building entrances” (Ramco, 2014) has decreased the use of the area by non-residents due to the feeling on not being welcome and always being watched.

in an environmental, social, and economic sense. The water quality is the best it has been in the past century, due to investment in treatment centres and in small-scale green infrastructure areas, such as preserving small streams, ponds and wetland areas. The improvement in water quality had lead to an increase in water activity as people are now enjoying fishing, boating and other watersports. This has lead to an increase in new watersport clubs and cruises into and around New York, both a success in a social and economic sense. These successes have been able to happen due to the increasing opportunity to reach the waters edge through the redevelopment of old piers, the introduction of public walkways and bike paths which line New Yorks waterfronts. The redevelopment has also provided the opportunity to introduce alternative methods of energy creation, through tidal energy, and the use of aqua thermals to heat and cool surrounding buildings.

Image 9: Saifi village plan, Beirut

Saifi Village was the first major residential project Solidere undertook in Beirut. Completed in 2000 the project offered apartments, underground parking and commercial space in buildings varying in height up to 7 floors. The building’s design reflected traditional Lebanese architecture and the use of soft pastel shades reflected 1950 Beirut buildings. The development focused on creating a walkable neighbourhood by implementing walkable streets and creating a relaxed atmosphere that people would enjoy moving through. The public spaces created increased in urban scale to create a transition for people. It started with the semi-public space around the apartments, leading to the pedestrianised streets then the larger plazas. Many of the public spaces, were lined

Image 10: View of Saifi village 22

Case Study:

Image 11: New York Waterfront New York City waterfronts were an underused asset of the city. This change when New York made the reclamation of waterfronts a priority in 1992, with the introduction of the Comprehensive Waterfront Plan. This was followed in 2008 by the Waterfront Vision and Enhancement Strategy. This Vision and Strategy was to carry on the regeneration of the 5 New York Borough shorelines which equals 520 miles, one of the longest urban shorelines in the US. The 2020 vision proposes new ways for people to utilise and interact with the water and waterfronts, to encourage the use of them and a new social space for the local residents. This has all been possible by the management and cleaning of the water to increase the appeal of using the waterfront space. The 2020 Vision also considered the impact of climate change and introduced strategies addressing rising sea labels and severe storms like Hurricane Sandy in 2012.The waterfront redevelopment has had many successes,

This coupled with the higher prices of dwellings per SQM compared to the rest of Beirut, and the introduction of more upmarket commercial uses has created an area in which Beirut’s people have no need or want to visit.

Key Learnings: -Creation of a transition of urban spaces, helps to create a feeling of social cohesion. -The Introduction of high-end commercial and roaming security guards has a negative affect on the attractiveness of a place. -The use of traditional colours and materials helps to create a feeling of local identity even to new developments.

Image 12: Aerial view of waterfront

Key Learnings: -Maintaining high water quality, increases and encourages the use of a waterfront and the desirability of an area. -Waterfronts can help to reduce the impact that buildings can have on carbon emissions production. -The development of the car-free area encourages the movement of people by bike and foot.

Case Study:

Hiroshima Reconstruction

Heart of Doha in Qatar

parks and green areas consisted of three large parks and four green areas, a cemetery, and 40 small parks. Additionally, riverbank greenbelts were planned to beautify the waterfront city. Lastly, land readjustment projects were implemented in all areas that were burned to accommodate these plans on roads and parks.

Key Learnings:

On August 6, 1945, the city of Hiroshima suffered catastrophic damage from the atomic bombing, The early stage of the reconstruction plan implemented highly emergency measures to rehabilitate the city, including restoration of the water supply and sewage system, restoration of the transportation, electricity, gas and the construction of temporary housing. The next stage occurred under the “Hiroshima Reconstruction City Plan” which involved planning roads, parks, and the riverbanks greenbelts. The reconstruction of the road used the prewar road plan as a base and also adopted completely new routes to connect with satellite cities and surrounding areas. The roads connect Hiroshima to surrounding areas in the north, south, east, and west; Hiroshima Station, a gateway of the land, connected with Ujina Port, a gateway of the sea; the site of the future airport with Hiroshima Station; and Hiroshima Station with the center of the city. Planning for

Arabic design features to create a neighbourhood that is of high environmental quality, whilst maintaining the qualities that define an Arabic city. The design has an emphasis on sustainability and creating a walkable city. High permeability has been achieved by dividing the blocks with pedestrian routes instead of roads. Image 13: Hiroshima after the explosion

- Reconstruction as an act to bring back social functions, culture and traditions that existed in the communities before the event. - Introduce Land Readjustment to improve connectivity and greenspaces - High-rise appartments built for lowincome families and victims to improve their living conditions

Key Learnings:

The Msheireb Masterplan The aim is to regulate the Eastern and Western modernity and traditions. An important concept in this masterplan is the grid and lattice. The lattice records the qualities of incidents of the community or neighborhood to induce memories. These laneways act as a reminder of the enjoyment of walking in the cities. However, the grid acts as the paradigm of Western cities. The grid in the Msheireb masterplan draws references from the pattern of the historic street which joins the larger city existing fabric adequately. The masterplan connects the past and future by having a grid and lattice as a bedrock. This 31 hectare master plan seeks to join eastern and western design, the development loosely follows a grid and lattice system, but takes from classical

Image 15: Development Plan

Image 14: Mushroom cloud from the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima

. Permeability through walkability . Uses a public realm network in order to connect the blocks . Social Sustainability . Equitibility is the morphological layers . Climate Sensitivity . Rooted Histoically

Image 16: Heart of Doha, Plan

Image 18: Pre-development plan

Image 17: Heart of Doha, Perspective

Case Study Evaluation & Design Elements A framework for evaluating a set of cognitive and physical factors for place attachment, with its argued importance for sustainability, was identified from Yi (2019). That framework, together with relevant findings from other literature resources, inspired the development of the evaluation framework that is shown opposite (top). This has been applied to the foregoing case studies as a final, consistent appraisal of their architectural or urban designs. Key implications for the task of generating a design concept are identified (see Figure XX).

Environmental Qualities

Evaluation Questions

Sustainability Ecological Harmony

1. Does the case study include morphologies or typologies that help to reduce the need to travel? (Walkability, Equitability)

1. Fine grain morphology, mixed use blocks or buildings

Equitability

2. Does the case study include measures to reduce the use of resources (water, energy, materials)? (Ecological Harmony, Equitability)

Sensory Richness

3. Does the case study include green infrastructure and/or connections to local green and blue networks? (Ecological Harmony, Sensory Richness)

2. Walkable distances between land uses, access to public transport, inclusion of technologies for renewable energy generation, water efficiency and re-use, inclusion of sustainable construction principles

4. Pedestrian infrastructure, cycle routes

Walkability

4. Does the case study encourage and facilitate walking and cycling? (Equitability, Walkability) 5. Does the case study include places for meeting and socialising? (Diversity, Cultural Specificity)

5. Public open spaces, recreation grounds, markets, playgrounds, promenades

6. Does the case study include space for relaxation and/or self-reflection, including opportunities for social distancing? (Sensory Richness, Cultural Specificity)

6. Public or community gardens, seating areas near water or beneath trees

7. Does the case study include housing and/or services and facilities for a range of income groups? (Diversity, Equitability)

7. Mix of house types, residential plot sizes and/or tenures (social and market housing)

Diversity Another important step towards a design concept is to identify different elements that can deliver or safeguard the important environmental qualities. As noted previously, the ‘mind map’ of environmental qualities begins to suggest how these qualities can be achieved—and it is often the case that individual design elements can address multiple qualities. For example, the Singapore case study has shown that green infrastructure can help to address ecological harmony, provide sensory richness, whilst helping with climate change mitigation and adaptation in urban areas. Based on the findings of the literature and material review and the case studies, a set of design elements - which can be thought of as “ingredients” to deliver and safeguard the environmental qualities - have been identified (see opposite, bottom). The elements have been classified under the themes of connections, uses and spaces, with their related environmental qualities also shown.

Cultural Specificity & Beauty

Indicators Case Studies

3. Parks, gardens, trees, planted areas, water features; and/or connections to these elements beyond the case study area

Evaluation Questions 1

A High Quality Environment? 4

Performance Summary & Conceptual Implications

Hiroshima Reconstruction

There are residential areas with walkable blocks (Hakushima Nakamachi), but also some modernist towers in parkland. Local facilities and green spaces are often within walkable distances, but there is little green infrastructure on the streets. Access to blue networks is facilitate by extensive pedestrian routes along the river, but there are locations where access is visual only. There are large areas devoted to reflection and commemoration of the atomic bombing, but the urban environment can be car- and building-dominated with few incidental spaces for relaxation. Diversity of house types is limited in some areas. Key Implication: integrate green infrastructure with the street network and ensure diversity

Rapid Construction

This case study concerns humanitarian architecture and disaster relief, so the questions focused on connectivity are not applicable. However, the examples have sustainability qualities in terms of energy generation or re-useable building materials; and could meet the population’s needs for shelter and for community. Both examples concentrate people within one large structure, which may not provide residents with time alone with their thoughts, or easily facilitate social distancing for COVID-19. Key Implication: these solutions do not provide a template for a conceptual design that deals holistically with environmental qualities, but have merit for disaster relief.

Heart of Doha, Qatar

The morphology of densely packed buildings that help to shade each other, and of pedestrian-oriented streets laid out to capture ocean breezes, is in-keeping with traditional Qatari design. Courtyard house types that are clustered around shared family gardens provide opportunities for additional green infrastructure and for private reflection, as well as for socialising. However, public spaces are focused on vibrancy and commerce with limited scope for relaxation. The housing, facilities and services are low-energy, but focused on higher income groups. Key Implication: include Arabic morphology for its culturally relevant sustainability

Park Royal Tower, Singapore

This case study focuses on vertical gardens, which involve the provision of trees, shrubs and other plants above ground floor level, integrated with the built form. These gardens can 1) reduce the need to travel to access greenspace; 2) help reduce resource use through passive cooling (although there may be a high water requirement); and 3) increase connectivity to green networks. The principle is highly compatible with the provision of shared green spaces, but these are likely to be semi-private or private; and access could be weighted towards higher income groups. Key Implication: include accessible, vertical green infrastructure for space-efficient design

Saifi Village, Beirut

This case study – which has also been highlighted in the literature review (Al-Hagla, 2009) – is one part of the central Beirut regeneration led by the Solidere Masterplan. Traditional Lebanese architecture and the historic street pattern have informed the design. This creates pleasant, walkable streets, but access to the area is managed (semi-private), whilst gentrification has resulted in a loss of vitality and diversity. New green infrastructure, whilst provided, is also private or semi-private. Aside from facilitating walking as a mode of travel, the case study does not address resource use. Key Implication: diversity requires more than built form, but also inclusive public spaces

New York Waterfront

Improvements in water quality and waterside spaces have increased useability of the five boroughs’ shorelines, reducing the need to travel for accessing water-focused activities. Natural solutions to water quality issues (e.g. wetlands, green infrastructure in SuDS) are energy efficient and integrate green and blue networks. A mix of uses and car-free areas enliven coastlines, and this facilitates walking or cycling. Waterfront greenways enable leisure and exercise, whilst a range of sunny and shaded environs provide diverse experiences. However, the needs of lower income groups are not specifically addressed. Key Implication: provision of coastal green infrastructure can help to improve ecologies and vibrancy

Findings of Chapter 2 Our in depth analysis of the wider material through a literature review provided us with the individual elements that we believe are required in order to produce spaces of high environmental quality. We then observed a varied selection of case studies which demonstrate best practiicies and techniques for achieving these high levels of environmental quality. The different aspects and angles of these case studies will be applied to our design concept at a later stage of the project. Ultimately this research has uncovered the wide knowledge base of environmental quality and allowed us to better understand how it can be achieved and what it means. After a review of the context, lit review and case studies we have finalised our site specific design principles.

2 29

Diversity

Design Foundations Design Principles................................................pg 32 Chapter Findings................................................pg 43

The promote a diverse development by incorporating a range of housing, social, religious and economic spaces to meet the needs of the people of Beirut.

Social Diversity

Mixed-Use Neighbourhood

Mixed Use Buildings

Designate key facilities in neighbourhoods as intercultural community centres, containing key services such as health, childcare, libraries and religious buildings. The placement of different religious buildings side by side will have the potential to facilitate a mutual understand between faith groups. Thus providing a better social cohesion across the site.

A vibrant neighbourhood is a combination of residential, commercial, cultural, institutional and production functions, where these functions are physically integrated into different scales. This variety of functions allows people to live, work, relax, go shopping in one place, which then becomes a vital activity destination for people from other areas, therefore, can increase the economic viability and security of space by increasing the number of people on the street and in public places.

In order to address the need to accommodate higher density, a vertical mixed-use development is introduced. The mixeduse building not only sustainably utilizes resources and uses land efficiently, but also provides city inhabitants with neighbourhoods that integrate work, home, shopping, religious, and green spaces.

Iterations for Mixed-Use Spatial Zoning HOUSING

HOUSING

SCHOOLS

RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS

HOUSING

SCHOOLS

COMMERCIAL

HOUSING

Why? The creation of a diverse neighbourhood helps Beirut, as it helps bring people from all backgrounds together. This is especially relevant with the history of violence in Beirut and the Solidere development, which cause a division between the city centre and the rest of Beirut.

Sensory Richness

To promote a development which provides an experience to the user.

Sight A visual vibrancy

Hearing The presence of calming sounds

Smell Link to particular place types and uses

Taste Edibility and urban farming

Touch Material qualities

Ecological Harmony

Tools of Experience

Catering to the six senses allows us to design spaces that are sense enriching. It is very possible for designers to become obsessed with the visuals of design and forget that as people our experiences consist of much more than that. Our six senses can be stimulated in a variety of ways at different times, they can be seen as our tools of experience. Badly designed spaces can lead to an overload, the towering skyscrapers of New York or the choking smog in Beijing for example. If we cater to the human experience, designing spaces that create a dialogue with the six senses, then we can create beauty on a deeper level than appearance alone. There are a variety of design elements that we can employ in order to stimulate the senses. Different uses of space will introduce different smells. An area that contains restaurants and cafés, will inherently introduce a variety of pleasant aromas. Falling water can be used to create calming sounds of water and biodiverse green spaces will attract birds that will sing. The presence of green space also creates more vibrant areas instead of the grey of modern buildings. Using public spaces as urban farms can opens an opportunity for interaction and taste. Different materials can mean that spaces feel smooth or rough. Can also be used to indicate safer and dangerous spaces. Visual vibrancy creates environments that are not only well equipped but restorative. The use of passive green spaces, as well as regular design variation such as shorter block lengths, can also contribute towards visual vibrancy. A presence of calming natural sounds creates non-stressful environments. This works

with the idea of a more walkable scheme as we seek to remove noise pollutions like traffic, and replace them with bird song and running water. Smell can be used to identify different uses without needing visual ques. An area that has a strong smell of food indicates the presence of restaurants for example. The presence of urban farms encourages

members of the public to interact with their surroundings, increasing activity and encouraging more healthy lifestyles. The use of materials and variety in material is vital as visual ques contribute to the legibility of a space. This makes developments more welcoming, but also regards safety, such as a different texture on the path next to the road.

The creation of a development that enhances the local biodiversity whilst reducing the impact of local climate and weather issues.

At the Landscape Scale The protection of local and global ecosystems will in part depend on creating the conditions within the urban environment for people to have meaningful interactions with the natural world in the context of their everyday lives. Academic research has clearly established that this is important to avoid “the extinction of experience” that breeds ignorance of mankind’s dependence on and its interrelationships with nature, which undermines the common will to conserve and enhance biodiversity (Miller, 2005). Human experiences of the urban environmental are also enriched by nature, which can lead to physical and mental health benefits (Booher, 2019).

At the level of landscape and neighbourhood morphological layers, avoiding the extinction of experience involves increasing interactions between urban development and blue and green networks. This can be done by adopting an approach to urban design that seeks to make anthropogenic systems - such as transport and street networks complementary to ecological systems. SOM Architects have labelled this approach ‘biomorophic urbanism’. A set of design principles can be isolated from their use of this approach at India Basin, San Francisco (illustrated below).

First biomorphic design principle: avoid locating buildings in areas of greatest natural threat (e.g. areas prone to subsidence during earthquakes) and use this area for open spaces and ecological opportunities that are interlinked. Second design principle: offset the route network from prevailing winds and increase its irregularity to provide greater habitability for people and local species. Third design principle: further manipulate blocks to provide diverse environments with different micro-climates, increasing the variety of habitats.

The Neighbourhood Scale These principles can be followed at the design concept stage, but also to adjust the concept to site specific circumstances and local opportunities for biodiversity. The waterfront site in Beirut shares similarities with India Basin, given its potential exposure to prevailing winds from the Mediterranean and the potential for earthquakes. The local climate varies from hot in the summertime to temperature during the winter and this will affect the desire for shading and access to daylight, for habitability purposes.

Image 19: Park Royal, sky garden

Why? Sensory richness (experience) helps the users experience a place more. This can be in terms of helping to navigate through a site or in place making. This is important to Beirut as the city centre’s redevelopment failed to create a place where people would visit and stay. Creating a place will help encourage people into the site and help create areas people enjoy. Image 20: India Basin, natural hazards and areas for

Image 21: India Basin, Route and block Morphology

nature

Green and Blue Networks

Ecological Harmony The Building and Street Scale The fragility of ecosystems in the face of urbanisation presents an opportunity to adopt new approaches that resolve the tension between developing land and conserving the environment (Mostafavi, 2011). At the lower morphological scales of buildings and streets, there is scope to innovate in how green infrastructure is integrated with urban spaces and even into the very fabric of new buildings. The Vertical Forest in Milan (Boeri Studio; see below) demonstrates that towers of 80m and 112m can house 800 trees, 15,000 perennial plants and 5,000 shrubs, if the inclusion of green infrastructure is considered as an integral design element.

The vertical forest is similar to the previously evaluated Singapore case study, the benefits of which are identified for overall sustainability. The multi-functional benefits of vertical green infrastructure include those relating to ecological harmony: in addition to its benefits for urban cooling, it provides additional and varied habitats for local wildlife without any additional land-take. At street level, green infrastructure can also be integrated at small ‘pocket parks’ located (e.g.) at street junctions. The Heart of Doha case study (see below) also demonstrates the inclusion of green infrastructure within the semi-private shared spaces of traditional Arabic courtyard homes.

The Greening of Beirut At higher densities, the integration of ecologically diverse green infrastructure can therefore be achieved through vertical gardens and forests, as well as by pocket parks and housing that provides shared garden spaces. In a Beirut context, these principles would be consistent with the Beirut Wonder Forest project (Studio Invisible), which intends to retrofit buildings with rooftop gardens, comprising trees and potted plants, to improve local air quality and provide other benefits (food growing, reductions to urban heat island effect). The image below shows the intended effects of the Wonder Forest Project, illustrating how this could transform central Beirut, improving visual access to nature.

To improve the people of Beiruts access to green and blue infrastructure through new areas of public space.

Green Vertical Places

Access to Green Spaces

Sustainable Drainage System

Flow of Air and Water

Singapore case study high-rise buildings blending with nature, is a perfect model to emulate. WOHO’s works incorporate vertical green spaces into the building layout as a cherished green scheme. Not only does this minimise greenhouse dioxide, but it also saves on heating and air-conditioning costs for high-rise buildings.

Green spaces must be accessible for people and kids. The existing of green spaces and specifically trees cools the weather by natural shade and works by a sunscreen that reflects and absorbs radiant energy.

Sustainable urban drainage should: maintain a good public health barrier, avoid local or distant pollution of the environment, minimise the utilisation of natural resources (e.g. water, energy, materials), and be operable in the long-term and adaptable to future requirements.

The effective blue system leads to cooling and reduces the effects of the urban heat island. The vibrant blue pathway can be built as a river promenade or a waterfront that gives a sense of belonging and leads to a healthy lifestyle.

Image 22: Vertical Forest, Stephano Bieri

Image 23: Heart of Doha, Masterplan

Image 24: Beirut Wonder forest, Studio Invisible

Why?

Beirut lacks a green infrastructure network throughout the city with a lack of parks and areas of green space for people and wildlife to flourish. The inclusion and design of new green infrastructure will help create areas for wildlife, growing food, relaxing, and helping to mitigate urban development issues, like the urban heat island effect.

There is a considerable lack of green space for public use across Beirut. The development will provide both the residents and the people of Beirut access to green and blue infrastructure, providing people with areas to relax and socialise, which benefit mental health.

Equitability

Sustainability

A site that integrates the needs and creates opportunities for the people of the site and Beirut.

Creating a development that enhances the environment and social health of the development in the present and future.

Social

Renewable

Podium Design

Photovoltaic Cells

Tidal Energy

Buildings have began to use solar energy through the use of photovoltaic cells on the outside of buildings to generate electricity by absorbing sunlight and using that light energy to create an electrical current.

Free-flowing waters in tides, rivers, and waves to make kinetic hydropower a viable energy source. Turbines are completely underwater,silent, and invisible from shore.

Aqua Thermal Heating and Cooling

Mixed Dwellings

Economic Opportunities

Diverse Range of Educational need

Focus on Moving People

Mix of affordable and private housing to accommodate high and low income groups

Creating jobs and giving urban residents the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of economic growth is a critical component of overall urban inclusion.

Focus on schools: public schools are a place where disparities across income levels can be addressed

Create spaces where everyone will feel safe to walk or bike. Equal comfortability and safety.

Aqua-thermal systems that involve loops to coils submerged in the water. In the summer, the loops transfer heat away from buildings and into the water, where it is absorbed. In the winter, the loops draw on the latent warmth of the water to return heat.

Image 25: Mix housing in Amsterdam

Image 26: Open-air local markets

Image 27: Public schools

Image 28: Pedestrian and bike lanes (USA)

Why? Why? Beirut experiences many power cuts due to a power shortage across Lebanon. This development will incorporate new sustainable ways of generating power to reduce the power shortage’s impact to help increase the power security across the site and the rest of Beirut.

The development will provide opportunities for all people to have access to housing, education and economic opportunities, which previous developments such as the Solidere development did not achieve or aim to achieve. Creating a development that makes people feel safe and comfortable to use will help people of different genders, religious and economic backgrounds prosper and help Beirut move forward from previous disasters.

the new developed streets. However, the sufficient level of privacy can be gained by other design solutions.

Cultural Specificity and Beauty

Another main feature of traditional cities, which can be adapted for contemporary urban areas, is the hierarchy of streets and the use of cul de sacs. Cul de sacs can improve the privacy and security of the neighbourhood areas and this benefit of the cul de sacs have even been addressed in contemporary urban design (for example: Barton, 2003). However, designing cul de sacs can reduce the permeability and connectivity of the street pattern, as Bentley et al. (1985) state that this quality is one of the fundamental dimensions of a responsive urban environment. However, it can be argued that, based on the benefits of cul de sacs in this cultural context, there should be a balance between improving permeability of street pattern and enhancing the privacy or security by designing cul de sacs for the residential neighbourhoods.

Arab City Analysis

To promote a more culturally sensitive neighbourhood that addresses the needs of the different cultures within Beirut.

TRADITIONAL COURTYARD HOUSING Introduction of new places of worships that cater to the local and new residents

Providing open spaces which can meet the needs of locals

Creation of commemorative space for the 2020 explosion.

The use of materials, colours, and architectural styles associated with Beirut or Arabic Cities will help merge the new development with the rest of the city.

New places of worship will be focal points within the development. Places of worship will be created for both Muslim and Christian people.

Space across the site will be created for local events to take place. Helping to maintain the vibrancy and improving the sensory experience around the site.

A commemorative space will be designed, to remember those killed and injured in the explosion.

Arabic Traditional Housing contains a courtyard in the middle and the living spaces surrounding it. Normally all living spaces face to this central courtyard, which usually has a few trees and a small pool. Traditional housing is mostly facing inwards with no view from the street, leaving the external facade bare. Therefore, external walls are usually attached to another courtyard, Figure 5. Traditional houses have inward architecture. All living spaces face to the middle courtyard and usually creating this organic clustered of housing (Block scale image). The use of courtyard the external façade has no window housing is not only favourable for the privacy for its residents but also beneficial to mitigate climate conditions in Beirut, which is hot and dry climate during summer.

BUILDING SCALE

Use of colours and building styles associated with Arabic Cities

CONNECTIVITY Main feature in Arabic cities is the hierarchy of streets. The main streets are reserved for trading activities, public buildings and amenities. The narrower side streets and cul-de-sacs, whose essential role is to provide access to the houses, are perpendicularto the thoroughfares and secondary streets, their private aspect creates a strong contrast with the principal streets.

Main Street

BLOCK SCALE

Cul-de-sacs

PRIVACY

S. NIKEGHBALI (2017)

Figure 6. Windows usually open to the central courtyard but not to the street

PUBLIC SPACES OPEN PUBLIC SPACE appears in the old city in the form of Maidans, or urban courtyards in front of monumental buildings like the Mosques and Churches and represented in the modern city by squares and urban gardens

205

CIRCULATION SPACE represented in the old city by narrow labyrinth pattern. Regular use of blind alleys helps reduce public view of small streets and reduces traffic of strangers in residential neighborhoods

Image 29: El Omari Mosque Street

Image 30: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Why? Creating a new development that understands and is influenced by a place’s culture makes it easier for it to be incorporated into the city. This is especially important to Beirut, which as a rich culture that must be respected, the understanding of Beirut’s culture will allow for new religious buildings and public spaces for all residents.

CITY SCALE

Mosque

Urban Square MITIGATE CLIMATE CONDITIONS

F. ALKUBASAISY (2019)

S. BIANCA (2000)

Walkability

Adaptation to higher density

To create a site that encourages movement by walking through the designing of the street and street network.

Pedestrian Street

GREENSPACES. Distributed and well connected network of pocket parks and a central greenspace at ground floor level

ARABIC MORPHOLOGY. Reflecting the Arabic qualities and adapting it to a higher density design. The sketch highlights the irregularity of the route structures, which are typical of Arabic cities. Moreover, it shows the diverse range of mix uses throughout the site to promote vibrant neighbourhoods.

Development of safe and comfortable streets and routes

Public Spaces which enhance and increases the vibrancy of the area

Creation of interesting, attractive public spaces and routes

The creation of a permeable street network to allow people to move through the urban area to reach local and community centres with ease.

Safe and comfortable streets for people can be provided through increase separation of vehicle and people, e.g. increased curb width or pedestrian-only routes through the site to key community and economic facilities.

The creation of a pleasant atmospheric place to encourage people to move on foot. Achieved by providing spaces which maintain high footfall levels throughout the day. As the phasing process takes places, the vibrancy of the site will increase as the population and the uses on the site increases.

The creation of interesting, attractive places through the use of adding greenery and public art to the public realm. Introducing different townscape features to encourage the exploration of the urban area.

Main Street

KEY LEGEND Primary Street

Permeable street network

Courtyard Building

STREET PATTERN. The diagram above illutrates a closer representation of the adapted routes of Arabic cities. The proposed street pattern is a mix of grid structure used for main streets and irregular streets for pedestrians.

School Cultural Attraction Pedestrian Square Bus Stop Bus Lane

Why? LOCAL SHOPS

HIGHER BUILDINGS INCREASE SHADED SPACES IN THE STREET

COURTYARD

PRIVATE

PEDESTRIAN

PRIVATE

MAIN STREET

PRIVACY AND PUBLIC RELATIONSHIP

CREATE ACTIVE EDGES

WELL CONNECTED HISTORIC STREET PATTERNS

Creating a walkable area can have positive social, environmental, and economic effects on the city. By making places easier and enjoyable to walk around encourages people to walk instead of using vehicles. This will help bring back the vibrancy of the centre of Beirut, which was lost after the redevelopment by Solidere.

Public Transport

To promote public transport by creating a network that all people can access and utilise

Regular stops within a 5 minute walk

Designated lanes for public transport

Access to the main cultural, local and community facilities

Having stops in close proximity to residents encourages the use of public transport. As it is more convenient for users to access the transport.

Public transport in urban area needs to be reliable and punctual. By providing designated space for public transport, it providing a shorter journey and more reliable service .

It is also important to have public transport stops as key location around the city where people will want to travel to. Especially if locations have limited parking, making public transport more convenient to use.

Why? A public transport system makes it easier for people to move around a city, whilst also reducing the number of vehicles on the street. This is especially relevant to Beirut as Beirut’s public transport is poor, which means many residents choose to use private vehicles instead. A more connected public transport system and the introduction of new transport methods will help reduce the number of cars on the road while also increasing the number of people who can travel around the city.

Findings of Chapter 3 The design principles that we have laid out are contextually specific to Beirut. We believed this was necessary as to create a space that is of true environmental quality, it must relate to the cultural setting where it is located. These design principles form the framework for the next stage of our project. Now we have selected our design principles, we will begin to apply them to our concept model.

School Cultural Attraction Pedestrian Square Bus Stop Bus Lane Park

Land Use Requirements

The Concept Land use requirements ........................................pg 47 Land use budget..................................................pg 48 Development of design concept...........................pg 49 Beyond the concept.............................................pg 53 Chapter Findings.................................................pg 55

The conceptual design task depends on understanding the area requirements of the different land uses that are to be included in the final design. It is important to realise just how much land would be required, if all of the land-uses were arranged horizontally and at “ordinary” (i.e. less intense) densities. In doing so, we realise the need for a more vertical form of urbanism. It is also important to understand the implications for the spatial arrangement of land uses of the environmental qualities that we are seeking to deliver and safeguard. Achieving a high level of environmental quality starts with recognising the design elements that we have identified in respect of our qualities, as well as the variety of design principles – the elements identify what our design should contain and the principles identify how our design should incorporate this. Much of this understanding will become important in conceptual development, but some of it is relevant to interpreting the area requirements for land uses. The area requirements have been interpreted using standards and rules that have been developed by the group with respect to the Beirut context. A 64 hectare “test laboratory” was developed to identify land use requirements for a notional 800m x 800m site. The standards developed for this test case are identified and explained in the appendix.

Learning from this example, an 80 hectare proxy for the waterfront site in Beirut was then developed. The standards used in this second iteration were modified from the test laboratory by considering its outcomes, having regard to our design elements. The table opposite expresses the thinking that informed these standards and the land use provisions. Further details – and a full justification – is to be found in the appendix. The illustration on the following page shows the standards and the requirements for the 80ha proxy for our waterfront site in central Beirut. The total area that would be required to accommodate all land uses is clearly much greater than 80ha (c.236% of this figure). This outcome becomes the starting point for the conceptual design work.

Land Use

Key Points on Standards Used

Key Points on Intended Provision (ha)

Green Infrastructure

• WHO standard applied for formal open space, with half again applied to identify a suitable informal standard

• Informal open space can be accommodated within the built form (as per Singapore case study) and street spaces, so no additional area required

Infrastructure

• A grid of 11 x 11 streets has been assumed, to give walkable blocks • Three streets are required for coastline perimeters (to give waterfront access)

• 15m would be the average width for modelling. Some routes would be narrower for pedestrians (per the Doha case study), or wider to accommodate public transport

Employment

• Workers per dwelling identified using Lebanese labour force statistics • Heights of office buildings in adjoining areas surveyed using Google Streetview

• Although the site includes a large economic asset (the Port), this needs to be rebuilt and has a low employment density; so the office job requirements should be provided

Education

• Needs for primary and secondary education calculated using Lebanese population & education data • Size of schools in Beirut surveyed using Google Maps

• Education requirements to be met in full for purposes of social inclusivity

Religious Institutions

• No. of dwellings per institution identified using Lebanese population data and Google Maps search results for places of worship • Size of places of worship surveyed using Google Maps

• Religious institution requirements to be met in full for purposes of social inclusivity

Other Community Services/Facilities

• Space for commemoration determined using size of international case studies, surveyed using Google Maps

• Community service/facility requirements to be met in full for purposes of social inclusivity

Residential

• 800pph is fixed for the exercise, but dwellings per hectare calculated in terms of site area • UK space standards used to identify residential floorspace requirements

• Area available for residential use is net of area required for infrastructur. Homes are to be provided in mixed use buildings

STANDARD / RULE

AREA REQUIREMENT

PROVISION

Formal Open Space

0.9ha/1000 people

57.60

Formal Open Space

Informal Open Space

0.45ha/1000 people

28.80

Informal Open Space

No. of Streets

Length each

894m

Length each

Width each

15m

Width each

Intersections

156

Economically active/dwelling

1.29

30.02

Required workspaces

Floor area/workspace

20sqm

Floor area/workspace 3.98

3.98

384.62

Dwellings/school (primary)

No. of schools

43.79

No. of schools

Area/school

0.26ha

Dwellings/school (secondary)

3550.36 4.74

Area/school

0.49

11.39

Development of the Design Concept 30.02

37.53

3.98

4.98

11.39

14.24

2.32

2.90

Area/school Dwellings/school (secondary) No. of schools

2.32

Area/school

Dwellings/institution

230.57

Dwellings/institution

No. of institutions

73.05

No. of institutions

Area/institution

0.10

7.30

Area/institution

Local centre

0.2ha/1000 people

12.80

Local Centre

Neighbourhood Centre

1.20ha/1000 people

12.80

Neighbourhood Centre

Commemoration

0.8ha

0.80

Commemoration

800pph

118.61

49.98*

Residential

72.00

Storey number

Dwellings/school (primary)

No. of schools

57.60

Economically active/dwelling

21726

PERCENTAGE TOTAL

Intersections

Required workspaces

Storey number

30.02

TOTAL AREA (ha)

7.30

9.13

26.4

33.00

Residential

48.98

62.47

TOTAL (ALL USES)

188.99

236.23

A 64ha test laboratory

An 80ha conceptual proxy

The evolution of the design concept begins will visualising the area requirements for the different land uses that have been identified through the land use budget spreadsheet. By translating the area requirements into regular, hectare-sized blocks, colour-coded by land use, the need for vertical design and layout can be considered in an abstract fashion. Blocks of different land uses were manipulated and stacked together in ways that begin to take account of our design elements and principles.

The 80ha proxy was understood as a Euclidean geometric plane, rather than the waterfront site; but it was immediately conceived in broad relation to the latter’s context. The yellow area at the grid’s boundary indicates the influence of Zaituna Bay, the dark blue that of the Mediterranean, the grey is the western area of the industrial port, and the turquoise describes the boundary with the rest of central Beirut.

The images above shows the progression of attempts at distributing the land uses at ground floor level, when modelling with the 64ha test laboratory. This process gave rise to a greater understanding of how to model the 80ha proxy for the waterfront site in Beirut.

A regular, 11 x 11 grid was created to represent a notional route network that takes account of our design principles aimed at creating a walkable, pedestrian friendly environment. Note that the divisions between cells of the grid represent streets (and that in modelling exercise these were 15m wide).

Open space & green networks The large quantity of greenspace that is required to meet the WHO standard and the design principles mean that a vertical integration of green infrastructure is necessary. However, we identified that a distributed network of pocket parks and larger greenspaces would be appropriate at ground floor level. “Soft edges” would accommodate an ecological transition the Mediterranean and central Beirut, following the biomorphic urbanism principles. The preferred distribution is shown in the above sketch. Research identified through the literature review suggests that to meet the health requirements of future residents, housing should ideally be no more than 400m and must be no more than 800m from greenspace. This informed our approach to the distribution of green infrastructure at all levels within the design concept.

Open Space

Local Centre

Residential

Religious Institution

Secondary School

Employment

Primary School

Commemorative Space

Neighbourhood Centre

A wide distribution of housing

Other land uses

Bringing all land uses together

Ground floor uses in perspective

The final design concept

With the infrastructure networks identified - i.e. the streets and greenspaces - attention turned to the distributions of other land uses. The above sketch shows a notional distribution of residential uses at ground floor level. Note the proximity of residential uses to greenspaces and the relative lack of residential use close to the western edge of the port. Beyond issues with residential amenity, it was felt that the psychological ramifications of the 2020 explosion would count against the attractiveness of residential development in this area.

A relatively wide distribution of local centres (light purple) and religious institutions (light blue) on the ground floor level ensures that these facilities are always in close proximity to residential use. Primary & secondary schools (yellow) and employment uses (red) have also been strategically positioned to ensure relative ease of access. A mix and range of uses at the ground floor level can help to promote vitality.

The above sketch shows all of the ground floor land uses together in plan form. Diversity can be provided through the distribution and range of uses at ground floor level and walkability has been considered through the proximity of different land uses; although this also depends on the distribution of uses above ground floor level (shown over the page).

The above image shows a bird’s eye view of the final design concept at ground floor level. In this view, the primary and secondary schools have been differentiated, with secondary schools (darker yellow) being located close to the centre of the 80ha proxy site, each one equidistant from the centre and evenly distributed to maximise their accessibility.

Translating our design principles into a 3D concept required negotiation between their direct implications and their “in-combination effects”, across an 80ha site that must accommodate residential use at 800pph overall. The above image shows the outcome of these negotiations.

The central areas of the design concept were reserved for community uses, for reasons of maximising accessibility to neighbourhood scale facilities (e.g. medical services, secondary schools, supermarkets). Most ground floor residential uses are within 400m - a five-minute walk - of this area.

The group considered that the central space should accommodate “spaces of difference” where different religious communities could observe each other’s way of life. This can help to build mutual understanding, which is important given the history of Beirut. Neighbourhood-scale facilities (dark purple outline) are also present in this central area.

A three-dimensional view of the design concept provides further detail on the vertical distribution of land uses, which will be important for equitability. The very high requirement for residential use and the relatively low enrollment figures for schooling means that there is less opportunity for integrating schools with residences in high-rise structures, if accessibility to schools is to be optimised (the ground floor being more accessible).

This view also distinguishes the areas identified for commemoration and healing of Beirut’s troubled past more clearly, which correspond to the pink squares identified either side of the centrally located religious institutions. It was thought that locating a mosque and church side-byside, together with spaces and/or institutions to encourage reflections on a turbulent past could be a powerful expression, mediated through the built form, of the desire for future social harmony and the recognition of difference. This recognises the messages of our literature review (Mostfavi, 2011; Pallasmaa, 2012; Leclair-Paquet, 2013) and the design principles of social diversity.

Initially, vertical urbanism of mixed uses was sought. However, two land uses require far more space than the remainder: residential and open space. The design principles of sensory richness and ecological harmony encourage a strong mixing of residential and green infrastrucuture. However, as indicated previously, ground floor accommodation of community and education uses enhances their accessibility for the entire community and (particularly relevant for religious instituitons) for visitors from other parts of central Beirut. It was therefore decided that community and education uses should be concentrated at lower levels, with increased vertical concentrations only where feasible, given the relative land area requirements.

Analysis of Final Concept

Beyond the Concept The concept for the waterfront site has been developed at a high level of abstraction, disregarding many of the site-specifics that shape a typical masterplan - but the exercise proves useful as the outcome reflects some of the design principles and elements that are important for Beirut. To summarise, the following design principles have been influential: • Providing mixed use neighbourhoods & buildings, for equitabiliy & diversity • A permeable street network with attractive (green) public spaces, for walkability & sensory richness • Inclusion of green infrastructure to create a variety of habitats, for ecological harmony • Incorporating sustainable energy and cooling technologies, for reliable and sustainable performance • Creating the conditions for social diversity and mutual understanding, for culturally specific design

of the site have not yet been considered. The next step is to review the site for how the concept should be applied in devising a suitable masterplan. A number of the design principles are engaged in moving beyond the concept. Now that we are no longer working on a square grid, the Arabic route and block morphology - updated to ensure a more inviting, visitor friendly environment - becomes important for the qualities of cultural specificity & beauty. In addition, the principles of biomorphic urbanism can help to shape green and blue networks that maximise the ecological opportunities presented on site. The drawings opposite show the emerging application of our concept to the site, taking account of the landscape, climate and cultural context. A key feature not present in the concept is an artificial promontory, created by a new marina under the Solidere Masterplan in the eastern area of the site. This presents an opportunity to “re-think” the application of the design principles from the conceptual stage. More details about how a masterplan for the site has been designed are given in the next chapter.

The concept must now be tested, to understand whether and how it should be altered for its chosen context. Clearly, the waterfront area has shaped the conceptual design process, but the specifics

Building typologies Our proposal will include a range of building typologies to suit different needs of the communities. Residential blocks are designed to provide privacy but also encouraging social interactions with their neighbourhors. The courtyard or communal service areas provide spaces for urban farming which encourages its users to engage with one another while at the same time creating a healthier and more self sufficient lifestyle.

Findings of Chapter 4 In order to deliver and safeguard our environmental qualities, our land use budget shows that relatively large areas of land are in theory required for a range of community uses and infrastructure. Even without these requirements, more land than is available would be needed to deliver 800pph in homes that are of a habitable size. Through the conceptual design process, a need for a version of vertical urbanism has therefore emerged. Land uses should be mixed to accord with our design principles and green infrastructure provided at ground level and vertically. However, the final concept does not take account of site specific factors that will affect the application of our principles and these factors are likely to necessitate changes to our abstract design.

COURTYARD

PODIUM-TOWER

PERIMETER-TOWER

COURTSCRAPER

The courtyard typology is strongly rooted in the traditional Arabic housing. In order to accommodate a higher density, it was necessary to increase the heights of the housing and to create active edges of the block to promote security and vitality. The courtyard and the greenroofs provide spaces for urban farming and social gathering for the residents

The podium-tower typology is suitable to provide spaces in urban compact areas. Integration of vertical green infrastructures, such as rooftop landscapes and different levels of greenspaces, improves the well-being of its users and it delivers high quality living.

The perimetre-tower typology is a combination of the courtyard and the tower typologies. This typology benefits from having a more secured central greenspace and it also helps to integrate taller buildings. Similar to the podium-tower, it provides different levels of green spaces throughout the development which gives residents of upper floors easy access to openspaces.

The courtscraper typology combines the courtyard building and skyscraper typologies. This typology allowed us to maintain the connection with the character of Arabic courtyards while accommodating a higher density. The gradual elevation of one corner of the block provides density, a sense of intimacy and security with the airiness and view of a skyscraper.

4 53

Socio-Economic and Cultural Issues

Strategic Site Analysis Socio-economic & Cultural Issues.......................pg 55 Site Analysis.....................................................pg 56 Biodiversity......................................................pg 60 Our Vision........................................................pg 61 SWOT...............................................................pg 62 Chapter Findings...............................................pg 64

GENDER INEQUALITY

76% 37% EMPLOYMENT

INCOME

35,000 men

Number of people outside the labour 95,000 force

Bottom 50% earn 10% of national income

Top 10% of landowners own 66% of agriculture

women

LABOUR FORCE

Percentage of women in parliament

LEADERSHIP

30%

Percentage of women that had experienced domestic abuse

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

Top 1% earn 25% of national income

Percentage of people employed

3.1%

ECONOMIC DISPARITY

History of conflict between different religious groups

HISTORY 33.7%

Christians

5.0%

Jewish

61.1%

Muslims

LAND

RELIGIOUS GROUPS

Average schooling of 8.6 years

EDUCATION The Services Sector is the largest employment sector

SECTOR ACTIVITY

Four Side Edges

Site Analysis

Biel Site Analysis

Beirut-Lebanon

The Waterfront Edge:The interface between both the sea and the land, but sea access from this edge is more of a problem than a pleasure. Waterfronts are usually meant to be publicly accessible, but this strip acts as a visual and physical barrier to the sea as it consists of two levels almost 6 meters below the reclaimed land. These walks can be reached by a few ramps and stairs.

Lebanon location in the World

- Site Area : 100 Hectares - Population in Beirut approxi. to : 2,000,000

Beirut location in Lebanon

Beil location in Beirut

Image 31: West aerial view of Beirut

The Marina Edge: Connection between both the main entrance to the reclaimed land and the Zeitouna Harbor, a semi-private highend leisure marina. Accessibility to the Marina from the site is low, since it is not convenient for the general public to get to Zeitouna. It’s more appealing to the wealthy and visitors, as most of the restaurants and cafes in the strip are very high-end.

Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate characterized by a hot summer and a cold rainy winter.The average temperature is 21°C; it can reach a maximum of 38°C in July and August and a minimumof 8°C in January and February.

The Historic Core Edge: The link between the land being restored and downtown. The ring road divides both edges and consists of pavement at both ends. Not much pedestrian service linking both edges is provided, except for one or two zebra crossings.

Many experts tie the area’s strong social and economic livelihood to itsbuilt form of narrow alleys, compactway of building. One of the mostdistinctive characteristics of the area is its personalized streetscapes made by a variety of storefronts and goods.

The Port Edge: A much clearer relation between the reclaimed land and the shore. Visual communication between the port and the city is strong as it provides a direct view of the mountains of Lebanon and the city. The obstacles between the reclaimed land and the sea contain roadblocks that must be addressed and rocks.

Zaytouna Bay

Port

BCD

M. Sarieddine (2020)

Wider Context Analysis

Space Syntax Map

Landuse Map

Density Map

Heights Map

The space syntax study highlights the well-connected streets of the Historical City Centre, in contrast to the lack of connectivity in the surrounding neighborhood. The two parallel streets with the highest connectivity which links our site to Place de l’etoile in the City Centre will be important links in our proposal.

The analysis of the surrounding land use suggests the disparity of distribution of facilities and business establishments across the site. First, it is noticeable that most of the mixed-use developments - government institutions, hotels, and banks - are concentrated in the High-end City Centre and proximity to tourist destinations such as Zaytouna bay. Further, tourist institutions and hotels are located along the commercial strip of Hamra and Mar Mikhael which supports the tourist and cultural hub of these areas. Lastly, the southern part of the city which accommodates lower-income residential shows the presence of educational institutions and lack of other facilities.

There is a huge difference between the density in BCD and the surrounding areas. The Density is high around Zaytouna Bay Which varies between 1,500 to 2,000 Dw. While in BCD the density is between Medium and Low (1000 to 500 Dw). The east side of the map is Gemayzeh which is full of historical buildings and has a low density. Although Gemayzeh is low density but is highly compacted with a residential building and there is one high-density building facing the port.

The heightmap follows the density arrangement. So where we have high density the building floors increase and vice versa. In the BCD and Zaytouna Bay, the floors reach between 20-30 floors and above. While in contrast with the surrounding the floors varies between 20-5 floors and a small percentage 2 floors which are historical villas and museums.

Lebanon has a very rich and unique biodiversity mainly due to its biogeography, geology, ecology and historic human settlements in the Mediterranean area.

Biodiversity Analysis

4,486 FAUNA SPECIES SPECIES/ 0.25 FAUNA AREA RATIO

4,630 0.028

FLORA SPECIES FLORA SPECIES/ AREA RATIO

Our Vision

TERRESTIAL BIODIVERSITY 81% TERRESTIAL FLORAL SPECIES Lebanon has suffered from a declining biodiversity in recent years this is mostly due to a lack of political infrastructure to prevent threatening human activities from taking place. Such as illegal construction, illegal deforestation and illegal quarrying. Unauthorized hunting has also been responsible for lowering population levels of endangered species. An increase in population has created a strain on water resources, consequently, compromising the freshwater ecosystem. Overfishing in the Mediterranean has damaged many marine habitats and ecosystems as Lebanon overexploits its marine resources. Lebanon’s lack of treatment plants means that wastewater is vented into the ocean, this is harming habitats and polluting the water. Lastly, climate change constitutes a major threat to biodiversity and is expected to increase the possibility of changes in terrestrial habitats, along with water shortages, increasing temperatures and more frequent storms.

“By 2030, Lebanon’s biodiversity is valued and sustainably managed for the preservation and conservation of its ecosystems and habitats and the species they harbor..” Biodiversity is a key factor in the heritage of Lebanon. For this reason, the country would like to address its threatened species and set national plans in order to halt the decline in the ecosystem. However, legislation for the conservation of natural spaces and biodiversity environments has not yet been implemented into the Lebanese schemes. Various challenges to the implementation of the plan were identified as part of the development of the action plan; the main challenges being absence of funding, lack of coordination between the various concerned stakeholders, and limited data sharing.

7 Extincted 31% Rare Existing 20% Vulnerable 7.5% Close to extinction

Tree species with critical biogeographical locations ABIES CILICICA BOISS. Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve

CEDRUS LIBANI A. RICH. Shouf Biosphere Reserve

OSTRYA CARPINIFOLIA SCOP. Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve

394 Avifauna Species Extirpated 2 20% Vulnerable 6.4% Threatened 32% Rare

The creation of a new waterfront development, that increases peoples access to green infrastructure whilst also enhancing the natural greenery and improving the availability of housing, cultural and community facilities for all people throughout Beirut.

AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY 1,790 5% 1.3%

MARINE SPECIES Threaned Species

A wide variety of organisms inhabit Lebanon’s freshwater ecosystems, including invertebrates, molluscs, fish and others.

Endemic

AGRICULTURAL LANDS 26.5%

46% TERRESTIAL FAUNAL SPECIES

Fruit Trees Cereals Olive Trees Vegetables

LEBANON’S CULTIVATED LAND Industrial crops Tobacco

Agriculture constitutes the main source of income for an average of 30 to 40% of the population in Lebanon.

SWOT

TRENGTHS -Significant location connected to the Sea, Corniche, Port and City Centre

EAKNESSES -Cultural and socio-economic disparities -Recent Explosion -Lack of greenspaces -Militarized edges -Lack of electricity and water

PPORTUNITIES -Potential connection to the Mediterranean Sea -Potential ecological connection to the Corniche -Potential socio-spatial connection to Central Downtown

HREATS -High-end neighbouring areas -Urban runoff -Flooding informal settlements -Rapid Urbanization -Unreliable energy supply

Findings of Chapter 5 An in depth analysis of both the site and Beirut as a wider context has revealed a number of truths about the regions culture and its issues. The city has a gender and equity inequality, with few women in work or education and a very small middle class. Our proposal will use single sex education systems to further encourage the education of women. An introduction of diverse and mixed use settings, such as a range of housing types and costs will create the oppurtunities for a better balancing of wealth. It is also important that we address the religious culture. In previous years the Christian and Muslim sects have operated independantly with poor relations. However the construction of the Al Amin mosque and St. George’s Church side by side, has gone a lon way in recducing tensions. This connection through Architecture is something we will replicate.

5 65

The Final Application of Principles Phase 1.............................................................pg 67 Phase 2.............................................................pg 70 Aerial Views......................................................pg 82 Principle Examples............................................pg 87 Phase 3.............................................................pg 96 Chapter Findings...............................................pg 98

Phase 1 Phase 1 will respond to the immediate issues of the explosion in 2020. Rapid housing will be constructed and money will be invested in the rebuilding of the cities major port.

Responding to a Disaster Phase 1 Our immediate response to the disaster must address the immediate issues that have been caused by the explosion. These are the damaged port that is preventing the city from receiving imports, the lack of space in hospitals for people to be treated and the displacement of 300,000 homes. The use of the collapsible skyscraper model that we cited as a case study, will allow for a large number of homes to be constructed within a short period of time. Temporary places of worship will also be included within the temporary structures.

Once the building is grounded, a load bearing balloon within the collapsed building will be slowly inflated with helium. This will vertically unfold the building and once it has reached the desired number of floors, the balloon can be sealed, ensuring it doesn’t raise in anymore height. Once the buildings have been fully setup, their uses will be defined. As the COVID virus is rising in Beirut, once of the structures will be a field hospital. Beirut is currently struggling to cope with

it’s level of COVID patients on top of those injured by the explosion. Since the city lost the majority of it’s grain stores, sections of the skyscrapers will be dedicated to urban farming. This will help to ease the strain on food supplies. As temporary structures, they will be dismantled and airlifted away once the development begins to take shape and the majority of residents can be rehoused into affordable housing on the site.

Statistics Due to the high density style of these rapid response structures. The phase 1 development will be able to house 12,960 people. This is 1/8 of the population for our phase 2 development. Rebuilding of the port should help to create 1,000 jobs and open up 3 of the port’s 16 births.

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500m

The steps In order to prevent these temporary structures from hindering the progression of phase 2. Construction will begin on the other side of the site and once substantial infrastructure is in place, civilians from the temporary structures can be re housed in the new affordable living accommodations. The first stage will be to clear space for the collapsible skyscrapers to be slotted into. This will involve creating dust paths that lead away from the main road to the South. Te close proximity to the blast site and the city centre makes this a prime location for the structures. A base plate will then be constructed for the skyscraper to be attached to. Once sufficient space has been cleared, the buildings will be airlifted in by helicopter.

Paths for the future

Rebuild

The structures will be temporary. However a small amount of infrastructure will need to be implemented before they can be built. In order to make this worthwhile, the routes constructed for the temporary structures will use the same routes that will be proposed at phase 2. Although the structures will be temporary, the road system can be used permanently for the new development. Phase 2 will be sympathetic to the temporary housing, constructing the affordable living and services first. This will ensure a smooth transition between temporary and permanent living.

The port is vital for the city, bringing in vital imports from the Mediterranean. In order to get the port up and running, we have included a large section of it in our site. This will allow us to begin rebuilding the port immediately. It is beneficial to our site as well as the whole of Beirut. Without a functioning port, it is unlikely that we would be able to gather the materials required to begin construction. The temporary structures will therefore work in tandem with the rebuilding of the port. Once our section of the port has been reconstructed, then construction on the development can begin. The city will

also be provided with slight relief as much needed imports can finally make it to the city.

Places of worship As we are attempting to rehouse some of the population who were displaced by the explosion. It is essential that we provide some kind of places for worship. As religion runs deep in the heritage of Beirut, including a space for Christians and Muslims would be highly sensitive to the context. A structure that uses similar principles to the Cardboard Church in New Zealand, could create a slightly longer lasting solution as

the developments religious centres may take longer to construct.

Summary For Beirut to begin healing from the disaster, we must first rebuild what is most important for them and provide shelter for those who have been robbed of their own. Phase 1 is about offering a solution to an immediate problem that is currently not being solved. Once the city has begun to heal from the explosion,our second phase will commence, solidifying the relationship we have crafted with the people of Beirut, and creating a permanent and physical connection to the city.

An Arabian Hybrid

Phase 2 Phase 2 will begin with the affordable housing to allow for residents to move out of the temporary housing constructed in Phase 1. This second phase is our main masterplan.

Phase 2 Proposal To ground the development in the context of Beirut, we have applied a hybrid grid system that combines the Arabic urban design of old with the modern and healthy spaces of today. There are 3 primary routes running the full length of the site, these provide the main access from the BCD and also provide long views out towards the ocean. The secondary roads however are more organic, running at different angles that have been informed buy the typography and context, this informed chaos creates a legibility to the site that is specific to Beirut. Pocket parks have been strategically introduced in local communities to encourage active travel and healthy lifestyles, while the voids in courtyard and perimeter blocks will be used to engage residents in urban farming activities.

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500m

The Existing Route Structure A road barrier The route structure in Beirut is a far cry from its Arabic heritage. Rapid growth between the 1920’s-70’s has created random road networks to the South East of the city centre (see image 3), while the new central district resembles more western design philosophy than Arabic (see image 1). The primary city centre ring road has created a divide between the centre and Al Hamra however long roads do offer views out towards the Mediterranean. The roads are over engineered and do not create a people friendly environment, with the car taking priority over the human. Planting is present in some areas however this is mostly passive greenery and does not encourage a variety of different activities.

A walkable neighbourhood

Hybrid route structure

The routes we have created through the development respond to the pre-existing route structure whilst solving some of the rapid urbanisation issues. The 2 main vertical routes connect to 2 main routes from the city centre to maintain the long views out towards the ocean. In order to maintain an Arabic design influence, the spaces between the primary routes have been angled and aligned with regards to environmental factors such as the direction of the prevailing wind. This hybrid style grid should provide a good balance between healthy western

urban design and traditional Arabic principles, which the cities most recent developments have been severely lacking. In order to encourage active travel and discourage the use of personal vehicles. A high percentage of roads will be limited or private access. This will make travelling by car more difficult and so discourage the use of private vehicles. The human scale has been made a priority in all spaces, with green spaces being used to connect the pocket parks throughout the development.

Morphological Validation: Hamra, Beirut Our waterfront site will become a mixed use, centrally located district of Beirut – so it is apposite to consider the morphology of a central, mixed use area of Beirut, in order to validate our mix of block sizes and routes. Hamra is such an area, connecting the city’s core to the waterside Corniche and providing commercial floorspace, residences and community facilities. The route structure for our masterplan has been designed to capture aspects of local street and block morphology and through presenting a brief analysis of Hamra in the context of our masterplan design, this will become apparent. The street network of Hamra includes primary, secondary and pericentric stra-

tegic routes as well as a connected lattice of local thoroughfares, with occasional cul-de-sacs providing access to some of the larger blocks (see below). Blocks can be categorised into three sizes (as colour-coded opposite) with the largest blocks having dimensions over 100m and being less walkable. Plot series within blocks varies, including perimeter style with a shared central space (blue); disjointed with semi-private routes in between (red); and a composite of large single-building plots (yellow). We will not be looking to mimic the plot characteristics but will include similar historic (Arabic) morphological influences which are nowadays less present in Beirut but remain a feature of Lebanese settlements and therefore culture.

Connecting Green Spaces Green Guidance The 3 primary routes have been made wide enough to support one way traffic as well as a central green space that at intervals hosts a selection of water features. The pocket park system has been connected to the primary routes by urban planting. This enhances the legibility of the development as the green spaces will lead civilians to the primary routes and also the pocket parks. Water features will be used on primary routes to create calming sounds in the most busy spaces.

Width: less than 50m AND Length: less than 80m Width: 50-100m OR Length: 80-120m Width: more than 100m OR Length: more than 120m

Primary Secondary Pericentric

}

Local

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500m

Beirut Transport Links Phase 2 - Bus

Strategic Routes The proposed public transport routes have been informed by a syntax analysis of our proposal. The syntax analysis confirmed that the primary streets are the most connected, therefore they are the most suitable for supporting a bus system. It also highlighted the most major nodes in our site, we ensured that the transport routes ran through these primary intersections. We have also suggested re-introducing a tram system. The tram system feeds into our Phase 3 plans to create a coastal tram route that presents the splendour of Beirut’s coastline and helps connect our development with the wider context.

The introduction of a bus route during phase 2 will allow all people to access public transport and connects the development with the rest of Beirut. The bus route will enable the residents to move around the site and Beirut without a private vehicle, benefiting Beirut’s pollution levels. The bus stops will be within a 5-minute walk for all residents to access public transport with ease. This also helps to meet the walkability design principle as providing convenient public transport helps reduce the need to use a private vehicle.

Phase 3 - Tram The introduction of a tram during phase 3 will increase public transport capacity on the site. The route along the northern edge between the sea and the buildings provides another transport type for the residents and buildings and provides a potential attraction for tourists. The tram will either follow traditional tram rails or virtual rails, a cheaper and more sustainable option currently being developed in China. The trams will be fully electric, and the use of virtual rails will easily allow expansion into the rest of Beirut at a fraction of the cost.

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Image 32: Autonomous rail rapid transit

Mixed-Use Plot Types Land Use Plan

Vertical mixed-use developement accommodates a higher density that integrates local stores, offices and key facilities with residential areas. Three of our typologies (perimetre-tower, podium-tower and courtscrapers) has mixed-use ground floors that promotes a vibrant and diverse street levels and has residential units on the upper floors. In contrast, the courtyard are for residential use only. Lastly, standalone religious institutions which are placed in the central area facing a public space which remind of the traditional settings in Arabic cities.

A key driver behind our design principles and philosophy is the bridging of the equity gap in Beirut and creating diverse environments. This has been achieved using mixed uses in blocks and plots. The variation in uses will create the conditions for diversity and ultimately encourage people from all walks of live to interact. In the centre of our development is a cultural and religious hub. This large public space will mimic the Al Amin Mosque and St. Georges Cathedral with two religious centres being constructed close to one another. This sharing of religious space will create common ground between the two key religions in Beirut.

PERIMETER-TOWER

100m

500m

PODIUM-TOWER

RELIGIOUS BUILDING

GREENSPACE

HOUSING

GREENSPACE

HOUSING

SCHOOLS

EMPLOYMENT

NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMERCIAL

COURTSCRAPER HOUSING

GREENSPACE

GREENSPACE COMMUNITY

COMMERCIAL

COURTYARD

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS

HOUSING

GREENSPACE

RELIGIOUS BUILDING

GREENSPACE

HOUSING

GREENSPACE

RELIGIOUS BUILDING

Application of Typologies

Meaningful Density Use

Typology Locations

Legibility from Density

The high levels of density that need to be achieved mean that the typologies of the blocks need to be distributed strategically. This diagram shows the recommended locations for the different typologies. The primary routes favour the podium and tower typologies in order to meet the density requirements and enhance the legibility of the space. Then as we move into the finer grain and more intimate spaces as well as towards the sea, the density begins to drop, introducing the courtyard and courtscraper typologies. The typologies have been varied to prevent a ‘Manhattan’ style skyline and create interesting urban landscapes.

Density has been used meaningful in our master plan. Taller buildings line the primary streets indicating their importance and rank in the street hierarchy. As we move deeper into the hybrid Arabic form, densities decrease as spaces become more intimate, this enhances the legibility of the development but also prevents the thinner streets from feeling cramped or overcrowded. The building heights have been varied in order to craft an interesting urban landscape. 42 floors is the highest with 6 floors being the lowest. For further reading on our density calculations, please see Appendix item X.

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West 3D View

North-East 3D View

Beirut-Beil

LONGITUDINAL 3D Section Bay-Port Connection This section shows the different hierarchies of streets, blocks, and plots. This path is connecting Zaytouna Bay with the port. It also, intersect with two main spines coming from the BCD which has a 20 m wide street with a linear park connecting BCD with our Site plaza in the middle. The other streets vary between 12m and 15 m to relate to Arabic street design and highlight the importance of cycling and walking in these spaces.

Beirut-Beil

CROSS Site 3D Section BCD - Sea Connection The Vertical section connecting the two main spines of the BCD with the promenade facing the Mediterrane Sea. This section is intersecting the main spine connecting Zaytouna Bay with the port with a linear park. The Tramline path along the seaside would encourage tourism and also people to use public transport and not cars. The main spine and promenade have a rout width of 20m and the other roots vary between 12m and 15m. The strong paths connecting the BCD with our site will enable the direct vision of the sea and encourage people to reach the promenade. Zaytouna Bay

Zaytouna Bay

Port

BCD

Key Legend Key Legend

Design Principles in-situ

The Application of Principles A connection of spaces The green spaces and pocket parks in our development will be connected via green routes. This adds to the legibility of the scheme as pedestrians are guided towards public spaces via the presence of planting or green routes. The major lateral route through our site creates a strong connection between the historic Zaytouna bay and the heart of our development. Larger public spaces have been focused towards the ocean, this is due to the excess noise pollution created by the new BCD.

COASTAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Coastal green infrastructure provides many benefits. It functions as recreation space as well as hazard mitigating system. Most importantly, coastal greenspaces also provide semi-natural spaces for coastal ecologies. At the same time, the location of buildings close the sea is to maximise the use of the renewable energy (the sea), which gives energy supplies security.

COMMEMORATIVE GARDEN

Creating a memorial garden to remember those who died and injured in the 2020 Explosion in Beirut. The commemorative garden promotes a culturally sensitive space as well as high quality sensory richness. The open space includes green and water features to provide spaces that enhances sensory experiences and also funtions as a restorative environment.

MIXED USED DEVELOPMENT

A vibrant neighbourhood provides residents with places to live, work, learn and relax in one area. The proximity of local stores, facilities and offices with residential areas reduces the reliance on cars and encourages walkability and alternative transportations. Moreover, integrating key facilities and engaging social spaces at a ground floor level activates the

MARINA SIDE SOUKS

Souks contribute to promote social and economic well-being of the communities. Creating active public spaces that allows to bring together diverse people. In addition, souks play an important role in generating job opportunities for the community. Therefore, the marina side souks does not only promotes diversity and equitability but it also becomes an important destination node in the city.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURES

Introducing vertical green infrastructures promotes ecological harmony and sensory richness. At a ground floor level, greenspaces are strategically located to provide soft edges and help to integrate tall buildings.

RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS

The central area introduces new places of worship for both Muslims and Christians. The strategic proximity of different religious institutions encourages to build social cohesion, which is important given the history of Beirut. Reflecting the old arabic cities, both Church and Mosque are facing an urban garden that further contributes to create an inclusive and diverse environment.

Arabic design:

Courtscraper:

Privacy & Walkability Delivered

Adapting traditional Arabic building morphology for contemporary cities, recognising issues with privacy and the surveillance of public space, is a key concern of Nikeghbali (2017). A block-scale model of vertically arranged dwellings is proposed as an adaptation (see opposite/below), but this model does not provide communal greenspace within the centre of the block. A key design principle for our masterplan is that of ecological harmony, providing a variety of habitat spaces, which puts the value of increasing this above that of providing a cul-de-sac for vehicular access. An increased use of walking and public transport modes is anticipated for our city centre location, reducing the need for access to the block for cars, although some parking provision is likely to be required. Finally, our masterplan identifies that courtyard housing will be expected to accommodate relatively large dwellings (up to six persons), where accommodation is likely to be distributed over several storeys to provide the required number of rooms. By contrast, Nikeghbali’s model supposes a horizontal layout of accommodation with different ‘houses’ on different levels (Nikeghbali, 2017, p.209).

A more suitable solution for our masterplan is that of the Heart of Doha case study, which has informed our design principles. The block design highlighted below includes communal greenspace and, whilst respecting the “outside-in” principle, provides windows on the exterior of new homes that incorporate screens (a modern take on a traditional style, providing increased privacy). Surveillance of the street is enhanced by the inclusion of a small commercial use (a coffee shop) on a block corner, which provides street-side animation. Parking is enabled by the inclusion of a multistorey corner building for car parking that has road access but otherwise reads as another residential structure. Our masterplan can incorporate these architectural devices and urban design elements in full consistency with its design principles, thereby delivering a walkable, yet culturally appropriate design.

The courtscraper typology is a combination of two separate typologies - a courtyard building and a skyscraper. The hybrid of these typologies allowed us to retain connection with the character of Arabic courtyards while accommodating a higher density. The gradual elevation of one corner of the block provides density, a sense of intimacy and security with the airiness and view of a skyscraper. In our masterplan proposal we have located the courtscrapers in proximity to the sea and greenspaces to maximise the benefit of the view and the use of renewal energies. At a ground floor level we have mixed-use developments that promotes vitality and security of the space by increasing the number of people on the street. At the same time we aimed to deliver the privacy and security of the residents on the upper floors. This is delivered through controlled access for residents at a ground floor level and also the different levels of the buildings prevents public in the streets to see the central semi-private green space.

PUBLIC

PRIVATE

Within the masterplan, the deformed grid of the local street network and the inclusion of a courtyard house typology picks up on Arabic design traditions, as identified elsewhere in this report. The use of updated Arabic influences helps to deliver the environmental quality of cultural specificity & beauty, but there is a question over how this can, at the same time, safeguard the walkability of our design. This is because traditional Arabic courtyard housing adopts an “outside-in” approach to building fronts and backs, where dwellings address a private central courtyard instead of public spaces, such as the street. This has been illustrated previously, in connection with our design principles. The traditional design makes it difficult to provide the “eyes on the street” that contributes to safe, overlooked public areas that encourage walking. We have already shown ways of providing a gradual transition from private to public space, whilst remaining culturally sensitive, in our design principles work. Here, we consider how the privacy demands of traditional Arabic designs can be negotiated in their application, so that any conflicts with walkability can be avoided.

A Hybrid Typology for Diversity

PUBLIC

SEMI-PRIVATE

PUBLIC

Image 33: Nikeghbali model 3D view

3D Solar Study

Wind Analysis:

Effect of Shadows

Wind effects

The solar study analysis shows the amount of shadows and their effects on the public realm. The shadows of buildings would increase the walkability of local streets during the summer months as well as making the social spaces more habitable, especially in summer since it is very humid.

The wind analysis shows the dominant flow of the wind from the Mediterranean and through the site, due to temperature differences between the land and sea, as well as the prevailing weather patterns. Land breezes (also shown) are expected in the evenings.

Increased shadows can help to increase the activity of public spaces in the afternoons and evenings, whilst introducing a variety of sensory experineces. Having areas with different levels of light and shade will enable visitors to experience and develop different emotional connections with their environs.

The streets are laid out and orientated so that built form helps to break up the air flow, helping to limit the effect of strong breezes on pedestrians and cyclists; although the effects will also depend on building heights. If the wind is coming from a particular direction, the permeable grid can allow cyclists and pedestrians to seek a more sheltered route through the development.

Shadow Analysis

Walkability & Ecological Harmony

9:00 AM

12:00 PM

2:00 PM

The sun location is in east with 70 degrees sun inclination.

The sun location is in the south east with 70 degrees sun inclination.

The sun location is in the south with 70 degrees sun inclination.

In accordance with the principles of biomorphic urbanism, the blocks in many areas of the site are orientated relative to their neighbours, creating the potential for different microclimates at the street level and above, in the vertical gardens, which will receive different levels of sunlight and have different wind regimes.

4:00 PM

5:00 PM

6:00 PM

The sun location is in the south west with 70 degrees sun inclination.

The sun location is in the west with 70 degrees sun inclination.

Energy Efficiency Power supply within Beirut is a major issue. The frequent power cuts experiences have a significant impact on the cities ability to function and potentially attract people into Beirut to work and live. The development will be looking to incorporate sustainable technologies to generate energy and to reduce the amount of energy used by the development.

Photovoltaic Panels The weather in Beirut is ideal for using Photovoltaic panels (solar panels). The city experiences up to 300 days of sun during a year, with an average of 8-9 hours of sun per day. This means that there is a natural resource which is severely underused, and it could be a potential answer to reducing the power cuts experienced. The buildings throughout the development will be fitted with photovoltaic panels to help generate power for the development and surrounding areas of Beirut.

Aqua Thermal Heating and Cooling The heating and cooling of buildings is a significant use of any cities power, let alone a city that is affected by regular power shortages. The introduction of an Aqua Thermal Heating and Cooling system helps to mitigate this as it is “considered more efficient than those based on ground or air sources” (NYCGOV, 2011) due to the coils in the water maintaining a consistent temperature. The system works by buildings located on

Phase 2 Aerial footage

the waterfront being connected to the water by a system of coils, which transfers heat away and draws heat in depending on the season. An example of this system is in New York, which uses this system to heat and cool buildings located on Piers.

Sea Energy To help Beirut’s power issue, the development will be looking at alternative methods to generate power for Beirut’s buildings to use. Several different methods can be used to generate power for the sea; wave power and tidal power will be used. Tidal power will use the current to drive turbines 25-30 feet under the surface of the water. Then the turbines are then connected to the city power grid, which produces power for the city. The use of waves to power the city can take many forms, from floating energy converters to surface-mounted converters. The waves’ oscillation causes the converters to rise and fall, and this motion drives the pumps that generate electricity. The positive of using the sea is the constant supply of power produced, compared to other methods which are weather dependent.

Image 34: Solar Panels

Scan Me! Sea Energy

Aqua Thermal Coils

Photovoltaic Panels

Rejuvenating Beirut Phase 3

Phase 3 Phase 3 looks to build on phase 2 further and connect the new development with the wider city context. This will involve breaking down the cities major highway and introducing more green routes to connect the cities green spaces.

The problems in Beirut run deeper than any single development can solve, therefore we propose that phase 3 embarks on engaging with the city deeper. Green spaces and blue infrastructure will be implemented into the central district, this will see the gradual dismantling of the oversized central highway. A syntax analysis has been used to inform the placement of these green highways. This future project will seek to further aid Beirut on its road to recovery. The gradual opening of the cities heart will see it returned to the people of Beirut. If we create environments of harmony, than over time it will be observed amongst the people as well.

Phase 1

100m

500m

Phase 2

Phase 3

Project Reflections This project and its requirements on high density and high intensification has been challenging in a number of ways. However we believe this project has delivered on it’s promise of high environmental quality and high intensity spaces. We have addressed the issues of Beirut such as the socio-economic problems and the lack of diversity and green spaces. Our development has done this by introducing mixed use blocks and a variety of high and low cost residential blocks, pocket parks and sky gardens have been integrated into the design to allow for easy acces to the majority of residents. Our research into the culture of the Arabic city has also allowed us to design a scheme that that is modern and innovative, whilst being rooted in the heritage of Beirut. There are areas of this project that should we have been granted more time, then we would have addressed. Our work into the biodiversity of Beirut is lacking and requires further development to produce a development that is truly diverse and accomodating. We would also like to further examine the climate resilience of our scheme, this would allow our development to respond to the climate of Beirut and also reduce the heat island effect and carbon emissions. Potentially we would’ve liked to spend more time researching the origins of Beirut and how the city has been influenced by the Mediterranean design in order to further relate the scheme to the city.

(Finished)

Ultimately this development delivers the high levels of density and intensification, whilst producing public spaces that exhibit high levels of environmental quality.

List of Images

References

Image 1: Tower Hamlets, London

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Image 2: Pollution created by the burning of Fossil Fuel Image 3: Heritage Architecture in Beirut Image 4: A sign protesting against the Solidere development Image 5: Unfolding Skyscraper Image 6: Cardboard Church, New Zealand Image 7: Park Royal, Sky Gardens Image 8: Park Royal, Section Image 9: Saifi Village Plan Image 10: View of Saifi Village Image 11: New York Waterfront Image 12: Aerial view of Waterfront Image 13: Hiroshima after the explosion Image 14: Mushroom Cloud from the Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima Image 15: Hiroshima Devlopment Plan Image 16: Heart of Doha, Plan Image 17: Heart of Doha, Perspective Image 18: Pre-development plan Image 19: Park Royal, Sky Garden Image 20: India Basin, natural hazards and areas for nature Image 21: India Basin, Route and block Morphology Image 22: Vertical Forest, Stephano Bieri Image 23: Heart of Doha, Masterplan Image 24: Beirut Wonder Forest, Studio Invisible Image 25: Mixed Housing in Amsterdam Image 26: Open air local markets Image 27:Public Schools Image 28: Pedestrian and Bike Lanes, USA Image 29: El Omari, Mosque Street Image 30: Hiroshima peace memorial park Image 31: West Aerial View of Beirut Image 32: Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit Image 33: Nikeghbali model 3D View

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Icons for the land use budget obtained from www.thenounproject.com

Bjork, M., 2020. Brown Concrete building during daytime. [image] Available at: <https://unsplash.com/photos/V5jxkMKxv_0/info> [Accessed 12 February 2021].

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Bjork, M. (2021), Stop Solidere. Available at: https://unsplash.com/@martenbjork?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText

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Lebanese Examiner, n.d. [image] Available at: <https://lebaneseexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/lebanon. jpg> [Accessed 4 February 2021].

Bohm, Daniel (2021) ‘Venezuela on the Mediterranean’, Die Welt, 2 February. Downloaded from Factiva (accessed: 6 February 2021) Booher, S. (2019) Making our future communities green. Available at: https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/read/making-our-future-communities-green/section/af90f42d-73f4-49b6-85ac-1843d1 bf5ce (accessed: 30 January 2021)

Leclair-Parquet, B.J. (2013) Beirut Divided: The potential of urban design in reuniting a culturally divided city. Development Planning Unit (DPU) Working Paper no. 153, available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/development/ sites/bartlett/files/migrated-files/WP153_0.pdf (accessed 31 January 2021)

CAS (2012) Population & Housing in Lebanon. Available at: http://www.cas.gov.lb/images/PDFs/SIF/CAS_Population_and_housing_In_Lebanon_SIF2.pdf (accessed 7 February 2021) CAS (2020) Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 in Beirut. Available at: http://www.cas. gov.lb/ (accessed 7 February 2021)

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MacDiarmid, C. (2021) ‘Self-immolations in Lebanon blamed on economic collapse’, The Daily Telegraph, 25 January. Downloaded from Factiva (accessed: 6 February 2021) Macrotrends.net. 2021. Beirut, Lebanon Metro Area Population 1950-2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/21773/beirut/population> [Accessed 4 February 2021].

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Mawad, D. (2021) ‘Survivors of Beirut’s explosion endure psychological scars’, Associated Press Newswires, 1 February. Downloaded from Factiva (accessed: 6 February 2021) Miller, J.R. (2005) ‘Biodiversity conservation and extinction of experience’, Trends on Ecology and Evolution, Vol. 20, No.8, pp.430-434 MoE/UNEP/GEF. (2016). National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan – NBSAP Montgomery, C. (2013) Happy city: transforming our lives through urban design. London: Penguin Mostafavi, M. (2011) ‘Why Ecological Urbanism? Why now?’ in Mostafavi, M & Doherty, G., Ecological Urbanism. Baden, Switzerland: Lars Muller, pp. 12-51 Msheireb Properties (2021) Msheireb Downtown Doha Master Plan. Available at: https://www.msheireb.com/ msheireb-downtown-doha/about-msheireb-downtown-doha/master-plan/ (accessed 10 February 2021)

Wainwright, O., 2015. Is Beirut’s glitzy downtown redevelopment all that it seems?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jan/22/beirut-lebanon-glitzy-downtown-redevelopment-gucci-prada> [Accessed 5 February 2021]. Yeung, P., 2021. How ‘15-minute cities’ will change the way we socialise. [online] Bbc.com. Available at: <https:// www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201214-how-15-minute-cities-will-change-the-way-we-socialise> [Accessed 15 February 2021]. Yi, Y. (2019) Shaping the city image by placemaking: place attachment and sustainability of city. Available at: https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/read/untitled-1454f2d9-2de4-4748-837a-b5477b07e49e/section/936e5c60-976a-4ddd b82d-c079b1de0624 (accessed 30 January 2021) “Hiroshima for Global Peace” Plan Joint Project Executive Committee (2015) Hiroshima’s Path to Reconstruction Available at: http://hiroshimaforpeace.com/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/09/188742.pdf

Nikeghbali, S. (2017) ‘Adapting Design Principles of Traditional Courtyard Housing for Future Urban Design’, Journal of Sustainable Development, Vol. 10, No.6, pp.200-213 OLIN, n.d. Pier 26 at Hudson River Park. [image] Available at: <https://www.theolinstudio.com/pier-26> [Accessed 10 February 2021]. Pallasmaa, J. (2012) The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses (3rd edition). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Parker, D., n.d. The Cenotaph and A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Japan. [image] Available at: <https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/the-ultimate-guide-to-hiroshima-peace-memorial-park/> [Accessed 15 February 2021].

APPENDICES

Ramcolb.com. 2014. Saifi village – Ramco. [online] Available at: <http://ramcolb.com/blog/saifi-village/> [Accessed 7 February 2021]. Salat, S. (2010). Sustainable Arabic urban design at neighbourhood scale, a Morphological Approach. Urban Morphology Lab. Solidere (2020), Beirut Souks. Available at: https://www.beirutsouks.com.lb/attractions (accessed 6 February 2021) Solidere (2020) Beirut Central District Masterplan. Available at: https://www.solidere.com/city-center/urban-overview/master-plan (accessed 30 January 2021) SOM (2019) Biomorphic Urbanism: A Guide for Sustainable Cities. Available at: https://som.medium.com/biomorphic-urbanism-a-guide-for-sustainable-cities-4a1da72ad656 (accessed 10 February 2021) SOM (2021), India Basin. Available at: https://www.som.com/projects/india_basin Stefano Boeri Architetti (2020) Vertical Forest. Available at: https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/project/vertical-forest/ (accessed 10 February 2021) Talen, E. (2012) ‘Jane Jacobs and the Diversity Ideal’, in Hirt, S. (ed.), The Urban Wisdom of Jane Jacobs. Abingdon: Routledge, pp.139-149 United Nations (2020) World Cities Report 2020 – The Value of Sustainable Urbanization. Available at: https:// unhabitat.org/wcr/

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103

Literature Review Why Ecological Urbanism? Why Now? Mohsen Mostafavi

Construes ecology as the set of interrelationships between organism and environment and suggests that humanity should not be viewed in opposition – urban vs natural – but that we should focus on the role that our activities play in relation to ecological practices. Argues that designers need to consider the increasingly apparent fragility of the planet and its resources as an opportunity for speculative design solutions, with problems being viewed as opportunities for new approach that resolves the tension between developing land and conserving the environment. Density can be viewed as key to ecological urbanism, because of how denser, more compact cities reduce the tendency of cities to sprawl, whilst engendering more imaginative solutions for creating liveable neighbourhoods in the context of rising populations. Findings Relevant for the Site: • In re-purposing industrial areas and infrastructure, previous relationships between the site and its context can be reimagined, rather than thinking of the site as a “blank slate” • An ecological approach takes account of both ecological impacts of development, but also the provision of resources for the (physical and mental) well-being and recreation of citizens • That human societies involve antagonistic relationships, with political institutions to ensure order; and that urban design should play a role in providing spaces of difference and disagreement, because pleasure in the urban environment is partly derived from frequenting “the spaces of the other”

Environmental Qualities Identified: • Ecological Harmony • Sustainability • Cultural Specificity & Beauty

Evaluating new urbanism’s walkability performance: A comprehensive approach to assessment in Saifi Village, Beirut, The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and Lebanon the Senses

Making our Future Communities Green

Khalid S. Al-Hagla

Juhani Pallasmaa

Susan Booher

Identifies ‘walkability’ as a core concept of ‘new urbanism’ (https:// www.cnu.org/who-we-are/charter-new-urbanism), where an urban environment suitable for pedestrians is held to offer safe, comfortable and interesting places for socialising and exercising. Uses a case study of Saifi Village in downtown Beirut, which aspires to make walking the main lifestyle choice. Analyses the success of this principle in terms of (e.g.) its urban form and urban interactions on macro (between neighbourhoods) and micro (neighbourhood) scales. Mixeduse buildings, diversity in land uses, mixed income housing and high densities act as generators of walkability; whilst urban connectivity and high quality architecture & urban design act as catalysts. Finds that on a macro scale, mixed use & diversity have positive effects for walking, whilst connectivity performs poorly as a catalyst. On a micro scale, mixed-use & diversity, mixed housing and increased density has a negative effect on walkability, whereas connectivity and design quality has a positive effect.

Counters the dominance of vision at the expense of other senses in the practice of architecture, through exploring the role of the body—and especially the tactile or haptic sense—in experiencing and understanding our environment. Suggests that “life-enhancing” architecture must address all the senses simultaneously. Argues that architecture is an extension of nature into man-made realms, and that spatial qualities are measured by all the senses, but with particular reference to the sense of touch.

States the importance of addressing deficiencies of nature in urban areas, for learning about the natural world and sharing experiences of it, whilst reducing stress and promoting health. Article focuses on primary research in US and European contexts. Identifies research suggesting a correlation between poor mental health with a reduced use of public parks (greenspace), which is associated with increasing walking distances. Other research indicates that mental and physical health improvements may be correlated to the visibility of nature, via reduced levels of stress. Levels of crime also appear to correlate to vegetation levels, with crime higher where vegetation is lacking in public housing developments. Stresses the importance of access to nature for older persons.

Findings Relevant for the Site: • Connectivity varies across areas of downtown Beirut, with car-orientated development and a coarser urban grain planned for reclaimed land west of the port (named as the ‘Biel’ zone) • The scale of commercial activity is important for delivering mixed use development (too small and the area could fail to attract footfall, like Saifi’s “artists quarter”) • Rising land values attract high-earners, who are more likely to buy property as second homes, negatively affecting community diversity and walking behaviour

Environmental Qualities Identified: • Walkability

Findings Relevant for the Site: • Architecture can strengthen our sense of reality and self, when we can experience ourselves as embodied and it engages with our imaginings and desires – the built environment should relate, mediate and project meanings through engaging multiple senses • Lived experiences are often strongly influenced by unconscious haptic imagery and unfocused peripheral vision – designs should indicate how the atmospheric characteristics of space can be created • Areas of shadow and variations in light levels within designs can be used to enable varied emotional experiences, including more personal, imaginative and emotionally comforting experiences that are not associated with bright light

Findings Relevant for the Site: • Research elsewhere (European and American context) suggests that proximity to green space is a good indicator of mental and physical well-being • Suggested measure for evaluating case studies: residents should live within 400m of greenspace if possible, but no more than 800m for equity in health and well-being opportunities

Environmental Qualities Identified:

• Access to greenspace is important for enabling urban residents to commune with nature, which can lower stress and improve health recovery. This could be important for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic

• Ecological Harmony

Environmental Qualities Identified:

• Sensory Richness • Cultural Specificity & Beauty

Biodiversity conservation and the extinction of experience James R. Miller

Argues that it is necessary to design places to provide opportunities for meaningful interactions with the natural world, to motivate a public response to global biodiversity loss. Suggests that this could also help to enhance human well-being. Increasing urbanisation has at best camouflaged ecological processes that are important for humanity, but often also degrades those processes. Lack of biodiversity can lead to an indifference to its plight. Suggests it is important to retain access to undeveloped and unmanaged land; and to understand the local ecological context, for practising ‘reconciliation ecology’ in urban design. Findings Relevant for the Site: • Physical or visual contact with nature can enhance an individual’s emotional and intellectual capacities • Reconciliation ecology proposes modifying places dedicated to human activities to provide for the needs of a wider variety of native species, whilst remaining realistic in terms of the spatial and habitat requirements of many species • There is a need to understand the ecology of native species to identify the opportunities for successfully accommodating local biodiversity within a design concept

Emily Talen

Describes Jacobs’ notion of urban diversity as the size, density and congestion of cities, which brings with it economic and social opportunities based on the intermingling of many different people. Per Jacobs, urban diversity involves maximising interactions and interchange between individuals. Urban design principles of mixing land uses, concentrating populations, a morphology of short blocks and limited plot frontages are identified as Jacobsian, but Talen suggests they do not necessarily bring diversity. Increasing density may lead to increasing social segregation, via gentrification of central areas, whilst it is important to ensure that the proposed mix of uses will appeal to all income groups. Nor is diversity to be pursued uncritically: the planned organisation of space can also be valued for reliably meeting the needs of residents. Findings Relevant for the Site: • Diversity as a positive feature of the urban environment can be construed in opposition to segregation of land uses and of people of different social backgrounds and income groups • The physical urban form plays a role in promoting or undermining diversity, but designers must be sensitive to complications such as social exclusion through gentrification

Environmental Qualities Identified:

• Awareness of local customs and society, such as how people (including across different income groups) would like to use space for social purposes, can help designers to support diversity

• Ecological Harmony

Environmental Qualities Identified:

• Sustainability • Ecological Harmony

Jane Jacobs and the Diversity Ideal

• Equitibility

• Sustainability

• Sensory Richness

• Diversity

• Equitibility

• Diversity • Cultural Specificity & Beauty

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105

Happy City: Transforming our lives through Urban Design Charles Montgomery

The way we design buildings, neighbourhoods and cities has a profound effect on health and happiness. Connected communities creates healthier and more resilient cities which invite people to use alternative modes of transportation like bike paths, better walkways, more bus routes, and offer mixtures of uses and housing types. Further explains that human happiness can be achieved when we design places that encourage positive social connections with neighbours, thus enhancing the sense of community. Argues that the development of a happy city that boosts quality of life is critical to sustainable development in the future. Findings Relevant for the Site: • It is not about equality of income, but equality of life and more importantly, an environment; where people don’t feel inferior and excluded • Nature is a crucial part of a healthy human habitat. Introducing medium-sized parks and community gardens within walking distance of every home affects positively its residents • Boosting quality of life and reducing a society’s environmental footprint are complementary goals, to be pursued in order to achieve sustainable development

Environmental Qualities Identified: • Sustainability • Walkability • Equitability

Beirut Divided: The potential of urban design in reuniting a culturally divided city

Shaping the City Image by Placemaking: Place Attachment and Sustainability of City Yeji Yi

Angus Gavin

Aims to evaluate ways that urban design can stimulate cross-cultural or multi-ethnic understanding within a society, by increasing physical and mental access to public places. Central Beirut is used as a case study: the spatial organisation of the city before the civil war had reinforced antagonistic relationships between different social groups. Suggests that the Solidere Masterplan has been ineffectual at building a shared identity, creating new divisions along the lines of wealth and an urban form that is not illustrative of local culture. Notes the lack of public engagement in creating the Solidere Masterplan, so that opportunities have been missed to create spaces where social encounters most commonly take place (e.g. traditional souks). Contends that contact between different religious, ethnic or cultural groups can help to break down stereotypes and dilute the significance of perceived differences, although complete integration is not desirable for reasons of character and social identity. Urban design can influence this contact through affecting our subjective experiences of public spaces and their accessibility. Suggests that spaces should be designed with an “open-endedness” in mind as to their typical uses, allowing the public to create and project their own meanings on to the space.

Defines the notion of ‘place’ as going beyond the physical values of distance, scale and form that define ‘space’, to include subjective experiences, memories and meanings that may be associated with physical space. Argues that a sense of place is subjective and is generated by a comprehensive set of sensory experiences that become valued memories, from being immersed in a location and interacting with it. This sense can be negative or positive; but ‘place attachment’ is defined as an affectionate bond to a place, so can be defined as a positive sense of place. Place satisfaction is connected with access to green and natural space, social interactions and diversity, and opportunities to play as children. On the basis of previous research, the article provides a framework of cognitive and physical factors that promote place attachment.

Presents the renewal of central Beirut under the Solidere Masterplan as a successful model for inner-city regeneration, involving a “market responsive” approach that negotiates a path between market value and public interest. Notes that by transferring the land reclaimed from the sea to the Solidere company at nil cost, the company was able to fund expensive decontamination and the construction of sea defences. Argues that deregulation of planning controls encouraged a variety of development opportunities whilst remaining compatible with the public interests of providing open space and retaining built heritage. In the Solidere Masterplan, a modern grid of walkable streets reflects New Urbanism’s rediscovery of the street as a social space. Attractive views from the city centre to the Mediterranean Sea were identified and protected by the Solidere Masterplan. Famous architects were commissioned to design buildings that respect local character and climate, whilst landscape projects were commissioned to remember and commemorate the loss of life in past conflicts. Concludes that a good plan will utilise urban design to situate higher value uses and densities in areas that are most attractive to the market.

Benjamin J Leclair-Paquet

Findings Relevant for the Site: • The Solidere Masterplan is reported to have little popular support, but is perceived to be a success only for attracting foreign investment rather than creating inclusive environments

Findings Relevant for the Site: • Residents with higher place attachment show increased interest in preserving the social and physical features that characterise their environment and demonstrate more environmentally responsible behaviours, which will be important for sustainability • Suggested measure for evaluating case studies: the author’s framework for place attachment can be used to evaluate a case study’s diversity and walkability and how these link to sustainability via place attachment contributions

The Corporate Discourse: Learning from Beirut’s Central Area Renewal

Findings Relevant for the Site: • The ground and coastal engineering, including decontamination of the Beirut waterfront site make the achievement of high density development necessary for economic sustainability

• Globalised architectural forms (corporate offices and large shopping malls) are reported to weaken place attachment, whilst architecture that reflects local culture helps people to engage in activities that more readily generate significant meanings

• The pre-existing marina and sea defences are assets that should be retained and exploited through the masterplanning of the waterfront site

Environmental Qualities Identified:

• Sustainability

• Equitability

• Diversity

• Cultural Specificity & Beauty

• Urban design can be used to help create spaces that will foster a mutual understanding between different social groups, through creating welcoming places that allow people to observe the cultural lives of ‘the other’

Environmental Qualities Identified:

• The article takes a narrow, top-down view of the public interest

The Role of Ecosystem Services in Contemporary Urban Planning Johan Colding

Identifies that by focusing on development, urban planning has neglected the natural configuration of the land with the consequence of fragmenting and degrading ecosystems. Two approaches to combating the resulting urban sprawl are reviewed: smart growth theory, or New Urbanism; and green infrastructure planning. Argues that the ecological importance of ‘semi-natural’ land such as domestic gardens is often overlooked within green infrastructure planning, though studies show that they can be important for both threatened and non-threatened species. A binary view of the urban landscape as ‘developed’ and natural lands as ‘undeveloped’ is discouraged as unhelpful. Notes that the New Urbanist tendency to intensively develop urban areas for sustainability reasons can reduce the ecological value of these areas by reducing space for semi-natural green infrastructure. Concludes that planners and urban designers need to facilitate experimental designs in cities that can help govern urban ecosystems. Findings Relevant for the Site: • Multi-functional spaces can improve environmental conditions for humanity and other species, in terms of quality of natural resources and provision of ecosystem services • New designs that support local species should be considered, and civic initiatives supported that help residents to self-organise and improve the management of green spaces

Environmental Qualities Identified: • Ecological Harmony • Sustainability • Diversity

• Cultural Specificity & Beauty

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Land Use Budget & Concept Site Area

Site Area Waterfront site (minus port area)

80.00

TOTAL

80.00

Waterfront site (minus port area)

80.00

Test Site

64.00

TOTAL

64.00

hectares Standard/ Rule

Area/ Requirement

hectares

difference

TOTAL

PERCENT of TOTAL

46.08

0.00

72.00%

0.45

23.04

0.00

36.00%

69.12

108.00%

Infrastructure Street space (assumes a regular grid) length in metres each

800 20

intersections

total area in hectares

19.12

19.12 19.12

29.88%

Employment Assume 1 workspace/ economically active person economically active/dwelling Required workspaces (assume office) Floor area / workspace (sqm) Storey number Ground floor area required (ha)

1.29 17381.05 20 12 2.90

3.19

0.00

3.19

4.98%

Education and community Education Primary Schools dwellings/school

384.62

number of schools

35.03

hectares/school

0.26

9.11

0.00

14.23%

Secondary Schools dwellings/school

3550.36

number of schools

3.80

hectares/school

0.49

1.86

0.00

2.91%

Religious Institutions dwellings/institution (church or mosque)

230.57

number of religious institutions

58.44

hectares/religious institution

0.10

5.84

0.20

10.24

Local centre Retail and community ha/1000 people

0.00

16.00% 0.00%

Neighbourhood centre ha/6000 people

1.20

10.24

0.90

57.60

57.6

0.00

72.00%

FIT informal area/1000 people

0.45

28.80

-28.80

0.00%

TOTAL

10.24

0.00

57.60 Street space (assumes a regular grid) number of streets (e.g. 5x5)

length in metres each

894

width in metres each

intersections

156

total area in hectares

30.02

Secondary School

30.02 30.02

44.91

Dwellings/hectare Average area (ha) /dwelling Total number of dwellings

70.18%

Ground floor area required (ha)

1.29 21726.32 20 12 3.62

3.98

0.00 3.98

Religious Institution

Education Primary Schools dwellings/school

384.62

number of schools

43.79

hectares/school

0.26

11.39

0.00

14.24%

Secondary Schools dwellings/school

3550.36

number of schools

4.74

hectares/school

0.49

2.32

0.00

2.90%

Religious Institutions dwellings/institution (church or mosque)

230.57

number of religious institutions

73.05

hectares/religious institution

0.10

7.30

7.3

Retail and community ha/1000 people

0.20

12.80

12.8

0.00

16.00%

Neighbourhood centre ha/6000 people

1.20

12.80

12.8

0.00

16.00%

Commemorative Space ha/space

0.80

0.8

9.13%

Local centre

44.91 People/dwelling People/hectare total Population TOTAL

3.8 800 51200

Residential

1.00%

Residential

173.63

49.98

Site size (ha)

Median size 0.42 0.1 0.1 0.46 0.25 0.26 0.41 0.5 0.57 0.29 0.54 0.19 0.48 1.86 0.48 0.14 0.06 0.1 0.15 0.05 0.15 0.22 0.09 0.09 0.5 1.1 1.9 0.1

0.26

0.49

The following pages contain full details of the reasoning behind all of the assumptions made in the land use budget spreadsheets. The assumptions used in the 64ha “test laboratory” are given first, followed by the assumptions used in the 80ha proxy site. This reflects the order in which the conceptual design work was undertaken. Images of the 64ha and 80ha sites test results are also included.

0.1

0.8

59.26% 62.47%

Source: Google Maps

337 0.002967 16842 3.8 800 64000

271.30%

People/dwelling People/hectare total Population TOTAL

fixed for this exercise

Name of Facility LWIS Hazmieh Nazarene Evangelical School Student's Paradise School KBWH Al Makassed (elementary & middle schools) Wellspring Learning School Alhliah School Greater Beirut Evangelical School Beirut Baptist School KBWH Al Makassed College (secondary) Sahaguian L. Meguerditchian College École Officielle de Dbayeh Hariri High School Hawd Al Wilaya Highschool Zahia Salman High School Rawdah High School Al Kantari Mosque Abou Baker Al Siddik Mosque Msaytbeh Mosque Ibad Al Rahman Mosque Jamal Abdel Mosque National Evangelical Church St Nshan Church All Saints International Congregation Church Rosary Church 9/11 Memorial Museum Judische Museum (Libeskind Building), Berlin Holocaust Memorial, Berlin The Cenotaph, London

hectares

Total number of dwellings 70.18%

Commemorative Space

TOTAL

Average area (ha) /dwelling

13474

4.98%

Education and community

Dwellings/hectare

300 0.003333

37.53%

Employment Assume 1 workspace/ economically active person economically active/dwelling Required workspaces (assume office) Floor area / workspace (sqm) Storey number

58.27%

hectares

Residential

72.00%

Infrastructure

47.41 37.29

Land use requirements - Empirical Data Land Use Type Primary School

TOTAL Residential

PERCENT of TOTAL

FIT formal area/1000 people

difference

Structural landscape

80 Hectare Laboratory: Land Budget Spreadsheet

0.90

FIT informal area/1000 people

width in metres each

Actual area provided in plan

hectares

Actual area provided in plan

FIT formal area/1000 people

hectares

Area/ Requirement

Green infrastructure

Structural landscape

number of streets (e.g. 5x5)

hectares

Standard/ Rule

LAND USE

Green infrastructure

108

Survey Results for Primary School, Secondary School and Religious Institution Area Requirements in Beirut

hectares

LAND USE

64 Hectare Laboratory: Land Budget Spreadsheet

hectares

49.98

62.47%

188.99

236.23%

fixed for this exercise

LAND AVAILABLE

64.000

100.00%

LAND AVAILABLE

80.000

100.00%

DIFFERENCE - SHORTFALL OR SURPLUS

109.63

171.30%

DIFFERENCE - SHORTFALL OR SURPLUS

108.99

136.23%

109

Land Use

Green Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Standard Rule and Area Provided Rule

Provision

1.35ha/1000 (0.9ha/1000 formal OS, 0.45ha/1000 informal OS)

69.12ha

13 streets of 800m length

19.12ha

20m width

Employment

1.29 workers/dwelling

3.19ha

12 storeys

Background Justification

Sources

Land Use

Standard Rule and Area Provided Rule

The World Health Organisation recommends that a standard of 9m2 of useable open space is provided on a per capita basis. The Oxford Brookes land budget spreadsheet includes both formal and informal open space, with the former being the more appropriate typology for meeting recreational needs in a city. Informal open spaces are more likely to be passive (i.e. serving a visual rather than physical function) and therefore outwith the WHO guideline. It is therefore assumed that in addition to the WHO requirement, an amount of informal open space should be assumed as a notional requirement, with the proportion compared to formal open space being determined per the Oxford Brookes land use budget spreadsheet (which is based on Fields in Trust guidance).

WHO requirement identified from Addas & Alserayhi, 2020

The approach of the Oxford Brookes spreadsheet has been employed, but a number of different assumptions have been made to take account of the site. Firstly, the waterfront site does not connect to urban areas on all sides, but only to the south. This means that quayside or promenade infrastructure is likely to be required at the perimeter of the site to the west, north and east. Therefore, in addition to the 5 x 5 grid, 3 streets are added for the west, north and east perimeter edges. Secondly, by adding perimeter streets, the number of intersections increases. The increase in additional intersections is capped at 17 (five for each perimeter edge and two for the vertices created by the perimeter roads). This yields a total of 42 intersections across the grid. This gives 19.12ha of transport-related infrastructure, per the Oxford Brookes Spreadsheet formula.

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

Average household size in Beirut is 3.8 persons. According to national-level statistics, 64.9% of the population is of working age (15-64 years old), which means that there will be (on average) 2.47 persons of working age per household. Within Beirut, around 47.5% of the working age population are ‘outside of the labour force’ (e.g. bringing up children), so this means that 1.29 persons (2.47 x (1-0.475)) will be economically active. This is assumed to be a good proxy for the number of workers per dwelling, if a policy goal of removing unemployment is also assumed. Building heights for offices adjoining the site include buildings of c.12 storeys, and although some are less than this, it is reasonable to use 12 storeys for the building height of office blocks. This gives 3.19ha for employment (office) purposes, per the Oxford Brookes Spreadsheet formula.

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 (CAS, 2019)

Schools in Lebanon are fairly small in terms of numbers of pupils, although they have been increasing in size. The Education Landscape in Lebanon The majority of public schools had less than 300 pupils in 2016/17, but taking account of the trend towards 2016-2017 (Blominvest Bank, 2018) increasing size, it may be assumed that the site would accommodate schools of c.300 pupils, which means that a rule of 384.62 dwellings per school may be used for the land use budget (i.e. 300/0.78 = 384.62 households to fill a school of 300 pupils). Google Maps The above working means that a total of 35.03 schools are needed to meet the primary education requirements of the notional 64ha site. Google Maps has been interrogated to understand the average size of primary schools in the Beirut metropolitan area. The median size (sample size: 7 schools) of primary schools was found to be 0.26ha and this has been used as the space requirement (hectares/school) in the land use budget. This yields a requirement for 9.11 ha for primary schools, per the Oxford Brookes Spreadsheet formula. Education – Secondary schools

3,550.36 dwellings/school

1.86ha

0.49ha/school

384.62 dwellings/school

0.26ha/school

110

9.11ha

In 2012, 48% of households in Lebanon had at least one child of approximately primary school age (less than 15 years old). Of the households with children, 31% had one child, 32% had two children, 22% had three children, 9% had four children and 6% had five or more children. Applying this information suggests that 48% of the total number of households (16,842) on the site will include children of primary school age and that from each household one may expect, on average, 1.09 children ((0.48 x 0.31) + (0.48 x 0.32 x 2) + (0.48 x 0.22 x 3) + (0.48 x 0.09 x 4) + (0.48 x 0.06 x 5) = 1.09). Not all of these children will attend school, as Lebanon has less than 100% net enrolment rates for primary and secondary schooling. In 2018/19, the net enrolment rate for primary education was 83.9% for elementary schools, decreasing to 59.0% for middle schools. In terms of demographics, the population of children resident in Lebanon was broadly similar across the age cohorts of primary school age (5-9 years, 10-14 years) in mid-2018. An average net enrolment rate for primary education can therefore be assumed to be 71.45% ((83.9 + 59.0)/2 = 71.45) Therefore each household is likely to generate a demand for 0.78 primary school places (i.e. 1.09 x 0.7145).

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 in Beirut (CAS 2019)

Religious Institutions

Population & Housing in Lebanon, Issue 02 (CAS, 2012)

230.57 5.84ha dwellings/institution

0.10ha/institution Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 in Beirut (CAS 2019)

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 (CAS, 2019)

In terms of demographics, the population of children resident in Lebanon for the age cohort of secondary school age (15-19 years) was roughly half of the population of children for the age cohorts of primary school age. One may therefore expect c.0.55 persons of secondary school age (i.e. 1.09/2; see information above on primary schools) per household. Not all of these will attend secondary school as the net enrolment rate for secondary education was 51.7% in 2018/19. Therefore each household is likely to generate a demand for 0.28 secondary school places (i.e. 0.55 x 0.517). Secondary school size, in terms of pupil numbers, is likely to be larger than primary school size. A consideration of two private secondary schools in Beirut – Sagesse High School (c1,300 pupils) and Beirut Modern School (c.600 pupils) – suggests a variety of sizes. It has been assumed that schools of 1,000 pupils would be reasonable. This means that a rule of 3,550.36 dwellings per school may be used for the land use budget (i.e. 1000/0.28 = 3550.36 households would fill a school of 1,000 pupils).

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

Education – Primary schools

Sources

Provision

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

Google Maps

Background Justification

Local Centre

0.2ha/1000 people

10.24ha

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 in Beirut (CAS 2019)

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 (CAS, 2019)

http://www.bms95.edu.lb/

Secondary schools are likely to have greater space requirements than primary schools. Google Maps has been interrogated to understand the average size of secondary schools in the Beirut metropolitan area. The median size (sample size: 7 schools) of secondary schools was found to be 0.49ha and this has been used as the space requirement (hectares/school) in the land use budget. This yields a requirement for 1.86ha for primary schools, per the Oxford Brookes Spreadsheet formula.

http://sagessehs.edu.lb/

A total of 390 religious institutions (176 mosques, 212 churches, 1 synagogue and 1 Buddhist temple) were identified in the Beirut metropolitan area using a Google Maps search. The population of this area was reported to be 341,700 persons in 2018/19, meaning that there was 876.15 persons per religious institution (NB: Islam and Christianity are the dominant faiths of Beirut). Based on a household size of 3.8 persons, this gives a standard of 230.57 dwellings per religious institution. Google Maps has been interrogated to understand the average size of religious institutions in the Beirut metropolitan area. The median size (sample size: 9 churches and mosques) of religious institutions was found to be 0.10ha and this has been used as the space requirement (hectares/religious institutions) in the land use budget. This yields a requirement for 5.84ha for religious institutions.

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 in Beirut (CAS 2019)

No change has been made to the standard from the Oxford Brookes Spreadsheet (based on information in Shaping Neighbourhoods: For Local Health and Global Sustainability, Barton et al., 2010). It is reasonable to assume that that need for retail and other local services will be similar in Beirut neighbourhoods as it is in UK neighbourhoods.

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

Google Maps

111

Land Use

Neighbourhood Centre

Residential

Standard Rule and Area Provided Rule

Provision

1.20ha/1000 people

10.24ha

300 dwellings/ha

44.91ha

Background Justification

Sources

No change has been made to the standard from the Oxford Brookes Spreadsheet (based on information in Shaping Neighbourhoods: For Local Health and Global Sustainability, Barton et al., 2010). It is reasonable to assume that that need for neighbourhood-wide services (such as doctors surgeries, district centres/supermarkets) will be similar in Beirut neighbourhoods as it is in UK neighbourhoods.

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

As a starting assumption – based on the design element identified by our group of seeking mixed use development – it is presumed that in theory other land uses can be mixed with residential use. It is not, however, appropriate to assume that the area that would be required for infrastructure can be combined with residential use. Therefore, the total number of dwellings that is required to deliver 800pph has been divided by the notional site area of 64ha minus the area required for infrastructure. This gives a residential density of 300 dwellings per hectare (i.e. 13474 homes/(64-19.12))

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018 Densityatlas.org (for “sense checking” a density of 300dph, in terms of delivering high environmental quality)

Land Use

Green Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Standard Rule and Area Provided

Background Justification

Sources

The assumptions applied at 64ha were also applied to the 80ha proxy for our waterfront site in Beirut. However, in identifying the area of land required for open space, it was decided that the informal requirement could be accommodated with building typologies and street design, for which land is already budgeted elsewhere in the spreadsheet. Therefore a total provision of 0.9 x 64,000 = 57.60 ha has calculated for open space. This is per the Singapore case study and the design element of accessible blue and green networks: integrating open space into other land uses could keep the green infrastructure accessible at all times and for everyone.

WHO requirement identified from Addas & Alserayhi, 2020

16.53ha

A similar set of assumptions were applied to the 80ha proxy as detailed for the 64ha test laboratory. Quayside or promenade infrastructure is appropriate for enabling coastal social activities and this is supported by two of the design elements (accommodating local cultural practices and providing socially inclusive meeting spaces). A 5 x 5 grid (per the 64ha laboratory) was, however, considered to imply a less walkable and pedestrian-friendly environment than is desirable. In addition, the street network proposed by the Solidere Masterplan is 20m in width and has been criticised in the literature review as being modernist and car-dependent (Al-Hagla, 2009). It was therefore considered that a narrower average width would be appropriate, recognising that 20m may be appropriate in some areas. For block width, the mixed use area of Hamra in Beirut includes blocks as small as 60m in width, so this would be more in-keeping with local culture. The size of the site implies a 894m grid (√80000), which provides approximately 11 roads of 15m width, with blocks of c.66m width. The number of intersections is given by the 11 x 11 grid, with additional intersections with the perimeter roads (11 for each perimeter edge and two for the vertices created by the perimeter roads). This yields a total of 156 intersections across the grid. This gives 30.02ha of transport-related infrastructure, per the Oxford Brookes Spreadsheet formula.

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

3.98ha

The assumptions used for the 80ha proxy site are the same as those used for the 64ha test laboratory (1.29 economically active persons per household and office building heights of 12 storeys). The increase in floorspace requirements comes from the fact that the 80ha site is larger than the 64ha laboratory.

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 (CAS, 2019)

Rule

Provision

1.35ha/1000 (0.9ha/1000 formal OS, 0.45ha/1000 informal OS)

57.60ha

25 streets of 894m length 15m width

64 ha “Laboratory” Employment

1.29 workers/dwelling

12 storeys

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 in Beirut (CAS 2019)

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

Google Maps Education – Primary schools

112

384.62 dwellings/school

11.39ha

The assumptions used for the 80ha proxy site are the same as those used for the 64ha test laboratory (384.62 dwellings per school; median size of school being 0.26ha). Many schools in Beirut are associated with religious institutions and may be integrated with mosques and churches. The design elements of mixed use buildings and socially inclusive spaces suggest that primary schools could be mixed with a variety of other community uses as well as religious institutions within the 80ha site.

Population & Housing in Lebanon, Issue 02 (CAS, 2012)

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 in Beirut (CAS 2019)

113

Land Use

Standard Rule and Area Provided Rule

Background Justification

Sources

Provision Schools in Lebanon are fairly small in terms of numbers of pupils, although they have been increasing in size. The Education Landscape in Lebanon The majority of public schools had less than 300 pupils in 2016/17, but taking account of the trend towards 2016-2017 (Blominvest Bank, 2018) increasing size, it may be assumed that the site would accommodate schools of c.300 pupils, which means that a rule of 384.62 dwellings per school may be used for the land use budget (i.e. 300/0.78 = 384.62 households to fill a school of 300 pupils). Google Maps The above working means that a total of 35.03 schools are needed to meet the primary education requirements of the notional 64ha site. Google Maps has been interrogated to understand the average size of primary schools in the Beirut metropolitan area. The median size (sample size: 7 schools) of primary schools was found to be 0.26ha and this has been used as the space requirement (hectares/school) in the land use budget. This yields a requirement for 9.11 ha for primary schools, per the Oxford Brookes Spreadsheet formula.

Education – Secondary schools

3,550.36 dwellings/school

1.86ha

0.49ha/school

Religious Institutions

230.57 5.84ha dwellings/institution

0.10ha/institution

Local Centre

114

0.2ha/1000 people

Land Use

10.24ha

Standard Rule and Area Provided

Background Justification

Sources

Rule

Provision

Neighbourhood Centre

1.20ha/1000 people

10.24ha

No change has been made to the standard from the Oxford Brookes Spreadsheet (based on information in Shaping Neighbourhoods: For Local Health and Global Sustainability, Barton et al., 2010). It is reasonable to assume that that need for neighbourhood-wide services (such as doctors surgeries, district centres/supermarkets) will be similar in Beirut neighbourhoods as it is in UK neighbourhoods.

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

Residential

300 dwellings/ha

44.91ha

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018 Densityatlas.org (for “sense checking” a density of 300dph, in terms of delivering high environmental quality)

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 in Beirut (CAS 2019)

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 (CAS, 2019)

http://www.bms95.edu.lb/

http://sagessehs.edu.lb/

Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-19 in Beirut (CAS 2019)

Oxford Brookes Land Use Budget Spreadsheet for URBD 7018

80ha Proxy Site

Google Maps

115

Number of Homes by Type & Size for Masterplan

The land use budget exercise has determined that 16,842 dwellings are required to achieve 800pph across the 80ha proxy site. To reflect the housing mix of Beirut, 86% of dwellings should be provided as flats and 14% as houses (source: Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey, 2018-19, CAS). This means that we need to provide 14,602 flats and 2,240 houses to reflect the existing way of life. Average household size is 3.8 persons (source: ibid.), whilst only 3% of homes included five or more children (source: Population & Housing in Lebanon, April 2012, CAS). With the exception of singleperson households, no information could be found on the demographic breakdown of the 52% of households with no children. Therefore, to identify a suitable mix of housing, assumptions need to be made. A symmetrical distribution around the average household size has been assumed, with the minimum size being a 1-person dwelling and the maximum being a 6-person dwelling (i.e. no more than four children per household). It is expected that a 4-person dwelling would be in the highest demand, given the average household size. Based on the these assumptions and the relative requirements for flats and houses (see above), the following table shows the housing mix that has informed work on the masterplan for the Beirut Waterfront site. In the absence of information on Lebanese space standards, the internal space standards of the UK Government have been used (see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-housing-standards-nationally-describedspace-standard)

In order to calculate residential densities for the emerging masterplan, assumptions have been made about which dwelling types and sizes would be accommodated by each of the nominated housing typologies (i.e. courtyard housing; courtscrapers, tower & podium perimeter; towers). The simplifying assumptions that have been used are as follows: • • • • • •

Houses (i.e. independent units or maisonettes) are accommodated in the courtyard house and tower & podium perimeter block typologies only Only the courtyard house type accommodates the largest houses (5 or 6 person) Flats are accommodated by tower & podium perimeter, courtscraper and tower typologies Only tower and courtscraper typologies will accommodate the smallest flats (1, 2 and 3 person) The tower and podium perimeter type will accommodate the largest flats (6 person and a greater proportion of 5 person) Other size requirements are shared proportionally between each of the typologies

On the basis of the above assumptions and the breakdown of house types and sizes for the waterfront site, the following may be used for masterplanning:

Typology DWELLING SIZE (PERSONS) 1p 2p 3p 4p 5p 6p

FLAT (sqm) 37 50 61 70-74 86-90 95-99

HOUSE TYPE % REQUIRED (FLATS) HOUSE (sqm) 5.8 N/A 9.9 58 19.8 70 39.7 84-90 19.8 93-103 5 102-116

% REQUIRED (HOUSES) 0 10.5 21.1 42.1 21.1 5.3

Sources: 80ha land use budget, UK Government Nationally Described Space Standards

116

Emerging Masterplan Sketches

Housing Densities for Masterplan

Towers Courtscrapers Perimeter blocks Courtyard homes

Overall number of homes 5230 5230 5735 589

Number of typology blocks in emerging masterplan 14 17 22 9

No. of Average Resi. Homes/typology floorspace/ block typology block (sqm)

Average density (dph)

374 308 261

24,395 20,090 21,095

722 594 504

6,563

127

Sources: 80ha land use budget, UK Government Nationally Described Space Standards, emerging masterplan

117

118