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(1) Embracing the Revival of Downtown Beirut: The Restoration Project
The Beginning of a Huge Restoration Project: The Downtown Beirut
Every new project, whatever it may be, may have critics or supporters, depending on many factors and related conditions. That's exactly what happened when the restoration project of downtown Beirut started to merge.
At this period, I was in my last year of college, at the Lebanese University of Fine Arts Institute (Institut Nationale des Beaux-Arts, INBA) in Tripoli, North Lebanon. I was preparing for my Architecture Diploma and on the other side of the country, there was a big event launching:
The reconstruction and restoration project of Downtown Beirut, the most destroyed part of the capital, the heart and the center of the city, after long years of civil war (1975-1992). This event will actually impact all sorts of activities beginning in this part of Lebanon that will affect the economy of the whole country beneficially.
It was the most affected by the war and the most devastating part. Therefore, we will see many local and international exhibitions and events of all kinds taking place in downtown Beirut such as technological and construction materials, which have the most attraction for the whole people.
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| Aerial View: Downtown Beirut, Star Square- Parliament, Photo: pinterest.com |
Anywhere in the media, there were talks about this huge restoration project, who will be in charge of execution, and what it will look like. I remember that it was a big challenge for a country that was just out of a destroying war, to proceed with this re-construction project: People’s opinions weren't all the same or unified;
To be honest, people who criticized it were much more than those supporting it; In fact, they were divided into two parts. Not surprising anyway, because every new idea or thought may face rejection at the beginning following the popular quote: "Human is the enemy of what he ignores."
Actually, their arguments and opinions weren't necessarily based on technical reasons, but just political or even personal reasons. Furthermore, those disputes made in fact a reversal reaction; it made me even more curious about that mysterious project. It was a first-of-its-kind restoration project in Lebanon and all the surrounding countries if we can say.
Notice - Disclaimer
Please note, that this blog post is just informative; the information stated below was collected at the beginning of the project's execution and many of its components were modified, canceled, or outdated later. The target of this post is only informative, and to highlight this big reconstruction and restoration project that took place in the heart of my beloved city Beirut, and has still not reached its end yet.
Since its inauguration around the year 1994, this project has attracted many people with fascination, same as me...
- This study is divided into four parts; it is advised to read it in its sequel order to avoid any misunderstanding of the ideas contained within each of the articles.
Preserving our Cultural Heritage: The Main Goal to Achieve
Although there were many similar projects in foreign regions, especially in European countries, it was among the first ones to be executed in our region, with as many areas to exploit in a variety of investments; It had at least one precise target to achieve: PRESERVING OUR VALUABLE CULTURAL HERITAGE.
As I said earlier, all of those talk shows and discussions were good motivations and stimulators for me to choose the theme of my final project to propose at the end of the year.
Yes!... It will be about how to preserve our natural treasures and heritage related to all the civilizations that passed here, in my country, and how to display it and let others know about it in the best way possible. The idea was growing in my mind so quickly, and in no time, I found myself confronting the challenge but encouraged by all my teachers and inspectors.
It was the first obstacle that I did surpass already; finding a subject that had never been discussed before, a whole new one. A very interesting subject anyway: "THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRESERVATION." Actually, it was the theme of my future thesis.
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| My first and primary impression of the project is to note the volume with the circular shape, which includes the archaeological excavations that are naturally preserved within their original site. © Photo is copyrighted. |
- The image above represents a primary study of the site chosen. I will be discussing in more detailed articles the full concept of the final project. So, stay tuned for the coming posts!
As noted before, the aim of my project was to preserve those treasures found in the archaeological excavations that preceded the project works and to portray them in their original natural places as archaeological sites.
So my final study will consist of two major constraints:
- The archaeological excavations and their locations.
- The Project itself (e.g. The Preservation Building and the related Cultural Center) and where to locate it.
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| Brochure SOLIDERE 1994 |
The SOLIDERE Foundation
The reconstruction of this rich city center, the historical and geographical heart of the Lebanese capital was taken over by Solidére (shortened for the French nomination of "Société Libanaise pour le Développement et la Reconstruction") founded on May 5th, of the year 1994.
This big rehabilitation and real estate development was limited to an area of 1.8 million sqm of which 608,000 is land acquired on the sea transforming what was a public discharge into green gardens, leisure places, cultural spaces, and retail offices…
In addition to the complete installation of the modern infrastructure of roads, electrical and telecommunications networks, as well as a drainage and sewage network, the project provides for the development of 4.69 million sqm of buildings intended to be divided into a balanced set between housing and multi-activities within this center.
This set includes a complex of shopping centers, malls, and financial offices, with a superb view over the Mediterranean and the Lebanese mountains. As well as hotels, cultural facilities, public parks, and tree-lined promenades extending the famous cornice of Beirut.
In which the most important thing (as it was being told) is that the project guarantees the preservation of the archaeological excavation sites of Beirut. Numerous traces of civilizations, such as the Phoenician, Greek, Roman, and Ottoman, were found throughout the discoveries done inside those limited sites.
Several vestiges have been found including Roman and Byzantine mosaics, an enclosure of medieval wall, Phoenician urban remains, and what seems to be a Roman temple.
👉 Stay tuned! as I will get in a more detailed information concerning the superb and valuable discoverings of the archaeological excavations in downtown Beirut within the next-to-come posts and a list of the relevant site locations in old Beirut.
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My conclusion is that downtown Beirut, once a vibrant commercial and financial center at the local, regional, and international levels, has been ravaged by 16 years of continuous war. Therefore, this restoration project was a priority and is very crucial for Lebanon, which wants to recover from its numerous problems and regain its normal place on the Middle East and international map as soon as possible.
At the end of this section, one word to say: The value behind this kind of restoration project is that they are processed once in the lifetime of a nation to reveal the best of its cultural heritage to the world and how they protect and preserve it in the best suitable way possible.
So, we should exploit this non-recruitable event in the best way available. Downtown Beirut is the best place to expose our precious cultural and artistic treasures for the next generations to explore.
Main Reference in this Post:
Nadim Maani
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