tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17240430312839242822024-03-22T09:42:21.206+02:00Beirut the Fantastic'لنا فى الخيال حياة 'srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-83726890226157099682014-04-25T14:34:00.000+03:002015-11-03T22:49:29.715+02:00Inhabiting a Grudge<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUztahl-ocoTRcweO69X2HNLtuMUTkBc19_XIkOYFow0CRAqdJbzassd5szXM3i1YvqDORT6mXb2EAT4PYurMtLdZXZ48dDn1xm_bKBdtZpFQ5gxuHtr-luG-cgWCNpiSE31I0MSFdEBE/s1600/4+Manara,++b2+1962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSeoH57AEDLIrqoBlGGUeIqkVaJk8LdWeLuVQTDvh-6LwJ5re0liWzqeR8NxJHe_vLB5FDkzLyahX0rBmWy89G3-8U4IE5WvCxr7hXa4hStLC-dclwZ_-TWEw5wKyG26F1EzAYUgSets/s1600/P1010763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSeoH57AEDLIrqoBlGGUeIqkVaJk8LdWeLuVQTDvh-6LwJ5re0liWzqeR8NxJHe_vLB5FDkzLyahX0rBmWy89G3-8U4IE5WvCxr7hXa4hStLC-dclwZ_-TWEw5wKyG26F1EzAYUgSets/s1600/P1010763.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grudge : An inhabitable wall constructed to block the sea view for the plot behind</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I was asked in 2012 to write a forgotten story from Beirut for an edited book that was being put together . At that time I was looking into a story I had heard recently from my father. He had told me that a brother who lost most of his plot due to the roads expansion decided to build a wall to make sure his brothers plot behind his does not benefit from the sea view! <br />
<br />
Sounds crazy yet today the structure still stands as prove to building a grudge. <br />
To read more about building and inhabiting the grudge, <i><a href="http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/17430/inhabiting-a-grudgen" target="_blank">Jadaliyya </a></i><i></i>has republished the essay.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeXqoiar4f9EdhQswfFaqq10_x9_wnXE0rt-HbeToKJjtJqoX9Zc5jZhBqW469-dqrWl5yBeHcR0H-OZP1CICYWX2Omw2ixcYgCgVRsJGueadnHI2UoNoUClOgGzhw65mDd360svg7RY/s1600/12207774_952219351506533_1179353278_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeXqoiar4f9EdhQswfFaqq10_x9_wnXE0rt-HbeToKJjtJqoX9Zc5jZhBqW469-dqrWl5yBeHcR0H-OZP1CICYWX2Omw2ixcYgCgVRsJGueadnHI2UoNoUClOgGzhw65mDd360svg7RY/s640/12207774_952219351506533_1179353278_n.jpg" width="536" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early years</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Otherwise you may find the book in English or <a href="http://www.antoineonline.com/Book_Beyrouth_Chroniques_Et_D%C3%A9tours_by_Collectifs_Mashallah_News_Et_Ami_9782360860517.aspx?productCode=0009782360860517">French</a> as Beirut re-collected or Beyrouth, chroniques et détours. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUztahl-ocoTRcweO69X2HNLtuMUTkBc19_XIkOYFow0CRAqdJbzassd5szXM3i1YvqDORT6mXb2EAT4PYurMtLdZXZ48dDn1xm_bKBdtZpFQ5gxuHtr-luG-cgWCNpiSE31I0MSFdEBE/s1600/4+Manara,++b2+1962.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUztahl-ocoTRcweO69X2HNLtuMUTkBc19_XIkOYFow0CRAqdJbzassd5szXM3i1YvqDORT6mXb2EAT4PYurMtLdZXZ48dDn1xm_bKBdtZpFQ5gxuHtr-luG-cgWCNpiSE31I0MSFdEBE/s1600/4+Manara,++b2+1962.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo dated 1962 found unreferenced that shows the Grudge<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4trXJb1VeDjcyd1RtGn68Eq1ESLPTM_tW8Sdne4eGgazTtkaqjLX-71oIMuQ1oUueWxEkVXuQFM7QmkwDXpqL3rg3WMEQsAy5r_DPjrpW1D-Krz9v1oXY8PYXpmNFwTw3WPbwK-x2Qds/s1600/12208087_1203323613028443_717859969_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4trXJb1VeDjcyd1RtGn68Eq1ESLPTM_tW8Sdne4eGgazTtkaqjLX-71oIMuQ1oUueWxEkVXuQFM7QmkwDXpqL3rg3WMEQsAy5r_DPjrpW1D-Krz9v1oXY8PYXpmNFwTw3WPbwK-x2Qds/s640/12208087_1203323613028443_717859969_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i> http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/17430/inhabiting-a-grudgen</i><br />
<i><br /></i>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-4802359806513743922012-06-24T21:55:00.000+03:002012-07-01T12:22:48.355+03:00Al Manara: Laying claim to Beirut<br />
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOVkV_Ow55OSQ23b2X5TkUmVoQiFt3QBrr69F3HsMvexsbfP3Hyk6vbKd1U52srGOPqxE67sLwxKhnvF0EQj4fh2sFqpBsDcFQmNYtFF6ElNWpWMC9fLqkayTXCC85drhaSktZmCB-WU/s1600/c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOVkV_Ow55OSQ23b2X5TkUmVoQiFt3QBrr69F3HsMvexsbfP3Hyk6vbKd1U52srGOPqxE67sLwxKhnvF0EQj4fh2sFqpBsDcFQmNYtFF6ElNWpWMC9fLqkayTXCC85drhaSktZmCB-WU/s640/c.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beirut 1925</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">The public sector in Beirut i</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">s</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> weak</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">,</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> to say the least. Services and resident rights are</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">,</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> if </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">extant, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">unprotected or inoperative. Yet some fragments of </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">t</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">he citys builtscape remind us that the public sphere </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">has at one point </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">manifested iteself spatially in the city. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">Today,</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> these spaces remain empty, unused or awaiting their </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">demise</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> </span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bNyM4UTwk7F3SiufDej7-tfqfWMle4abQ_k72KV-9dlEtumjZnDQtW4F0F3MHWktFzo618-Fs_o7kOLMgA2K5Lm789-_rWBQ1bQDntxZOSASyKcLLtgs1hCK8Rz5lOX3QnTRuHKgnAs/s1600/a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bNyM4UTwk7F3SiufDej7-tfqfWMle4abQ_k72KV-9dlEtumjZnDQtW4F0F3MHWktFzo618-Fs_o7kOLMgA2K5Lm789-_rWBQ1bQDntxZOSASyKcLLtgs1hCK8Rz5lOX3QnTRuHKgnAs/s640/a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">The</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> narrative of the old manara</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> is a case in point</span><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1340529029384183" style="font-family: 'Courier New';">. As a child living in its surroundings it always </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">intrigued</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> me. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">The b</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">lack and white stripes</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">, which seemed to</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> climb up to the sky </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">and </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">project beams of light to guide vessels</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">,</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> I could never see in the waters</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">,</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> was </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">almost </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">magic</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">al</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">No building in the direct vicinity of the lighthouse on the hill could be constructed that would interrupt its projective abilities.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">However, i</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">n 1995 Mr</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">Rabih Amish, a private dev</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">e</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">loper, was given permission to construct an 18</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">-</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">floor building in the Al Manara area. The </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">outcome</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> would </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">leave</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> a wall in</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">front of Beirut</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">s lighthouse destroying its functionality.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">This event</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">which destroyed public infrastructure </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">in the interest of </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">private beneficiaries</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> became</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> a symbol of </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">the</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">L</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">ebanese government</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">’s demise</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">The following is a photo essay depicting the nearlly 200 year old monument</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">s transformation </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">o</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">n Beirut's seafront.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgK3_O3V_NScBvDJboIwo_1MsL39BVlfmDQr1k5TdbAbaU5gJyYREXKwB2nhWwx4T5G3lujpa6Ng4FPjRc_ivCO8_Q3iVSwWWLLxTHEi8UT16_1Vubhkam8HRXafgs2JQSxY2NME_k2H8/s1600/1+Beirut+1895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgK3_O3V_NScBvDJboIwo_1MsL39BVlfmDQr1k5TdbAbaU5gJyYREXKwB2nhWwx4T5G3lujpa6Ng4FPjRc_ivCO8_Q3iVSwWWLLxTHEi8UT16_1Vubhkam8HRXafgs2JQSxY2NME_k2H8/s640/1+Beirut+1895.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first lighthouse in this location was built by the Ottoman Empire in 1825. This picture taken in 1895 is of the evolved lighthouse of the 1820s </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cPwRJQKArAYkOEQRybqH6XcmZPFajbdYVIPVINsOj3ZiVOWih1Bomj85QPbRBccIPlfjMR-IK0PJ-XpxILLkNmlt89RoinHtJxyIs4W_cKnzMT8QwQFIgBa29A_Ro4D37NQiwML9wVg/s1600/1+beirutlighthouse1900st1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cPwRJQKArAYkOEQRybqH6XcmZPFajbdYVIPVINsOj3ZiVOWih1Bomj85QPbRBccIPlfjMR-IK0PJ-XpxILLkNmlt89RoinHtJxyIs4W_cKnzMT8QwQFIgBa29A_Ro4D37NQiwML9wVg/s640/1+beirutlighthouse1900st1.jpg" width="395" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closeup picture of the lighthouse built with stone, 1914</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGEu64CXvwe45JBo-zgaWdLvgCl4VfZpHIuaRZCYnK2ljmk3hZS_wejws5GqPX94ZHj5TghtJlmdBI1a_e_Wsnmp0KzK0xePCIeRR4sh5OohhyphenhyphenxDw3rkFLSC5i60jId1O_RBoPLtdif8/s1600/2+1900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGEu64CXvwe45JBo-zgaWdLvgCl4VfZpHIuaRZCYnK2ljmk3hZS_wejws5GqPX94ZHj5TghtJlmdBI1a_e_Wsnmp0KzK0xePCIeRR4sh5OohhyphenhyphenxDw3rkFLSC5i60jId1O_RBoPLtdif8/s640/2+1900.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;">The Lighthouse, early 1900s, was shut during WW1 and was </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">functional</span><span style="font-size: 13px;"> again in 1918</span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0JNK8vV5Y5sx8eucSbsNovdRJIbRhfbb9b87lY8rQHebGia61R0itFsvRrBNTikUYVNncxydfLOd8EEzzRFjOM89fpILddU0CaUIzc_6XrvlmDClJ3pPDc55t4vZDwRtXKheVMoqopw/s1600/2+manara+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0JNK8vV5Y5sx8eucSbsNovdRJIbRhfbb9b87lY8rQHebGia61R0itFsvRrBNTikUYVNncxydfLOd8EEzzRFjOM89fpILddU0CaUIzc_6XrvlmDClJ3pPDc55t4vZDwRtXKheVMoqopw/s640/2+manara+20.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The lighthouse strategically constructed on a hill facing the coast was placed under the French control . 1920</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUlazfYOzwaKQjX4t8gN0zvbKnY3NDYG2JgFqTEQUSvSNCRN_EdierDZOZVESp5_Zc8Sd7nrbVEKJcFNXbQfW914VUwDgVYYUaaZh_gT4F4F1Gl9K3iT0RY0DfPR5O6Z8ppWpzLGYqKE/s1600/2+tumblr_libfsxkk5Y1qhij65o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUlazfYOzwaKQjX4t8gN0zvbKnY3NDYG2JgFqTEQUSvSNCRN_EdierDZOZVESp5_Zc8Sd7nrbVEKJcFNXbQfW914VUwDgVYYUaaZh_gT4F4F1Gl9K3iT0RY0DfPR5O6Z8ppWpzLGYqKE/s640/2+tumblr_libfsxkk5Y1qhij65o1_500.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">This picture shows the relationship of the lighthouse to the sea and the coastlines topography </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nBUzrNeICm94u_iQqyIOsCvMMINVxtNYAqs3ls6AHsRxTAmso_-aBjxS6JZGp41M-qpEwbRvNl4SmNM0Np6DNiPI58l3J8lvoDLNmoZmuMj_kEyY7b0CybPDeAdWE5IogQNy4vVkoDE/s1600/2+bmanara1928bi2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nBUzrNeICm94u_iQqyIOsCvMMINVxtNYAqs3ls6AHsRxTAmso_-aBjxS6JZGp41M-qpEwbRvNl4SmNM0Np6DNiPI58l3J8lvoDLNmoZmuMj_kEyY7b0CybPDeAdWE5IogQNy4vVkoDE/s640/2+bmanara1928bi2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px;"> The second Lighthouse seen here is built higher next to the first one . once the construction was completed the first lighthouse was brought down. picture 1928</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPfsbICy3aU6Fb7m9RFJ3GkwlNBi1KKl3Mvl9qvh7IJiIn0Wqss7zNmVkwkfYumJsPcgvxSLiPjK50oyzBxpZ4WrOSExEj2cahEGMYUBqYjmwppkxmTLNVu3AVrc28pApNspeJePO28E/s1600/3+manara+1942+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPfsbICy3aU6Fb7m9RFJ3GkwlNBi1KKl3Mvl9qvh7IJiIn0Wqss7zNmVkwkfYumJsPcgvxSLiPjK50oyzBxpZ4WrOSExEj2cahEGMYUBqYjmwppkxmTLNVu3AVrc28pApNspeJePO28E/s640/3+manara+1942+b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lighthouse Beirut 1942 shows an activated waterfront right before the Lebanese independence from the French</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xe8HEfAYDsJwUXnPDqvbNI-zqw-lsLqDxkyxkbt9z-_lnUhy8tMxMzSXDqAqGJCJGiCayRLP1W9trApnLbk9tuCaPu3D-2l1ezKEUq86cUQwAfzGclTOzOXJbrrLJ3yS9e4sJhgcGQk/s1600/3+manara+1942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xe8HEfAYDsJwUXnPDqvbNI-zqw-lsLqDxkyxkbt9z-_lnUhy8tMxMzSXDqAqGJCJGiCayRLP1W9trApnLbk9tuCaPu3D-2l1ezKEUq86cUQwAfzGclTOzOXJbrrLJ3yS9e4sJhgcGQk/s640/3+manara+1942.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beirut 1942 the pedestrian urban staircase that takes you up to the lighthouse remains today as a functional pedestrian connection </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifytrZ8j4OIIDOsUXRVKWEiC9GjKcDmpLINCTNV3vQX_UZxLrl1SSHbZ3-NonMb7ts4Vaymq3XXC5z3JjWoekoFCUT9I_mLwJD2lkdzVdjmqfgpMZMrGWADteC1gT45GVeCfgf4b9yui0/s1600/4+Manara,+1962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifytrZ8j4OIIDOsUXRVKWEiC9GjKcDmpLINCTNV3vQX_UZxLrl1SSHbZ3-NonMb7ts4Vaymq3XXC5z3JjWoekoFCUT9I_mLwJD2lkdzVdjmqfgpMZMrGWADteC1gT45GVeCfgf4b9yui0/s640/4+Manara,+1962.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><br />
Beirut Lighthouse 1962.<br />
Here we see the third and final reconstruction of the lighthouse. Constructed and completed during the presidency of<br />
Camille Nimr Chamoun . </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0GqE3Ui8GVwkiDC1WZPYSkKvQBCJVRJmaKS6qhYYHbIpYfMaLvtlX9j7q0TGengBxLVy2Fa-OozeBYR0yRNxR983JzpJ416LeTfaVndHrOMj8YM50_VGDA4AufEZmh5M-nRvq8pdM_o/s1600/6+manara+1974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0GqE3Ui8GVwkiDC1WZPYSkKvQBCJVRJmaKS6qhYYHbIpYfMaLvtlX9j7q0TGengBxLVy2Fa-OozeBYR0yRNxR983JzpJ416LeTfaVndHrOMj8YM50_VGDA4AufEZmh5M-nRvq8pdM_o/s640/6+manara+1974.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before the start of the civil war 1974</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvRKhatntBtHKGyxhLHkTpMtyE664-7W7mayQ4pxnxW6iija321x_-PJ8-ChtWYBlsdFElykN9aSnSzZ_ohxLbg2SGYMFiu8P07GbNmGG3xrfCdOP5OLiKfI1jE7dMo9k2FIrT3x6xgY/s1600/5+Manara,+1960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvRKhatntBtHKGyxhLHkTpMtyE664-7W7mayQ4pxnxW6iija321x_-PJ8-ChtWYBlsdFElykN9aSnSzZ_ohxLbg2SGYMFiu8P07GbNmGG3xrfCdOP5OLiKfI1jE7dMo9k2FIrT3x6xgY/s640/5+Manara,+1960.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During the civil war 1976 to 1990 in Lebanon the lighthouse was turned off </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBm7jmGmcxiggnAKC901I573e1wZPzbMgSAH7-3aE245OCYGO4WE_hyphenhyphen2lBMPpzaedfaL5_bzV1BYsSqa8kmTxV_HswkYqoXBZbbGovLSVophl3eNQspO1Jf4bKuDMJ1Rytd-B7B5GWi8/s1600/b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBm7jmGmcxiggnAKC901I573e1wZPzbMgSAH7-3aE245OCYGO4WE_hyphenhyphen2lBMPpzaedfaL5_bzV1BYsSqa8kmTxV_HswkYqoXBZbbGovLSVophl3eNQspO1Jf4bKuDMJ1Rytd-B7B5GWi8/s640/b.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In 1990 at the end of the civil war President Hrawe ordered the renovation of the lighthouse which was fully completed in 1993</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlv6NQVYhpVklXNvEF0iCWfDWRNDvO6ieikKV6XAVQ29hJJLAlQal9JBo-O-uu2zuXpl0zFMiQtWO8_d2OmLU5gW-dZV6tQy1prwZ32RTfHtb_NbsqpjvrI7hdUoAxtBOREwOaKPhjvQ/s1600/al+manara+today.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlv6NQVYhpVklXNvEF0iCWfDWRNDvO6ieikKV6XAVQ29hJJLAlQal9JBo-O-uu2zuXpl0zFMiQtWO8_d2OmLU5gW-dZV6tQy1prwZ32RTfHtb_NbsqpjvrI7hdUoAxtBOREwOaKPhjvQ/s640/al+manara+today.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in 1995 the building on the right of the lighthouse was given permission to construct an 18 floor building breaking the building law that prevented any building from blocking the light path f the lighthouse to the sea!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLqW4J2H0QZ5BdK8gKRkL0eqEKdLf0WQ0QzaVyY9CiJaNn6lYQrjAj9fGrgbnRenJt_qCL3OXeE27zgQVp4B_hHGTaZKyucOxo4X3VzvTGKIQ1gsRThf_6BgoPHTWuwm8l7UzhZsupvY/s1600/f.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLqW4J2H0QZ5BdK8gKRkL0eqEKdLf0WQ0QzaVyY9CiJaNn6lYQrjAj9fGrgbnRenJt_qCL3OXeE27zgQVp4B_hHGTaZKyucOxo4X3VzvTGKIQ1gsRThf_6BgoPHTWuwm8l7UzhZsupvY/s640/f.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A new lighthouse was built closer to the water. The structure is higher than the old lighthouse seen here in a picture I took 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
A visit up to the Lighthouse:</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVXBblXEAGJqRVuFVPZqhu7SbKSArTTvUeEGcA7HXlgL5KhTltIbti0pXqJafvhmhLMFcR7C0dqYZ5_VLM3LODfbTG_Iera8qv5Yp15vYrHkNge_vJN6wQyf5_aPBxUWuC9cizCjPcjk/s1600/d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVXBblXEAGJqRVuFVPZqhu7SbKSArTTvUeEGcA7HXlgL5KhTltIbti0pXqJafvhmhLMFcR7C0dqYZ5_VLM3LODfbTG_Iera8qv5Yp15vYrHkNge_vJN6wQyf5_aPBxUWuC9cizCjPcjk/s640/d.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">through a household up we went </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0mN5l3d2vGvIVB8AQl17oOicQc9WQrnl4_jwUGIXFZqfFPQs99z5a7LbyyvVpsiVMXxwNHP_MXlfLCXo1F9nnEnP1-afc8wXgX8redYTGbks51ccXXkZqAv_Wc_94ocxf3GAdjgHzsj0/s1600/e.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0mN5l3d2vGvIVB8AQl17oOicQc9WQrnl4_jwUGIXFZqfFPQs99z5a7LbyyvVpsiVMXxwNHP_MXlfLCXo1F9nnEnP1-afc8wXgX8redYTGbks51ccXXkZqAv_Wc_94ocxf3GAdjgHzsj0/s640/e.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">to see the light fixture that once guided vessels deep in the sea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXO-b5GzowIGWzhauo3CHvGhlNYm1QKb_S2M-OmmhAuSBA0rWw8Z_MPGWYEF_WRuWnxcJGoYyqWoOAL_XNsV5RImQssDIgss_TQHiLFq9tJ5Iu4-u6TW580M6y-6xsBkOEGNDsZ1GnXI/s1600/P1010587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXO-b5GzowIGWzhauo3CHvGhlNYm1QKb_S2M-OmmhAuSBA0rWw8Z_MPGWYEF_WRuWnxcJGoYyqWoOAL_XNsV5RImQssDIgss_TQHiLFq9tJ5Iu4-u6TW580M6y-6xsBkOEGNDsZ1GnXI/s640/P1010587.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">then out to the balcony we went to look out </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhB9GCjqh1KXIa3jl35WJa___0CtrbFYToPVWb6ciD-d7sm2iLUOYlYzL9Tfsq8S4fjYFc1zvL9y1FTHlyVx-gi4W9stULdIb2wqD6CQw9qQ-RAMtqW_GUvWcoGSvXXZYL9oeg-ii9ys/s1600/g.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhB9GCjqh1KXIa3jl35WJa___0CtrbFYToPVWb6ciD-d7sm2iLUOYlYzL9Tfsq8S4fjYFc1zvL9y1FTHlyVx-gi4W9stULdIb2wqD6CQw9qQ-RAMtqW_GUvWcoGSvXXZYL9oeg-ii9ys/s640/g.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Today the lighthouse is for the city and no longer for the sea<br />
Will it wake it up again?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"> </span></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-58279975061808531272012-03-24T16:16:00.000+02:002012-03-24T16:19:40.467+02:00The lost city: Beirut Modern<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVQDDyHkdn9tQeY2GYGNg2OYnHLk9GM7Xx3QuoroOMiON5UHdsz4w1apQITj8VDdQmZ4NZWTMGmt0t-JHn_nnbA_idTcEpTTfY2Cnn-O1tSYHUVmuLbWUwtYWGfAP4WP7NN7U7bhTDOs/s1600/plan+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr align="left"><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoRNjctZuQQLcnemmOcGHg3M8Z1wutst2Mi7YjO1V1nLrcTwPyfFWk1FAsHdeW4yIejGCnWRzI_XqNU0XmycIQmnlwovknM39EUqjkm6oO28Uqts52YACOuCbV9Wqs2TJZM4EBDhCEGY/s1600/424386_385634698130430_169510853076150_1550800_542948687_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoRNjctZuQQLcnemmOcGHg3M8Z1wutst2Mi7YjO1V1nLrcTwPyfFWk1FAsHdeW4yIejGCnWRzI_XqNU0XmycIQmnlwovknM39EUqjkm6oO28Uqts52YACOuCbV9Wqs2TJZM4EBDhCEGY/s640/424386_385634698130430_169510853076150_1550800_542948687_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Raouche Beirut Modern postcards </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal;">This blog has discussed preservation in the city of Beirut in relation to a building, THE GRAND THEATER in Beirut</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span><a href="http://spatiallyjustenvironmentsbeirut.blogspot.com/2011/08/image-by-caroline-tabet-of-theater-of.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6pt; font-weight: normal;">http://spatiallyjustenvironmentsbeirut.blogspot.com/2011/08/image-by-caroline-tabet-of-theater-of.html</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal;">and public space,</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal;">Martyr square</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span><a href="http://spatiallyjustenvironmentsbeirut.blogspot.com/2011/08/martyr-square.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6pt; font-weight: normal;">http://spatiallyjustenvironmentsbeirut.blogspot.com/2011/08/martyr-square.html</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"> . </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal;">Yet on the scale of the city how and what do we preserve? As a city grows, mutates and becomes more contemporary the question of what to PRESERVE becomes more intrinsic. Do we stand still in time? Do we want to reserve everything ‘old’? </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr align="left"><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8OWhnEdJk4kn-gGQNcddQXTnkXsYlsHYDzbuJoDC4wZ-RUsER0JnTNvm-VqJiVwGUG0fSZx7GnrI1uXOswyeljdMe4Mr-1NbwfESV7-ISJtd_iL6-RDnDGHAfLIkeNrxAOGrHXp9tRE/s1600/SS2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8OWhnEdJk4kn-gGQNcddQXTnkXsYlsHYDzbuJoDC4wZ-RUsER0JnTNvm-VqJiVwGUG0fSZx7GnrI1uXOswyeljdMe4Mr-1NbwfESV7-ISJtd_iL6-RDnDGHAfLIkeNrxAOGrHXp9tRE/s640/SS2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Gondole a remarkable building Raouche lost . Photo taken by Sandra Rishani 2002</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxqyuYKcfKri5mvIEaLACU-7_NRf4-b9ldmbQa_leQ_ILq53y2zEGBv1akrcqgg5waGRfaFYM-pPVZUPZD-pQMLCIhUCJFUIthqK8YaP3pwfjShjI78Dj22wEmccCl52RJ8DFCnqSqIs/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxqyuYKcfKri5mvIEaLACU-7_NRf4-b9ldmbQa_leQ_ILq53y2zEGBv1akrcqgg5waGRfaFYM-pPVZUPZD-pQMLCIhUCJFUIthqK8YaP3pwfjShjI78Dj22wEmccCl52RJ8DFCnqSqIs/s640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">The internal staircase & internal courtyard of Gondol building. A Landmark that we lost. Photos by Sandra Rishani 2002</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Hamra, Raouche and Badaro are the perfect cases for such questions. Recently the booms in these areas' real estate markets have changed a large part of the housing and office stock of the area. Yet the histories of these areas are unique in the context of the urban growth of Beirut. All three may be categorized as urban fragments that developed drastically in the 1960s and 1970s.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Yet the general public neither seems to be interested nor recognize that these fabrics and buildings may be worth preserving. The facebook page of an <span class="yiv637059248apple-style-span">active NGO, Save Beirut Heritage, is a case in point. It created a forum where people identify buildings they believe ought to be preserved rather than destructed to make way for new high-income high-rise buildings. The group documents the cases and attempts to saving them. None of the buildings posted online are from the modern period. Why is that? How do we define historic preservation? Is it everything that’s over 80 years old regardless of their spatial and or historical qualities? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG3naUSyDI5vToAq4PJ1IUIPizt_v68f-BiVZWIXFsF4e2axp42bs9B5PSdES6tWLbme9cMO1r4HvGy8fGQqOE3PlwKyG373p9JKmmfxI2NWp5877yfJkN2wE70Zrz8JYKGyjXDN-Wes/s1600/mapc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG3naUSyDI5vToAq4PJ1IUIPizt_v68f-BiVZWIXFsF4e2axp42bs9B5PSdES6tWLbme9cMO1r4HvGy8fGQqOE3PlwKyG373p9JKmmfxI2NWp5877yfJkN2wE70Zrz8JYKGyjXDN-Wes/s640/mapc.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Beirut's general growth diagram. Yet the cityscape charm remains in its multilayer-ed development</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">If the public does not define 'what', 'how' and 'why' it wants to preserve an edifice, the history of our cities will become like our history books- they stop at Independence Day. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg01vXNs30vZu4EOBoY0p7mkidCfnrpeMM0gFkWFddTtIs_8-_FKmNO77EXxsJ8NZAMIv6KhXaCeiNaajnhjhqGTQGkJnjm79GIFBdWLwoNj1DgS9L6KtMfwqhZ7tj0H1DcvioCYjPWLg/s1600/429984_393880867305813_169510853076150_1574328_399477391_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg01vXNs30vZu4EOBoY0p7mkidCfnrpeMM0gFkWFddTtIs_8-_FKmNO77EXxsJ8NZAMIv6KhXaCeiNaajnhjhqGTQGkJnjm79GIFBdWLwoNj1DgS9L6KtMfwqhZ7tj0H1DcvioCYjPWLg/s640/429984_393880867305813_169510853076150_1574328_399477391_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">POSTCARD: In the downtown area most modern buildings disappeared. A famous cinema bldg, Rivoli on Martyr Square</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">How can a city haphazardly destroying its architecturally modernist phase re-imagine its preservation process? We need to recognize that historic preservation policies and campaigns that remain focused on a superficial search for identity will destroy the charm of Beirut; which is its multilayered histories of conflict and power relations that manifest themselves in the production of the city. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSUC9-0iRn3N4P73Fw1L5rFCigeuoZSSXP8qt8tGnUV5nAHpyIPj5zVifvpcDxQ-PjSSWhycvEmCZSBaO6pBi9o2tQNu9yZv88c_Q4w0jtx30KU0T3ntYBsktwWmdoStzCMzNe0O_1gg/s1600/dd.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSUC9-0iRn3N4P73Fw1L5rFCigeuoZSSXP8qt8tGnUV5nAHpyIPj5zVifvpcDxQ-PjSSWhycvEmCZSBaO6pBi9o2tQNu9yZv88c_Q4w0jtx30KU0T3ntYBsktwWmdoStzCMzNe0O_1gg/s640/dd.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Raouche Modern Beirut survives </td></tr>
</tbody> </table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UStQF_Q42LDn_fuQp1zewAXc52Z6VNeST1_iYgsqhOFTujIruijMcS-aJcdwd_NLGJL2IVjiDwfLCQ9QUoSvCyYUpHPivdvT7agBbkA7ADE5PFk2YS4rB3BhVjuS8imhyphenhyphenMtKMZC5EhM/s1600/c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">To start setting an agenda or vision for what historic preservation is and should be several points need to be heeded. </span></h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSZ0aim2sk8W0HzPRUccXb3GMyObhxrcw1zF8Qbu5w1EgGLLRTP-ZkovSH7Y6em9NURruFUc774-2uM4Rjx6L2jVxyEuX-bXnlHcPn4c9QfGR00Pty__iI3EpuNqA8KPyPmqewdw_kxU/s1600/bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSZ0aim2sk8W0HzPRUccXb3GMyObhxrcw1zF8Qbu5w1EgGLLRTP-ZkovSH7Y6em9NURruFUc774-2uM4Rjx6L2jVxyEuX-bXnlHcPn4c9QfGR00Pty__iI3EpuNqA8KPyPmqewdw_kxU/s640/bw.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can we preserve the two buildings in the photo?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">1-</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">What we today call traditional, unique and valuable represents different periods of modernity preserved. They were preserved by independent individuals who thought what they have, own or built is valuable and kept it until institutions later recognized them as worthy of historical preservation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">2-</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Everything we inhabit has the potential to be preserved. Around the world landscapes, camps, prisons, religious buildings, residences, factories and amusement parks have all been preserved. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">3-</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">How old does a space need to be so that it is preserved is another undefined criteria in the preservation debates. At first edifices that were over 1000 years were required to be kept, studied, and documented. Currently and since the 1960s spaces those are as young as 20 years have been categorized as ‘historic’. Following this logic buildings built in the 1990s may well become heritage buildings.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">4-</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 7pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">The importance of buildings and/or spaces does not hinge on their aesthetic quality </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Consequently, preservation</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"> is an attempt to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of significance to our future narratives. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Different models of preservation can be imagined if we agree that preservation of the city is important when a holistic approach is taken so that ‘modern’ or contemporary fabrics are not lost with market booms. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVQDDyHkdn9tQeY2GYGNg2OYnHLk9GM7Xx3QuoroOMiON5UHdsz4w1apQITj8VDdQmZ4NZWTMGmt0t-JHn_nnbA_idTcEpTTfY2Cnn-O1tSYHUVmuLbWUwtYWGfAP4WP7NN7U7bhTDOs/s1600/plan+A.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVQDDyHkdn9tQeY2GYGNg2OYnHLk9GM7Xx3QuoroOMiON5UHdsz4w1apQITj8VDdQmZ4NZWTMGmt0t-JHn_nnbA_idTcEpTTfY2Cnn-O1tSYHUVmuLbWUwtYWGfAP4WP7NN7U7bhTDOs/s640/plan+A.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bands preserved will include various types building and urban fabric production. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"> One proposal could be to randomly take either swatches or strips from the city. Every 200 years another strip or more swatches maybe added. Buildings under construction may suddenly become preserved. Some horrible cheaply constructed inefficient market driven buildings will be preserved and some older more unique buildings and some older low income constructions might similarly be preserved. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3lcY_zR8MTLvKaf2GbLe5WECeZHVUHqO_QiE8-ksjbYqvkVkI_P6ClFmE-jdWhyqp1exhIkholQs6XpGsuGuivIVG1wqiRIC1EQ7wQpYBD6arwFqjCziJ1eBblYk0mPMLIGdtRzshq0/s1600/P1010518.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3lcY_zR8MTLvKaf2GbLe5WECeZHVUHqO_QiE8-ksjbYqvkVkI_P6ClFmE-jdWhyqp1exhIkholQs6XpGsuGuivIVG1wqiRIC1EQ7wQpYBD6arwFqjCziJ1eBblYk0mPMLIGdtRzshq0/s1600/P1010518.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second band will preserve this part of Ain il Mressiehs facade and a series of old and new buildings behind </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="yiv637059248apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">What do you think?</span></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-83254266066524969482011-12-18T14:23:00.001+02:002011-12-18T15:20:32.454+02:00Leftovers Grow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6JHHekCr7QOW4DJeKo3qEfC-PIFkhRMmjf33K__ZvTsYMi0UmLKyO1OgI_VDJ1aPhYQEzC-xrLtNMFjyhZb7Z6vfJ69r0xGfKVfJo2hWzDULbvvAXbD3kyloBdTtEtJDAbu8Xv287Ts/s1600/33smaller+2+P1000960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZW4pBrjYz0-y5az0gJfetlaD4IUHd40-maFH9qNJcsY34H7TYjBihn3WLkAbop5jeB2RKxOUn2zonXXRI-vHqgKbHFFpi42qcxw0WPN3DRaQl4JEv3-xcwkONwPujRePc9n61TJw0Ow/s1600/P1000250bbbsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZW4pBrjYz0-y5az0gJfetlaD4IUHd40-maFH9qNJcsY34H7TYjBihn3WLkAbop5jeB2RKxOUn2zonXXRI-vHqgKbHFFpi42qcxw0WPN3DRaQl4JEv3-xcwkONwPujRePc9n61TJw0Ow/s640/P1000250bbbsmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sanayeh Beirut, Lebanon abandoned building naturally enveloped by greens!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The urban environment we live in today is complex. It is hard to explain its production by using one system. Instead, cities today, such as Beirut, are the result of layers upon layers of narratives, histories, economies, politics, building law, policies, technologies and production systems. Yet often the relationships of the layers to each other are unclear, hidden or disregarded. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
The systems that produce the urban environment are usually most evident in residual spaces and surfaces. These spaces which are created as leftovers due to the multilayer that guide and produce the urban sphere. The definition of them as a mere product that are ambivalent to the city make them absent from our mental maps . <br />
<br />
They are bare, empty, untreated and most of the times if recognized are seen as undesirable byproducts. For dense cities such as in Beirut where one meter square costs about 3000$, unused surfaces and spaces provide a great opportunity for public interventions. We must recognize these residuals and embrace them. <br />
<br />
<b>Beirut: </b><br />
Residual surfaces in the city of Beirut are everywhere. One regular surface that can always be seen is the side wall of any built building. These walls are a result of the lack of negotiations between neighbors that the building law produced through its attempt to regulate. The building law in most urban contexts does not force any side setbacks. Developers who want to build the maximum possible do not setback from the plot sides. Therefore the side walls of all buildings on urban plots are left blank. The developer expects the neighbor to develop the site with only market intentions as well. Therefore they expect that this will also result in building up to the side plot limits thereby totally blocking the side. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG83-5s9zgcYTlSZ0hT8JfnI2Ip2vZNR7tFvA0vhtq8ZTTvDz3sD9K3ugs4Wpcl4VGxwhRZDJMPVTsHUoBbBu9wcX3IIx0Kfy7OdtOsxwgNQ5vigzONYa-QbSTC4aeQKUnqAXPUvBX9Wg/s1600/bwP1000952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG83-5s9zgcYTlSZ0hT8JfnI2Ip2vZNR7tFvA0vhtq8ZTTvDz3sD9K3ugs4Wpcl4VGxwhRZDJMPVTsHUoBbBu9wcX3IIx0Kfy7OdtOsxwgNQ5vigzONYa-QbSTC4aeQKUnqAXPUvBX9Wg/s640/bwP1000952.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a><br />
Therefore opening for light and ventilation are not provided on the sides as the assumption is the neighbor will block them at all times and in all circumstances during the development or re-development of the neighboring block. <br />
<br />
Varying building heights and plot development periods in addition to the varying building sections allow large parts of the blank walls to exist for over 3 years at a time around the city. Once you take notice of them you will find them everywhere. So on your next walk or drive in Beirut look up and around. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5VNrAvpuyMMXVmSMc17QGq72st2SS6VGXxY3ifQ1z9atsmYSHVFVeAMY77_RZimNoEURcl2vwbJQOafiOe2mDZSYfPhBEzzplvzQqqaF1oqjvmjJTEdoyiyrqtvlfE-2BcF1qoFHogw/s1600/gg+West-Beirut1983.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b>The side wall as a Residual </b></span> <span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvJ-0eXrHYIk6xNgURn9nHJbVuq4TT1hkUDRidX1KOZQWsfb5EsV1YUTlntwJ_C7186_6VxK6dmMj_EJOUfw9hmzhPh6wUxhEzL-YWR3Vupd_a0exFJUEfnte8LhdYtMpg8SStchLkNc/s1600/P1000250a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvJ-0eXrHYIk6xNgURn9nHJbVuq4TT1hkUDRidX1KOZQWsfb5EsV1YUTlntwJ_C7186_6VxK6dmMj_EJOUfw9hmzhPh6wUxhEzL-YWR3Vupd_a0exFJUEfnte8LhdYtMpg8SStchLkNc/s640/P1000250a.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This mapping of exposed blank walls challenges the notion of the building law as a ‘perfect’ organization and system of production for the urban sphere. The proposal does not critique the existence of a building law to partially guide urban production but it celebrates its ambivalence to the residual and the repetitive incidental surface. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5VNrAvpuyMMXVmSMc17QGq72st2SS6VGXxY3ifQ1z9atsmYSHVFVeAMY77_RZimNoEURcl2vwbJQOafiOe2mDZSYfPhBEzzplvzQqqaF1oqjvmjJTEdoyiyrqtvlfE-2BcF1qoFHogw/s1600/gg+West-Beirut1983.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5VNrAvpuyMMXVmSMc17QGq72st2SS6VGXxY3ifQ1z9atsmYSHVFVeAMY77_RZimNoEURcl2vwbJQOafiOe2mDZSYfPhBEzzplvzQqqaF1oqjvmjJTEdoyiyrqtvlfE-2BcF1qoFHogw/s640/gg+West-Beirut1983.jpg" width="419" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beiruts Blank walls waiting for the next block to cover them....for three to five years they exist blank or we can plant them</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvJ-0eXrHYIk6xNgURn9nHJbVuq4TT1hkUDRidX1KOZQWsfb5EsV1YUTlntwJ_C7186_6VxK6dmMj_EJOUfw9hmzhPh6wUxhEzL-YWR3Vupd_a0exFJUEfnte8LhdYtMpg8SStchLkNc/s1600/P1000250a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">This opportunity of the blank wall found everywhere with varying exposure will be the chance for public green space to densify and exist everywhere and at all times.</span> If in doubt of such vegetation growing without complex drip irrigation systems and major maintenance here are images of a naturally occurring overgrown deserted building at the edge of Sanayeh, Beirut, Lebanon. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9J95pjX-DhS5iA7MjwjF7C9Yc8jglb98einYEljpob5W9I1rUgNTwnbB4Fe5LxOf2m-pBflNLBJb6RSvaHMU72Wseupt-4tpZ-hYqh_7WDgc4i4jnz33DERO-YKJoNn0GBzSePCnuqGM/s1600/P1000250aa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Proposal </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-sUeuYQpY_C1MNn8dr3wSutQqZH57FcDAD2J9hONc3_jUwprhW0z_m7mG1wPXaHK09Lq51CkLmg19lsP_azjsmQAr_guqOuxLmwUfcTZTxkXf4etd4OnyYIHZDMDZR0ETUGPb-NbyHg/s1600/IMG_1152b+bw+op+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-sUeuYQpY_C1MNn8dr3wSutQqZH57FcDAD2J9hONc3_jUwprhW0z_m7mG1wPXaHK09Lq51CkLmg19lsP_azjsmQAr_guqOuxLmwUfcTZTxkXf4etd4OnyYIHZDMDZR0ETUGPb-NbyHg/s640/IMG_1152b+bw+op+2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Planters with wires that invite the varying climbers to grow will be added to all blank walls at varying intervals. Watering systems will be designed depending on material and building structure in addition to access to water source. Small Rainwater collection plants will be placed on the building roofs to help with any water systems.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6JHHekCr7QOW4DJeKo3qEfC-PIFkhRMmjf33K__ZvTsYMi0UmLKyO1OgI_VDJ1aPhYQEzC-xrLtNMFjyhZb7Z6vfJ69r0xGfKVfJo2hWzDULbvvAXbD3kyloBdTtEtJDAbu8Xv287Ts/s1600/33smaller+2+P1000960.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6JHHekCr7QOW4DJeKo3qEfC-PIFkhRMmjf33K__ZvTsYMi0UmLKyO1OgI_VDJ1aPhYQEzC-xrLtNMFjyhZb7Z6vfJ69r0xGfKVfJo2hWzDULbvvAXbD3kyloBdTtEtJDAbu8Xv287Ts/s640/33smaller+2+P1000960.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In hot climates a wall of greenery would have some good insulating qualities as well. <br />
<br />
The result is mesmerizing. What do you think? <br />
<br />
Can these walls create the green surfaces that the concrete jungle of the city desperately needs? </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImOSlZMBsI74XN8AR5si44bqDkzSV-5ThyphenhyphenKCxIn5DgChw1lYdxDkzAVG66wzXt9qRBl4PhHzV6FFu2un7AZ-sJUcFT1X7HO9cOPTs1Dw0wYKv1ZdEVbPXehE4M2SspukwnWO2j-X1xQo/s1600/BWS+P1000968.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImOSlZMBsI74XN8AR5si44bqDkzSV-5ThyphenhyphenKCxIn5DgChw1lYdxDkzAVG66wzXt9qRBl4PhHzV6FFu2un7AZ-sJUcFT1X7HO9cOPTs1Dw0wYKv1ZdEVbPXehE4M2SspukwnWO2j-X1xQo/s640/BWS+P1000968.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-89765361949328922322011-11-17T02:31:00.002+02:002011-11-17T02:36:31.950+02:00The Balcony and its Planter: Potential of Private-Public partnerships for a Greener Beirut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFqptqwudIIF5vYTQQTa8NaPkHtLLynFpY81uyIctMvJZgGHjpqrRbJEox7UQm7aJu2QqEmDN5CD_Uz3xbXeZKKlKJDzTKA9sqNtkDYIvUtru2WgzM6i685vhdHQjO7RIOlHZi_u5R1Q/s1600/2P1000739.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFqptqwudIIF5vYTQQTa8NaPkHtLLynFpY81uyIctMvJZgGHjpqrRbJEox7UQm7aJu2QqEmDN5CD_Uz3xbXeZKKlKJDzTKA9sqNtkDYIvUtru2WgzM6i685vhdHQjO7RIOlHZi_u5R1Q/s640/2P1000739.jpg" /> </a><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Many of us have questioned urban public space and, in the case of Beirut, the lack of it. Yet most of us have not stopped to think about the space in between, the balcony. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
A Balcony is an external space straddling the private and public space. Its outdoor cantilever coupled with its mostly green eruptions of lush green plants in Beirut mediates between the public hard-scape and the private domestic hard-scape. This cantilever of usually no wider than 2 meters in Beirut is the transitional space between the communal and individual space. It is usually coupled by a planter bed. If a planter is not included as an edge between the balcony and the public sphere the dweller, in most cases, adds greens to increase the threshold or to further filter the outside world. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQorB2jA_Z8Pup3wJslCY8YIudCOGExD2ovI_E1Krz89-KPPfbpEdHSw2Q_ElY-M-JFEO1F1lkCDXY2VeLtRH0BtKHHJKUOjBiJ1i7mTN-ZkjLY0XX7YFQ-PGpVtOO09ZdlH-_tgW_6_4/s1600/2P1000264.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQorB2jA_Z8Pup3wJslCY8YIudCOGExD2ovI_E1Krz89-KPPfbpEdHSw2Q_ElY-M-JFEO1F1lkCDXY2VeLtRH0BtKHHJKUOjBiJ1i7mTN-ZkjLY0XX7YFQ-PGpVtOO09ZdlH-_tgW_6_4/s640/2P1000264.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a><br />
This type of spatial production of semi-public space is strictly regulated by the building law. The Lebanese building law, in general, allows twenty percent of balconies to be added to each floor plate. In addition, 60cm-wide flower planters are allowed as an edge between the balcony and the street. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
This may further alienate the individual and expand the realm of the private sphere by expanding and increasing the filter of the semi-private boundary. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgxs_DvGN113JEq3LodoTV-ImdPVgwxjhMqPy3DL6cvrtwdyYnSPHZLggKMb5drRkEY51Kg0RjNEPEKhF8yT3PSb7HKoKWQcwl3ND-9ZyZpsQGbw6I1RtoMio-2nBlhqm5QXXNR4qprs/s1600/080625-Loi+de+construction_Download+juin+2009_-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgxs_DvGN113JEq3LodoTV-ImdPVgwxjhMqPy3DL6cvrtwdyYnSPHZLggKMb5drRkEY51Kg0RjNEPEKhF8yT3PSb7HKoKWQcwl3ND-9ZyZpsQGbw6I1RtoMio-2nBlhqm5QXXNR4qprs/s640/080625-Loi+de+construction_Download+juin+2009_-2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Yet the addition of the hanging greens is mesmerizing in some alleys. Have you ever walked in Beirut and looked in front or above you to see large floating green plants hanging above you?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> <br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TmdVbKM5Z27-FWSABjeId5gKfAGAOZTE54rrc1WAEzM7gseqNFfLS0OQ3-u1iYAIoRWav2RnSd-7WPK-9vfy17T0QZpvgkXmWE4632qXg7hdQNaudLorxraQU6tmM2RRa__fFwqvPGY/s1600/P1000275.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TmdVbKM5Z27-FWSABjeId5gKfAGAOZTE54rrc1WAEzM7gseqNFfLS0OQ3-u1iYAIoRWav2RnSd-7WPK-9vfy17T0QZpvgkXmWE4632qXg7hdQNaudLorxraQU6tmM2RRa__fFwqvPGY/s640/P1000275.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Visually accessible public green space may be similarly important to physically accessible public green space. Moreover the prevalence of this phenomenon seems to allow the existence of this type of green space within the dense urban fabric of Beirut. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMi8Y5U1l8VInixicvqQe_OHihbXs75u3F7vyoa-AqpcSQFtKjY7KZ7NM5b1jmx5ny5nDlR5KShR0Y8DwZ66bEUyGg4gdl5j8ZrfP3ynPS3LnwSRYaHsTz3kPfxGoUxCH30YloXWQFbc/s1600/P1000232.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMi8Y5U1l8VInixicvqQe_OHihbXs75u3F7vyoa-AqpcSQFtKjY7KZ7NM5b1jmx5ny5nDlR5KShR0Y8DwZ66bEUyGg4gdl5j8ZrfP3ynPS3LnwSRYaHsTz3kPfxGoUxCH30YloXWQFbc/s640/P1000232.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Therefore this accessible public green space should be celebrated and encouraged. Sadly however, an amendment to the building law has somehow permitted apartment owners to enclose their balconies with a curtain wall. Today, all new apartments are designed with these curtain walls and are not livable otherwise. This is because the living room is now located on the enclosed balcony allowing apartment interiors to decrease in area. This building law with the market therefore made balconies and the plant overhangs less of an option. The once enriching semi-public space, which allowed every urban dweller to have a small semi-public green space and the pedestrian a visually accessible public green space, is in the process of disappearing altogether. </span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7iNV2IhktGt1GGc2ErTZHQyAV9WlICydYv0veL7jdLfuFNN4U3zdRJM1kv0dmxmzSxC39JMLbYKkuVXYSYySEskEE7s2j4zGfz-CeZFboadGSJSVaIB6dXPtdOElvkrc9inb7cC0Vpo/s1600/correctP1000739.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7iNV2IhktGt1GGc2ErTZHQyAV9WlICydYv0veL7jdLfuFNN4U3zdRJM1kv0dmxmzSxC39JMLbYKkuVXYSYySEskEE7s2j4zGfz-CeZFboadGSJSVaIB6dXPtdOElvkrc9inb7cC0Vpo/s640/correctP1000739.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">An existing transforming building showing 3 out of the 5 possible types of balcony filtration Type 4 is a balcony and a built in planter</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> The vanishing of the balcony space is also occurring within already existing building. Apartment residents are deciding to place a curtain wall on the balcony for more space or as a 'new' type of filter.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM_mvYr6FJ5bcXYoj-wfu98sOg5EOzmmvVJAWBJAvfyJAub2ai0yaSfQcQF_3ypM6kFVDkRPMlEC7XWY7t6EKdzvZvj4EHiLgQtlCRYaZG51ROrg_K-jzgdlnE8td5e4zAy3-vukLblc/s1600/P1000234.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM_mvYr6FJ5bcXYoj-wfu98sOg5EOzmmvVJAWBJAvfyJAub2ai0yaSfQcQF_3ypM6kFVDkRPMlEC7XWY7t6EKdzvZvj4EHiLgQtlCRYaZG51ROrg_K-jzgdlnE8td5e4zAy3-vukLblc/s640/P1000234.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
What should we do? <br />
There are two possibilities. </span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghowQaG0_HQbmb_B4bD9_zE52b9JMQBCfhVssGjXdErMhDn4E4JWULl0hXwsRd5p5Q8TgzH7880B0rPKYg3YY9xlhpCr_oJjS1v0Ap9GiaiQ2kxofzXgl8oOaMLavVuispqGHyyfSg5M0/s1600/balcony+possibilities.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghowQaG0_HQbmb_B4bD9_zE52b9JMQBCfhVssGjXdErMhDn4E4JWULl0hXwsRd5p5Q8TgzH7880B0rPKYg3YY9xlhpCr_oJjS1v0Ap9GiaiQ2kxofzXgl8oOaMLavVuispqGHyyfSg5M0/s400/balcony+possibilities.jpg" width="313" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Remove enclosure policy </b></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
The first includes barring residents from enclosing their balconies. This would imply that residents will have to again be designed to include living space instead of relocating this to the balcony. This implies that the minimum area for an apartment will have to be increased. In light of the staggering price of 1m2 in Beirut this will make residences well beyond the reach of most Lebanese. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
<b>Increase planter area </b></span> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The second approach may be to include in the building law a larger allowable planter. I would suggest 1.2meter wide unsellable planters on all balconies that have the possibility for enclosure. This is problematic only because it will add a 0.6meter overhang to the footprint of most buildings. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Do you think such a policy that invites the private sphere to build wider planters will create a multiplication of green space? </span> <span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQorB2jA_Z8Pup3wJslCY8YIudCOGExD2ovI_E1Krz89-KPPfbpEdHSw2Q_ElY-M-JFEO1F1lkCDXY2VeLtRH0BtKHHJKUOjBiJ1i7mTN-ZkjLY0XX7YFQ-PGpVtOO09ZdlH-_tgW_6_4/s1600/2P1000264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuz6iHYPqr248P943YNCZW72Uw6FbdmtLRgnvjlbUj1Dfda2KdOv7CSlBmPd7gCPOMT4FThxOs8GGGllu5EfOOru1CLiiOWMe-uAiCqglK7wbNOerbdyVOXCoNWNa8JaClzsvmD0okxo/s1600/P1000270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuz6iHYPqr248P943YNCZW72Uw6FbdmtLRgnvjlbUj1Dfda2KdOv7CSlBmPd7gCPOMT4FThxOs8GGGllu5EfOOru1CLiiOWMe-uAiCqglK7wbNOerbdyVOXCoNWNa8JaClzsvmD0okxo/s640/P1000270.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-46086800411857468562011-10-25T00:21:00.001+03:002011-10-25T23:45:04.701+03:00Mt. Rubble: Reconstructing the 2006 Landscape<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4m00QYwFtFgBFYJ7IorkedtCl5aBtSO9-LmOmXWuHq9qYH6yAGfFcrydrJEigTxyRdHxOjWH6IIG3Bf5WW9WZH0h8X4iOJQ1ZyWSR6WJCddRNaQ9UKmKVzN74JaqMTfPZy1EWgP9bsY/s1600/Dimitri+Messinis+Associated+Press.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR66M_oMurEDpzN_GTPDU8C0MPDLZ8gi2_9TJ_im57AFSt6YKsIAAVrUxh_ABrUkpaHCUwD-L9vhhYaK9BuX3kdWFrniu1X3ndJeRWArNGXnk-CXBZDzRGbzwr-3SWqvy87-Bs-EmnqGc/s1600/11-13-2006+dump+airport+008.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR66M_oMurEDpzN_GTPDU8C0MPDLZ8gi2_9TJ_im57AFSt6YKsIAAVrUxh_ABrUkpaHCUwD-L9vhhYaK9BuX3kdWFrniu1X3ndJeRWArNGXnk-CXBZDzRGbzwr-3SWqvy87-Bs-EmnqGc/s640/11-13-2006+dump+airport+008.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2006 by <span style="font-size: small;">Julie Weltzien</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">The 2006 Israeli-Lebanon war left 265residential, commercial and office buildings severely destroyed or razed to the ground in Haret Hreik, a suburb of Beirut. The municipality reported 3119 housing units and 1610 commercial units (stores and offices) were completely demolished. In total at least 20,000 residents of Haret Hreik lost their homes.</span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
TO read about the reconstruction process, you can look at the previous entry, Waad Delivers a Reconstructed HARET HREIK, </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://goo.gl/STpPG">http://goo.gl/STpPG</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
The rubble of those buildings lay there for a few days in heaps. Some residents sifted through them in the hope of finding some of their valuables, before the trucks rolled in and started the clean up.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4m00QYwFtFgBFYJ7IorkedtCl5aBtSO9-LmOmXWuHq9qYH6yAGfFcrydrJEigTxyRdHxOjWH6IIG3Bf5WW9WZH0h8X4iOJQ1ZyWSR6WJCddRNaQ9UKmKVzN74JaqMTfPZy1EWgP9bsY/s640/Dimitri+Messinis+Associated+Press.jpg" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dimitri Messinis Associated Press</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">The rubble was estimated to be about 80,000 meter square of debris. These included both the debris of the buildings and whatever belongings the residents did not save before the clean up. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Trucks loaded with rubble queued ready to clean up Haret Hreik for its reconstruction. The trucks filled up and transported the rubble to the coastline of the Ouzai, another southern suburb of Beirut, and placed them into three original mounds later transformed into two. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rUAgdhq_ri8pRTOFH3_O9MZQCz75rrJE2NLPZOLHPNF47SmQbavKE2b8qpikLYewOgMskz4qbP8Xhk7zdPFAKx2LwV5Kr7u5jb-sVtq73XoCWWfJfYWh3lhDhq5nlQPOeJMvK2V2Neg/s1600/11-13-2006+dump+airport+012%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rUAgdhq_ri8pRTOFH3_O9MZQCz75rrJE2NLPZOLHPNF47SmQbavKE2b8qpikLYewOgMskz4qbP8Xhk7zdPFAKx2LwV5Kr7u5jb-sVtq73XoCWWfJfYWh3lhDhq5nlQPOeJMvK2V2Neg/s640/11-13-2006+dump+airport+012%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2006 by <span style="font-size: small;">Julie Weltzien</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Hana Alamuddine, a member of the Reconstruction Unit, was unclear why the location was selected and said it was a decision made by the Ghobeiri municipality. The municipality was not accessible to clarify why they chose this location in particular to dump the rubble.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwFj4ltJBlxtoe4MXLWA21DRsk97YxA-o0UN8T6VbQ7uX6-8ETX4KcK1RR-MUFIKNk3iZga7FblXgJq00w-j6k4c9l_S_G87qHRLAnjyAf8WiEiHu2pyxqeZ3AlWgXSpSkWGaWjcpRDo/s1600/a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwFj4ltJBlxtoe4MXLWA21DRsk97YxA-o0UN8T6VbQ7uX6-8ETX4KcK1RR-MUFIKNk3iZga7FblXgJq00w-j6k4c9l_S_G87qHRLAnjyAf8WiEiHu2pyxqeZ3AlWgXSpSkWGaWjcpRDo/s640/a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Coast line in 2005 with the outline of the two mounds</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCD_S1L4C4w1hOlY0FgSzSqS3hC_uchYfcC49hl0hAFz8C4HCF58BCEVyyP5J6P2fDeKKA_RcrLRri_VxyenMAh6pmQi3wS1VE_rZ6P6qaQIBasmZLKZ6-EBMlGgD7ExFSSNYtlf4ELnI/s1600/b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCD_S1L4C4w1hOlY0FgSzSqS3hC_uchYfcC49hl0hAFz8C4HCF58BCEVyyP5J6P2fDeKKA_RcrLRri_VxyenMAh6pmQi3wS1VE_rZ6P6qaQIBasmZLKZ6-EBMlGgD7ExFSSNYtlf4ELnI/s640/b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Coast line in 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><span style="font-size: small;">Recycling the Rubble </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The location, Ouzai’s seashore, boasts beautiful views of the Mediterranean sea. The dumps are surrounded by highways and Beirut International airport. Today only two mounds of rubble remain from the 2006 attacks on Lebanon. A fisherman in the vicinity said the mounds will be dismantled one day and that the steel used in the buildings has been removed. Images from 2006 taken by Julie Weltzien, a landscape architect, confirms this. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcu3w4y3n3_nXdJW8BIPHNceI6BSkToMFqHC9475jZGbML-FFY_Gs-qRSeAwqTKM_Mvt9l37kXwePMlEFFNnDm_-UmlR5YikJFOcNtz-WbLjm7Clse7eyWVd8xPaW3rvtW62-0iSnq1hg/s1600/11-13-2006+dump+airport+003%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcu3w4y3n3_nXdJW8BIPHNceI6BSkToMFqHC9475jZGbML-FFY_Gs-qRSeAwqTKM_Mvt9l37kXwePMlEFFNnDm_-UmlR5YikJFOcNtz-WbLjm7Clse7eyWVd8xPaW3rvtW62-0iSnq1hg/s640/11-13-2006+dump+airport+003%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2006 by <span style="font-size: small;">Julie Weltzien</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc04eGaw8_nGSIbeQ8DVmzhYWMhkELNEuWH1L-rLIkyya1NMtnzZ5WCXZ1ARCChHEcil0uMJaNiSl8wfMK4AlHL6IegRJ5UoulbgT5lRgJzmzAT-hfgJ9Cut2wJu9gFifrN6b4gBciNLM/s1600/11-13-2006+dump+airport+005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc04eGaw8_nGSIbeQ8DVmzhYWMhkELNEuWH1L-rLIkyya1NMtnzZ5WCXZ1ARCChHEcil0uMJaNiSl8wfMK4AlHL6IegRJ5UoulbgT5lRgJzmzAT-hfgJ9Cut2wJu9gFifrN6b4gBciNLM/s640/11-13-2006+dump+airport+005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2006 by <span style="font-size: small;">Julie Weltzien</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">The main questions that come to mind however is why and what usually happens to such rubble? </span><span style="font-size: small;">Alamuddine</span><span style="font-size: small;"> said that a proposal to recycle and reuse the rubble was researched and introduced as a proposal to Speaker of the parliament, Nabih Berri, after which nothing happened. Several of these proposals started out by an attempt by architects working on the reconstruction project to reuse the rubble as fill for road construction. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Rubble Ownership</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Apparently the need to discuss such an issue with Berri is due to ownership problems. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Recycling the rubble would generate a large income yet the distribution of that income was not agreed upon and is the main problem hindering putting this proposal into action.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0beF4BTerLBKYgssUqxGdiRHIj683K19HILgKN6bAbbFWPbg8GaIuAS5HTuQ8rJwlEPhu2o7VMJjz96rgOiaaJVPwSg3LKQWXdBAqXHTX2BDiL8LHVdynM1TUjSN6R7gjBG6MSTQbArs/s1600/aaaa.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0beF4BTerLBKYgssUqxGdiRHIj683K19HILgKN6bAbbFWPbg8GaIuAS5HTuQ8rJwlEPhu2o7VMJjz96rgOiaaJVPwSg3LKQWXdBAqXHTX2BDiL8LHVdynM1TUjSN6R7gjBG6MSTQbArs/s640/aaaa.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mound 1 by Sarah Richani 2011 </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Alamaddine explains the problematic of ownership by explaining the various scenarios. She said that the normal practice in Lebanon is that the truck driver is given the rubble in exchange for demolishing, transporting and selling the rubble. It is however legally undefined. Apartment owners own the apartment but not the air or the land or the material on the land. When the apartment becomes rubble the law does not give them ownership. Will that imply that the land owner owns the rubble or the developer? That is also undefined by the law. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6g737ECZ6Jk8rjTyUE5rDsv1NJ64a_-5FzkYuHmzQmSVf4U-PDFgB4jvtKs3UnkB50__a-_amE2DA-x4KnLkJIG-K-oBSJ4dTiFtZxWc2HFzFZg9pnE3iz5G7v0t3p5xsyV-BKKy-Qg/s1600/bbb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b></b></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6g737ECZ6Jk8rjTyUE5rDsv1NJ64a_-5FzkYuHmzQmSVf4U-PDFgB4jvtKs3UnkB50__a-_amE2DA-x4KnLkJIG-K-oBSJ4dTiFtZxWc2HFzFZg9pnE3iz5G7v0t3p5xsyV-BKKy-Qg/s1600/bbb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6g737ECZ6Jk8rjTyUE5rDsv1NJ64a_-5FzkYuHmzQmSVf4U-PDFgB4jvtKs3UnkB50__a-_amE2DA-x4KnLkJIG-K-oBSJ4dTiFtZxWc2HFzFZg9pnE3iz5G7v0t3p5xsyV-BKKy-Qg/s640/bbb.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mound 1 and mound 2 behind it in the background create a new postwar landscape for the southern coast line of Beiru<span style="font-size: small;">t</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Proposal </b></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;">Today two mounds occupy a large part of Ouzai’s sea shore. Wild greens already started growing on them. <br />
The two mounds if intensely landscaped will provide two large public spaces that invite passerby to enjoy the landscape and the views as well as serve as a meeting place for people. The proposal is simple and demands a small fund to further green the two mounds facing the sea as well as providing a memorial for the victims of the 2006 war. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnPf29S9Sy1G2a8CjDxBIzJS9ZH50MjNdkX_5cNlF9vsi1x_YhdCzTb0P0Nq8ot68E3TYFvnM1Tl-iczazqf0kVJkhiLtkWeppcXxiZHZ26WMM7ZjQpscfNFCWcVv7SkdsybQnUuCdNY/s1600/P1000061.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnPf29S9Sy1G2a8CjDxBIzJS9ZH50MjNdkX_5cNlF9vsi1x_YhdCzTb0P0Nq8ot68E3TYFvnM1Tl-iczazqf0kVJkhiLtkWeppcXxiZHZ26WMM7ZjQpscfNFCWcVv7SkdsybQnUuCdNY/s320/P1000061.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">Many other cases with similar proposals exist. Rubble mounds resulting from war destruction abound and once you start looking for them it suddenly seems that every country within the last 100 years had to deal with rubble mounds whether from man-made disasters or environmental ones. Germany even has a word for such rubble mountains or mounds-Schuttberg. The most prevalent transformation of the rubble mounds is to a landscaped 'natural' environment. These exist in Vienna, Berlin, Munich among other locations.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeb7nkilyu04NrD2QXDtyDeRDwgsBwW3eyB-mnX8E9eIEPNRzZ3b1sJScyDCXJ-9QOodyLkhr3VYpkX9sAxrslUowKUMMbwaxEuaR0JcBGXmU7I0Jv9I6ONbJlR8-1ZcLYGO4VjBuCfI/s1600/IMG_3945.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0beF4BTerLBKYgssUqxGdiRHIj683K19HILgKN6bAbbFWPbg8GaIuAS5HTuQ8rJwlEPhu2o7VMJjz96rgOiaaJVPwSg3LKQWXdBAqXHTX2BDiL8LHVdynM1TUjSN6R7gjBG6MSTQbArs/s1600/aaaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">The Ouzai memorial will be subtle and include objects found in the rubble inserted between the green surfaces. This suggestion is due to the fascination I felt walking on the mounds of rubble versus the evocation of human tragedy I felt when finding in between what has become sand, rocks and wild greens a colored tile that once belonged to a bathroom. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-hvKvAQeFJ-8vHRXozQDj_pU4mPmaC2ODErCbtaz7YURiaJRXYkniU5YSvJd3-WAcLQOs8xg-2vlc1FL-YI0dWL5M-GaBouZoZSXhuMVpCq5YBH3pokBRA56fUPgKTDS0hWVw9ql1BE/s1600/11-13-2006+dump+airport+001%25285%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-hvKvAQeFJ-8vHRXozQDj_pU4mPmaC2ODErCbtaz7YURiaJRXYkniU5YSvJd3-WAcLQOs8xg-2vlc1FL-YI0dWL5M-GaBouZoZSXhuMVpCq5YBH3pokBRA56fUPgKTDS0hWVw9ql1BE/s640/11-13-2006+dump+airport+001%25285%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3TVruXIYtdXrk_Gq9sooGsEjq2WL6NAxIpUzu2LckaX5Tm38oNEUlah15gtYO1IhQ7qVkn6_UA2d-siSZq76vcVC_xQRqBDMtOS5xF5ZlMuiqIidpZJbLRpzPUFwZZr_k7KaoUmJMmk/s1600/B+11-13-2006+dump+airport+001%25285%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3TVruXIYtdXrk_Gq9sooGsEjq2WL6NAxIpUzu2LckaX5Tm38oNEUlah15gtYO1IhQ7qVkn6_UA2d-siSZq76vcVC_xQRqBDMtOS5xF5ZlMuiqIidpZJbLRpzPUFwZZr_k7KaoUmJMmk/s640/B+11-13-2006+dump+airport+001%25285%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Human tragedy is something the Lebanese shared and can and should share in their public spaces. This will undoubtedly provide a common ground for possibilities of communication.<br />
<br />
An accessible memorial for the destruction and loss of hundreds of civilian death left by the July war does not exist. In addition public green space in the greater Beirut area is rare. The mound proposal will have both a positive environmental impact as well as a socio-political one. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
Is it not fantastic to reclaim the mound on the shore of the Mediterranean? Is it not a celebration of life atop a mountain representing death and destruction? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeb7nkilyu04NrD2QXDtyDeRDwgsBwW3eyB-mnX8E9eIEPNRzZ3b1sJScyDCXJ-9QOodyLkhr3VYpkX9sAxrslUowKUMMbwaxEuaR0JcBGXmU7I0Jv9I6ONbJlR8-1ZcLYGO4VjBuCfI/s1600/IMG_3945.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeb7nkilyu04NrD2QXDtyDeRDwgsBwW3eyB-mnX8E9eIEPNRzZ3b1sJScyDCXJ-9QOodyLkhr3VYpkX9sAxrslUowKUMMbwaxEuaR0JcBGXmU7I0Jv9I6ONbJlR8-1ZcLYGO4VjBuCfI/s640/IMG_3945.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgev-UerxN9B_CsM9oZbLdkd8kkj4bzCDFi6JQ2S-YqzUhLCEsq028eQEHXQhwvgLU6hrl82XPec_USzO_w-_6QLdQOqhc44GcN1nahMYfydGOUh0vdIIw9_9NHnUadvHC2iU3iiVAbg/s1600/B+IMG_3945.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgev-UerxN9B_CsM9oZbLdkd8kkj4bzCDFi6JQ2S-YqzUhLCEsq028eQEHXQhwvgLU6hrl82XPec_USzO_w-_6QLdQOqhc44GcN1nahMYfydGOUh0vdIIw9_9NHnUadvHC2iU3iiVAbg/s640/B+IMG_3945.jpg" width="640" /></a>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-68384929124827583552011-10-15T01:44:00.001+03:002011-10-16T11:49:00.095+03:00Waad Delivers a Reconstructed HARET HREIK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2BVckinNOBkkgzHX83fdT-HPsADQB_aHr0KrLoGVpCYYrgRhQwvNQfQkWc-mx0mxCzHAYnmaTiA2BqaMJdcWjMHvdMJQMIugzgZHpbjoQh80qVhQaNBZ2OTxng3I7ZuZ3ZtObe_qX3I/s1600/ut-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2BVckinNOBkkgzHX83fdT-HPsADQB_aHr0KrLoGVpCYYrgRhQwvNQfQkWc-mx0mxCzHAYnmaTiA2BqaMJdcWjMHvdMJQMIugzgZHpbjoQh80qVhQaNBZ2OTxng3I7ZuZ3ZtObe_qX3I/s640/ut-1.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><br />
<br />
I recently drove around Haret Hreik and I would like to report that most if not all of it is rebuilt. In a paper, I once tackled the reconstruction process of Haret Hreik, so part of the following are extracts of it. <br />
<br />
This blog entry investigates the reconstruction of Haret Hreik and critically scrutinizes the type of organizations that took part in the process. The blog entry will assess the organizations involved based on their relationships with one another, the social agents who intervened in the reconstruction in addition to the formal and informal rules that they accepted or ignored (building regulations, etc.) the institutions on which they pleaded with (state , religious customary geographic political) and their results according to my analysis of the situation.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69VzpVpky1EX3ZQkKuTnaR0U5QXiNVuUH-nh1rL-CvYbuzX3JL4-W1rJ2PPEmWkj1U_v7CyvrlkbrbkKpBDrAk2utAzjQ0ekbjENFWZDMKMMFlWhpg8DovQ9V64DQKriWqdVyKbZm1L0/s1600/ut-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69VzpVpky1EX3ZQkKuTnaR0U5QXiNVuUH-nh1rL-CvYbuzX3JL4-W1rJ2PPEmWkj1U_v7CyvrlkbrbkKpBDrAk2utAzjQ0ekbjENFWZDMKMMFlWhpg8DovQ9V64DQKriWqdVyKbZm1L0/s640/ut-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<br />
<br />
The context: <br />
<br />
Haret Hreik is a southern suburb of Beirut that is made up of a mixed residential and commercial fabric housing a relatively heterogeneous shia-muslim community and ministers that support Hizballah. <br />
<br />
Haret Hreik before its destruction in 2006 emerged in mainly three different phases. <br />
<br />
1- Historically it was known as a school district of christian missionaries. It was also a green space within the city which made it desirable for middle and high income residents. <br />
<br />
2- During the civil war the composition of the population in this neighborhood transformed drastically. The near-20 year civil war saw the division of Lebanon into two religiously homogeneous units and the majority of Haret Hreik’s christian occupants were displaced and never returned. <br />
<br />
3- In the years that followed the end of the war, the shiite community of Lebanon chose to live there and developed the area into a vibrant commercial and residential enclave. The once low-density green suburb of Beirut became an area dense with buildings most of which were 'against' building laws and planning criteria.(Fawaz2007) During the 1990s, Haret Hreik housed social, religious and economic institutions which transformed it into the Hizballah base that it is famous for, the state within the state.(Fawaz&Ghandour2007) <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ub4wcirg3RbYAojmXXlCbuyy49s34CEdOqJKelUAYOaz2lCz40-56U0r-s-khcGBhO2d6SGx6KMAXzppkd90l81wIe1j3Yq7yG_XTFJAQ5fMsnIQjaRa7O4qXtTTROh5DRkntYhMCec/s1600/ut-4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ub4wcirg3RbYAojmXXlCbuyy49s34CEdOqJKelUAYOaz2lCz40-56U0r-s-khcGBhO2d6SGx6KMAXzppkd90l81wIe1j3Yq7yG_XTFJAQ5fMsnIQjaRa7O4qXtTTROh5DRkntYhMCec/s640/ut-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Original link to photo http://goo.gl/Z2y2t<br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In addition to claiming the lives of 1183civilians(30%children),4054 injured and displacing 255,794 citizens, the Israeli war on Lebanon in July 2006 destroyed most of the Lebanese infrastructure, several towns in the south of Lebanon and the Southern suburbs of Beirut.(RLn.d, HRCn.d.) </span><br />
<br />
This entry, however, will only discuss the southern suburb of Beirut(Haret Hreik) primarily due to the specific reconstruction process, its repercussion on both the local and national political sphere, its location in an urban area, and its symbolic importance to Hizballah. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It was reported that 265 residential, commercial and office buildings were severely destroyed or razed to the ground in Haret Hreik. “The municipality reported 3119 housing units and 1610 commercial units (stores and offices) were completely demolished. In total at least 20,000 residents of Haret Hreik lost their homes.” (Fawaz&Ghandour2007) </span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SmzdSgaby0ATbfGYVY2sxQwaCC-EKZy3B43V03XvMdyRdqmyb2sCR3Tyu4kYhH8GXnAtYRHZljEgnGhWYkNJSOqnyjjerUlhh7hpPT59dsr6qc11_YgKL8Xx8aZWx-5i1Ja-Zi8tmps/s1600/ut-5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SmzdSgaby0ATbfGYVY2sxQwaCC-EKZy3B43V03XvMdyRdqmyb2sCR3Tyu4kYhH8GXnAtYRHZljEgnGhWYkNJSOqnyjjerUlhh7hpPT59dsr6qc11_YgKL8Xx8aZWx-5i1Ja-Zi8tmps/s640/ut-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Unknown source (if you can identify it please indicate)<br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The predominantly Shi’ite inhabitants were left homeless and angry at the conscious and strategic destruction of their homes, memories, loved ones and livelihood. Schools and parks were taken as make-shift homes and the Haret Hreik refugees were left with little food, clothes or services. With the end of the 36-day war, the shock of the devastation was made worse with the fact that no one had plans. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b> The central government and Hizballah </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiiSObUs2DYrNe56Kb87wr8QSOcaXotg5yP-zWYyPsj-egQ9mBn-oRdMj_Ka3a2SmFXoUNy88PRJn8av_PuD1rnoaN3uurQul3ybrUb5ABXeU8RX2OLRgg3wpiaDIVJw2l7i3_4T1HhM/s1600/table.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiiSObUs2DYrNe56Kb87wr8QSOcaXotg5yP-zWYyPsj-egQ9mBn-oRdMj_Ka3a2SmFXoUNy88PRJn8av_PuD1rnoaN3uurQul3ybrUb5ABXeU8RX2OLRgg3wpiaDIVJw2l7i3_4T1HhM/s640/table.jpg" width="456" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Reconstruction phase 1: </b><br />
<br />
In the first few days after the truce, the Lebanese government declared that it will rebuild and recover Haret Hreik, the 'state within the state'. This area and its occupants have always felt excluded from the Lebanese community thus strengthening their support for Hezbollah. The importance of this declaration by the Prime Minster, and not the Hezbollah minister was a clear political challenge to Hezbollah, transcending Hezbollah's strong patron-client relationship and providing for a group Lebanese governments have historically excluded. (Nasrallah2006) <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA_g1I1gDN-iR3OOIa220OZRy8lFtreTzytaqoh-FPrItWXRNsR4CRgxDvw5Rm5NcrVxuY-qmn2K_gHS3qjEITJDkYXFSuBr53gm13sgHoFedXnHtskjJl2W_Cf4G_AtgUUoadiqGZ-tc/s1600/diagram+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA_g1I1gDN-iR3OOIa220OZRy8lFtreTzytaqoh-FPrItWXRNsR4CRgxDvw5Rm5NcrVxuY-qmn2K_gHS3qjEITJDkYXFSuBr53gm13sgHoFedXnHtskjJl2W_Cf4G_AtgUUoadiqGZ-tc/s640/diagram+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Organizations involved & their relationships with one another</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The government's words were followed by unpublicized action including setting up water and electricity lines as well as cleaning the rubble. The HRC also initiated a generous cash compensation process. (Al-Manar2006) <br />
<br />
Cash compensations and their problematic were not discussed. Instead the transfer upon the displaced all the risks that arise from the market use of cash to access and replace the lost assets were put solely on the displaced! (Cernea, 2002). Low-interest subsidized programs and transitional rent apartments were never discussed. Neither was there any debate about the public domain, its improvement and compensation. <br />
<br />
Even though Hezbollah was well represented in government, the war increased its power tremendously. It was the first time in history that an Arab entity was able to really challenge, harm or even threaten the Israeli army. Despite the devastation, many of its supporters in Lebanon and the Middle East considered it to be a victory. Having proven their military strength it was time to continue their "divine war" politically.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvFSiNb9qP_uJeB7WIFf4Ukl3fV4yh5M_AgasJttd0eZ2WObdyoyI_v4AalJMxWJYmYTbDuTrWCZcAZYtjWvDBlw8aaqPjvjBMVmtzczOdy-VAAtqHObo1YPULf-bo2L7wlw21M5usUA/s1600/ut-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvFSiNb9qP_uJeB7WIFf4Ukl3fV4yh5M_AgasJttd0eZ2WObdyoyI_v4AalJMxWJYmYTbDuTrWCZcAZYtjWvDBlw8aaqPjvjBMVmtzczOdy-VAAtqHObo1YPULf-bo2L7wlw21M5usUA/s640/ut-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">265 residential, commercial and office buildings were severely destroyed or razed to the ground in Haret Hreik</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Hezbollah, in my opinion, was at a crossroad; the first path was to work and empower a central government and continue their integration within it or to continue their own empowerment and pushing their agendas. They chose the latter and the race for reconstruction and their war against the Lebanese state's political system intensified.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA_g1I1gDN-iR3OOIa220OZRy8lFtreTzytaqoh-FPrItWXRNsR4CRgxDvw5Rm5NcrVxuY-qmn2K_gHS3qjEITJDkYXFSuBr53gm13sgHoFedXnHtskjJl2W_Cf4G_AtgUUoadiqGZ-tc/s1600/diagram+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<b>Reconstruction phase 2:</b> <br />
<br />
Several different organizations exist within the government that could have strategically taken part in resettling the displaced. Instead, public sector efforts focused on the development of surveys and the form in which compensations were to be disseminated. It appeared to the public that the relevant public agencies did not have reconstruction strategies for the neighborhood on the agenda. (fawaz2007)<br />
<br />
<br />
In the days that followed the launch of the competition between the Lebanese government and Hezbollah, Al-Manar TV, the Hezbollah backed and funded station, aired a live interview joining the heads of the CDR, order of engineers and architects, the Haret Hreik Municipality, a member of the organized civil society in the neighborhood and a number of residents. The dis-junctures in the perception of the reconstruction project was obvious and highlighted inadequacy of the government in this process. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8mSUqHFQGQoL0OZ6uqG8S6R7zJBLRo-5H5GHsFCPQOx_cx3cnhsEVbyojhuHMuGDjMSgLF5slGuD9gUV1C5mJKdeMavNch8BZSSD8xdLyv_YuuaL6P1Y1HJaHY9lx1Mxc2x-QdwGLJE/s1600/diagram+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8mSUqHFQGQoL0OZ6uqG8S6R7zJBLRo-5H5GHsFCPQOx_cx3cnhsEVbyojhuHMuGDjMSgLF5slGuD9gUV1C5mJKdeMavNch8BZSSD8xdLyv_YuuaL6P1Y1HJaHY9lx1Mxc2x-QdwGLJE/s640/diagram+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Municipality<br />
<br />
According to the local government leader, a Hizballah member, whose role was “to bridge between the government and Hezbollah…the government had not done enough”. (Al-Manar2006) The government did not challenge the Municipality’s comments in spite of the fact that they funded the cleanup. The government did not consciously decide to work through the municipality even though it was powerful and legitimate to the residents of Haret Hreik. <br />
<br />
<br />
CDR<br />
<br />
When asked by journalists about the role of civilians defining their homes and spaces , the head of the CDR replied that the parliament is enough of a representative. What made matters worse, the head of the order of the engineers proposed setting-up a private company to take care of the situation. Will a private company after profit be the right decision for such a devastating situation? This intensified the government’s weakened position within this symbolic reconstruction race. <br />
<br />
One of the obstacles that prevented the CDR from taking control and action swiftly was the building code and law dilemma. The area was built with several illegalities. In the process of regularization these were paid for and registered. The dilemma arose of how to rebuild. <span style="font-size: large;">Do you rebuild the illegalities or change them?</span> The changes will mostly cause decrease in building footprints and heights which results in displacement. Both the government and Hezbollah did not want this scenario for different reasons. <br />
<br />
The prioritization of the law regardless of its implications and the planners’ lack of intrest or even acknowledgment of the planning decisions and their political outcomes has never been more visible. Moreover it was clear that the government had decided to continue its long history of allowing the private market to provide and exclude in the famous historic reconstruction projects. There was neither a clear nor efficient plan to provide for this community that has relied on Hezbollah. <br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1JWJ4govSyueNEnzcMQBkf9JWrqgFhzVPeKaaO1-29WuBBQTWwx2wqlcBc9r6w2WsXQNf20pTpTBYVtwWk-5BkfqL919_4-Pqw00YSffhBDDbfDPWmNUzoI18Od34nVvhSrKgS_Syx8/s1600/Untitled-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1JWJ4govSyueNEnzcMQBkf9JWrqgFhzVPeKaaO1-29WuBBQTWwx2wqlcBc9r6w2WsXQNf20pTpTBYVtwWk-5BkfqL919_4-Pqw00YSffhBDDbfDPWmNUzoI18Od34nVvhSrKgS_Syx8/s640/Untitled-2.jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I re-graphed these based on Harb 2003</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30PHOepGKPhjceYmQ8dgE2ssV-hudSQj8YH-YEswYzytc0g3bT7EJBqZJO-AjmTljeroPAhfJp7fEDnaQ7vGPgaI4EveOh1PxggBHFRLJYJb6k6kWfoc7GcLVGX8GbZFTupcIiOZ-BYc/s1600/HH2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, Hezbollah exacerbated the situation by actively disregarding the government’s role and obligations. Within a few days, the remaining buildings of Haret Hreik were suddenly covered with huge posters, including one of Sayyed Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, reading “It’s going to come back more beautiful than it was. That’s a promise from the honest Secretary-General.”<br />
<br />
<b>Hezbollah’s second victory and their reconstruction maneuvers</b><br />
<br />
The effectiveness of the system based on informal relationships and rules, local reputation and personal relationships with the individuals within the neighborhood confirmed Hezbollah’s success. For starters, residents did not have to prove they lived in one of the demolished buildings. The compensation distributors within Hezbollah, already knew who, because they were camped in the area with the money. Secondly, the party had already found apartments and rented them for people that hadn’t. Given the vast amount of homeless families, the demand and cost for rented apartments rose dramatically thus rendering the once-generous compensation from the government hardly enough. <br />
<br />
Hezbollah then created from their building construction NGO, a private company called Al-Waad-Al-Sadiq to monopolize the neighborhood reconstruction project. This allowed them to also detach themselves from the municipality thus ensuring that their success has no relationship to the government and its efforts. In addition with the creation of the company, under the Lebanese law the real estate company has the right to buy all public land in the area its working in! <br />
<br />
The company’s aim was to preserve the previous social fabric but with buildings of a higher quality and public spaces. The goal was to build swiftly while avoiding all the legal entanglements and social complications by avoiding major changes. To have their apartments back, residents had to sign off their rights to the company. (Zraket2008)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">However, despite their praise-worthy reconstruction strategies,time-lines and studies Hezbollah and Waad al Sadiq left no room for participation </span><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAv8cj6b6k3ha9_oy0N59UBnj4I4YNqjVDoZrvax7dZBR-MfWmfjFwRHWkU3WYAnByLbavSPq4rlb6j_O_hio-zl0nrzIkdIJVwHSyx2UBu36D_hTJjnbp6oLph7r16qrRPU2rt71qV-Q/s1600/ut-7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAv8cj6b6k3ha9_oy0N59UBnj4I4YNqjVDoZrvax7dZBR-MfWmfjFwRHWkU3WYAnByLbavSPq4rlb6j_O_hio-zl0nrzIkdIJVwHSyx2UBu36D_hTJjnbp6oLph7r16qrRPU2rt71qV-Q/s640/ut-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1JWJ4govSyueNEnzcMQBkf9JWrqgFhzVPeKaaO1-29WuBBQTWwx2wqlcBc9r6w2WsXQNf20pTpTBYVtwWk-5BkfqL919_4-Pqw00YSffhBDDbfDPWmNUzoI18Od34nVvhSrKgS_Syx8/s1600/Untitled-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></a></div><br />
<br />
The space of contestation was not maintained, and room for civil society to maneuver between two powerful actors was minimized. Instead the state within the state is rebuilt stronger with greater dependency by civil society on it. The government and its desire to include and create bridges of trust between it and a large fraction of its community diminished due to un-strategic action and disregard to the municipality. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdVT138jXNMFMs2api0UefdK-31Q4NBGdXpTL6ZprXpZ_pmsO5qlXEPxwswIm2If9bT2QJX3bhdTPsn9lLdTEuYx00fFNdvEhKIrCQL4yDPxk3yT_dp8GppTb6fbyRNpsxOvDsNMHTko/s1600/ut-8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdVT138jXNMFMs2api0UefdK-31Q4NBGdXpTL6ZprXpZ_pmsO5qlXEPxwswIm2If9bT2QJX3bhdTPsn9lLdTEuYx00fFNdvEhKIrCQL4yDPxk3yT_dp8GppTb6fbyRNpsxOvDsNMHTko/s320/ut-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Unknown source (if you can identify it please indicate)<br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
This was not about finding another apartment but about the destruction of people’s homes, livelihoods and neighborhood. This uncreative and interactive approach to the community, context and event needs to be changed if the government aims to include and provide for its citizens. In addition it is important to recognize that the planning department’s failure to tackle this project in a more inclusive and socially just manner has affected the central government’s position in terms of civil society backing. Therefore the restructuring of the planning and policy department will be a political investment and a strategic decision by the central government. <br />
<br />
Al Waad al Sadiq ( http://www.waad-rebuild.com/competedproject.asp ) , the name of the private company ‘started ‘ by Hizballah , is an Arabic term that means the truthful promise. As you can see in the aerials below the neighborhood is mostly rebuilt and the promise was and is truthful, successful and impressive. I hope one day our public institutions will be so dedicated to provide for their citizens! <br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30PHOepGKPhjceYmQ8dgE2ssV-hudSQj8YH-YEswYzytc0g3bT7EJBqZJO-AjmTljeroPAhfJp7fEDnaQ7vGPgaI4EveOh1PxggBHFRLJYJb6k6kWfoc7GcLVGX8GbZFTupcIiOZ-BYc/s1600/HH2011.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30PHOepGKPhjceYmQ8dgE2ssV-hudSQj8YH-YEswYzytc0g3bT7EJBqZJO-AjmTljeroPAhfJp7fEDnaQ7vGPgaI4EveOh1PxggBHFRLJYJb6k6kWfoc7GcLVGX8GbZFTupcIiOZ-BYc/s1600/HH2011.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google Earth 2005, 2006 (after the war) , 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2BVckinNOBkkgzHX83fdT-HPsADQB_aHr0KrLoGVpCYYrgRhQwvNQfQkWc-mx0mxCzHAYnmaTiA2BqaMJdcWjMHvdMJQMIugzgZHpbjoQh80qVhQaNBZ2OTxng3I7ZuZ3ZtObe_qX3I/s1600/ut-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
References <br />
<br />
AFP 08,2006, “Hizballah launches reconstruction jihad” in ynetnews accessible <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3296513,00.html">http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3296513,00.html</a> last accessed march2008 </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
Alagha J.,(2006),The Shifts in Hizballah Ideology: Religious Ideology, Political Ideology, and Political Program Amsterdam University Press </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Allers, J. Sep 26, 2006 “Hezbollah construction wing leaves government in the dust” in Finalcall.com news, </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_2940.shtml%20last%20accessed%20feb%202008">http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_2940.shtml last accessed feb 2008</a></span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
Al-Manar TV, 2006, dialogues “the government”, the “ruling class”, and the civil society in the reconstruction of Lebanon, an example of reconstruction? Aired on TV live 17/08/06 (in Arabic) نقاش "الدولة" و"السلطة الحاكمة" والمشاركة المدنية في إعادة بناء لبنان: نموذج لإعادة الإعمار؟ </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Børre L.(ed). 1998, “Jehad Al Benaa Developmental Association in Al Mashriq”, accessible </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/300/320/324/324.2/hizballah/jihad-el-binna/">http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/300/320/324/324.2/hizballah/jihad-el-binna/</a> last accessed march 2008 <br />
<br />
Brett T. 2000, ‘ Understanding organisations and institutions’ in Managing development by Robinson D., Meevitt T., Harris J., (eds) sage, London oaks- New Delhi </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Bruinessen M., 2007) “Development and Islamic charities” in conflict and development, ISIM Review 20 accessible on </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.isim.nl/files/Review_20/Review_20.pdf">http://www.isim.nl/files/Review_20/Review_20.pdf</a> last accessed march 2008 <br />
<br />
Cemea, M. (2002). For a New Economics of Resettlement: the Sociological Critique of the Compensation Principle. International Social Science Journal, 55(1), 37-45. </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Cernea, M. (1993). The Urban Environment and Population Relocation. Washington: World Bank Discussion Papers no. 152 </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Fawaz, M. (2007) “Beirut: the city as a body politic” in conflict and development, ISIM Review 20 accessible on </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.isim.nl/files/Review_20/Review_20.pdf">http://www.isim.nl/files/Review_20/Review_20.pdf</a> last accessed march 2008 <br />
<br />
Fawaz and Ghandour (2007), The Reconstruction of Haret Hreik: Design Options for Improving the Livability of the Neighborhood Beirut: AUB-RU publication 2007 </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Fawaz, M. (2004). Strategizing For Housing: An investigation of the Production and Regulation of Low-income Housing in the suburbs of Beirut. MIT: Unpublished PHD dissertation. </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Fawaz, M. (2003). Access to Housing by the Poor: Comparative Analysis of Housing Performance and Policy in Selected MENA Region Countries. Beirut: The World Bank. </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Fawaz, M. (1998). Islam, Resistance, and Community Development. The Case of the Southern Suburb of Beirut City. MIT: Unpublished Master Thesis </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Ghaddar, H. June 27, 2007, Putting Haret Hreik back together again” in NOW Lebanon archives, </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=5049">http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=5049</a></span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Hamzeh, N. 1997. “Islamism in Lebanon: A Guide to the Groups.” Middle East Quarterly (September),pp. 47–54. </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Hamzeh, N. 1998. “The Future of Islamic Movements in Lebanon,” in Ahmad Moussalli (ed.),Islamic Fundamentalism: Myths and Realities (London: Ithaca Press), pp. 249–273. </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Hamzeh, N. 1993. “Lebanon's Hizballah: from Islamic revolution to parliamentary accommodation” Third World Quarterly, Vol 14, No 2 accessed on </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://ddc.aub.edu.lb/projects/pspa/hamzeh2.html%20last%20accesed%20march%202008">http://ddc.aub.edu.lb/projects/pspa/hamzeh2.html last accessed march 2008</a></span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Harb M, 2007, “Faith-Based Organizations as Effective Development Partners? Hezbollah and Post-War Reconstruction in Lebanon “ in Development, Civil Society and Faith-Based Organizations: Bridging the Sacred and the Secular by Gerard Clarke & Michael Jennings (Eds.) pp.240-268 </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Harb, M. 2003: “La Dâhiye de Beyrouth: Parcours d’une Stigmatisation Urbaine, Consolidation d’un Territoire Politique,” Genèses, no. 51 ,70–91. </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Harb, M. 2001. Urban Governance in Post-War Beirut: Resources, Negotiations, and Contestations in the Elyssar Project. In S. Shami, Capital Cities: Ethnographies of Urban Governance in the Middle East (pp. 111-133). Toronto: Toronto University Press. </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Harvey, P. 2005. Cash and Vouchers in Emergencies. London: Humanitarian Policy Group, Overseas I)development Institute. </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
HRC, Higher Relief Council,n.d, Lebanon Under Siege website, </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.lebanonundersiege.gov.lb/english/f/Info/Page.asp?PageID=127">http://www.lebanonundersiege.gov.lb/english/f/Info/Page.asp?PageID=127</a> last accessed march 2008 <br />
<br />
Levitt M. 2007, Shutting Hizballah's 'Construction Jihad' in policy watch/ peace watch , the Washington institute for near east policy accessed on </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=2571">http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=2571</a><br />
<br />
Maila, J 1992, ‘The Document of National Understanding: A Commentary’, Center for Lebanese Studies, Oxford <br />
<br />
Nasrallah J., 2006, “the southern suburb of Beirut: who will remove it from beneath the rubble?” in Al-Akhbar newspaper, Lebanon (in Arabic) </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
Nasrallah J., 18/05/2007, “Waad-Promise building the southern suburb: pick your way of life” in Al-Akhbar newspaper, Lebanon (in Arabic) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
Nasrallah J., 28/07/2007, “Engineer and architects from the American university: this is how the reconstruction should be” in Al-Akhbar newspaper, Lebanon (in Arabic) </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
RL-Rebuild Lebanon, economic and infrastructure recovery, accessible on </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.rebuildlebanon.gov.lb/english/f/default.asp%20last%20accessed%20march%202008">http://www.rebuildlebanon.gov.lb/english/f/default.asp last accessed march 2008</a></span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
<br />
Zraket M., 6/2/208, “Waad delivers and the first building completed” in Al-Akhbar newspaper (in Arabic)</span> <br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1.5in; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-19996698119312495852011-10-03T19:21:00.004+03:002012-01-04T22:53:41.995+02:00Get me out of this Traffic Jam<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-Wa2KC1u9ck8vYbvD2TH4PijxHpbkgjukqxcvaWmFswqWoReQ0l_rmntWPbknYllD3XdEuUJpZXpapn4XHPXE42bic0EhYV-68TO_XKsK12FXWUHiuuXdetYcftsUf8OyA2kOUSKCe0/s1600/mass+versus+street+footprint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-Wa2KC1u9ck8vYbvD2TH4PijxHpbkgjukqxcvaWmFswqWoReQ0l_rmntWPbknYllD3XdEuUJpZXpapn4XHPXE42bic0EhYV-68TO_XKsK12FXWUHiuuXdetYcftsUf8OyA2kOUSKCe0/s640/mass+versus+street+footprint.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">BUILT UP FABRIC VERSUS STREET SCAPE NOTE AMOUNT OF SPACE WASTED ON CAR INFRASTRUCTURE</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
If you have tried to drive within or towards Beirut and ended up spending double or triple the amount of time, it should take, this blog entry is for you. The excuses are endless and include “well it’s raining”, “there is an accident”, “a car stopped”. But the reality is that the massive ‘generated traffic’ is enough evidence to question and propose an alternative transport system, which recognizes the problems brought by the mass use of privately-owned cars (Newman and Kenworthy, 1999)<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXlsDCt6XA9C5eNl6Pi6rzRhUalg7Uf1AhnlZoMqybXqZSecm47U7SC4Wa5EOrWvzFnataT8LlozmV6SDVYxozgMczXCSJxn7w5nin2ndGPXwLZ9tAgNgKTfcImEduhJtEiUjMmx7jxs/s1600/P1000083.jpg"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXlsDCt6XA9C5eNl6Pi6rzRhUalg7Uf1AhnlZoMqybXqZSecm47U7SC4Wa5EOrWvzFnataT8LlozmV6SDVYxozgMczXCSJxn7w5nin2ndGPXwLZ9tAgNgKTfcImEduhJtEiUjMmx7jxs/s640/P1000083.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A CALM SATURDAY IN HAMRA </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Unfortunately Lebanon’s transport culture has become exclusively American, which favors automobile transportation and disregards the establishment of any public transport system. This results in unsustainable economic, social, and environmental burdens in addition to the cost of health problems, accidents and excessive construction and maintenance on land resources that are rare and limited. Most importantly labor and productivity is diminished due to traffic jams and higher costs of living (Newman and Kenworthy, 1999; Kay, 1997). </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
Studies have shown, even in the United States, that building more highways resulted in more congestion due to a number of related causes that, according to Newman and Kenworthy (1999) amongst others, include more sprawl. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So if you campaign for bigger roads please read about the unsuccessful experiences of the United States, Turkey, and England amongst others in this regard.</span> <br />
<br />
Light Railway is clearly the answer and has achieved international consensus (Hass-Klau, 2000; Kenworthy and Laube 2001). Several Mediterranean cities have proposed or established rail transport systems, including Casablanca, Rabat, and most notably, Cairo (Lowe, 1993). The advantages of rail transit systems surpass any other form of mass ground transport in dependability, speed, comfort and safety. Such a system will reduce land consumption, congestion, as well as air and noise pollution (Lowe, 1993; Newman and Kenworthy, 1999). Electric train systems greatly reduce dependence on oil but with our continuous power outages in Lebanon, I can already see your smirks. <br />
<br />
Even though the blog invites its readers to dream of other possibilities, most of which are extreme, this blog entry will not propose a light railway system as the solution to our problems due to limited government funding. Instead, this entry puts forth a simpler proposal in the hope that I will reach my destination one day in Beirut and during this lifetime without driving like a maniac, cursing my way through and paying a ridiculous amount of money for gas and parking fees. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>SOME NUMBERS <span style="font-size: x-small;">(references 6 to 10) </span></b></span><br />
<u><b><br />
</b></u><br />
The future is grim if we do not stop to think .<br />
<br />
A <span style="font-size: large;">1970 </span>study estimated that motorized person trips in Beirut were split as follows: <br />
52 % by private car; <br />
9 % by bus; <br />
39 % by shared ('service') and unshared taxis<br />
<br />
It is known that during the war there was no other forms of public transportation other than the shared and private taxis, both of which were automobiles seating four passengers.<br />
<br />
<br />
In <span style="font-size: large;">1994</span>, buses, vans and similar vehicles, both public and private, transported a maximum of 1.3 percent of all person trips in the Beirut metropolitan area.<br />
<br />
Some recent studies estimated that in <span style="font-size: large;">1999 </span><br />
83 to 90% commuted using private cars<br />
7 to 10% by bus + shared and unshared taxis<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbGTOZgGbwV_DNbL1g7khMhDNybOG1Oe7EPdJxb9VhajXoIi3r0W3x4UNUO_1-dxl2Zo6mF2DcW8NnN4hlQDeK6APXHM2Wp6jdoxhqEKfhipZqQhCzTzepfQWk6ZZs5WjczKnF2fgQik/s1600/fabric333+F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Cars have therefore increased by 538% from 1974 to 1998</span> <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWmAYAHVQlsPXWMwYKFaus5W4sneWqvzJCzKcoA_UbJuujEyiRYUqYHTc-rMBFs9CEsT-grvkdk2ft0msrg0_MQNJMk4NXTjTh2k0wvIdLiOGdSAvcbrr0xfYoBXEmA2xZmKdbL_xs04/s1600/reality+ofbeirut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWmAYAHVQlsPXWMwYKFaus5W4sneWqvzJCzKcoA_UbJuujEyiRYUqYHTc-rMBFs9CEsT-grvkdk2ft0msrg0_MQNJMk4NXTjTh2k0wvIdLiOGdSAvcbrr0xfYoBXEmA2xZmKdbL_xs04/s640/reality+ofbeirut.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is deceiving to look at Beiruts map with its streets empty ...Therefor the second map depicts the reality of the mass versus void of the city</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
This implies that looking at Beirut's urban fabric in a map is deceiving because its streets are not empty instead they are always so full and congested producing tons of decibels of sounds and pollutants and hardly any pedestrian pathways. <br />
The second map highlights this and depicts the reality of the city's street-scape. A large congested city with hardly any breathing space.<br />
<br />
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The proposal </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTw541e2MKamTxWC80Ft9m_vEFUffia1rv8hDJAucv604RHqPbAowpwdV24Z6YsqmjduslCcW9rxvOgaC0n2njY3PBJeNyHrTnBCskacT6TqnYvJWih_fb7M93QFo-9MWH8jf_M35lCQ/s1600/BEFORE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTw541e2MKamTxWC80Ft9m_vEFUffia1rv8hDJAucv604RHqPbAowpwdV24Z6YsqmjduslCcW9rxvOgaC0n2njY3PBJeNyHrTnBCskacT6TqnYvJWih_fb7M93QFo-9MWH8jf_M35lCQ/s640/BEFORE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">REDESIGNING LAND RECLAIMED FROM CARS!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Improving the bus services</span> is the quickest and most effective way to increase publ<a name='more'></a>ic transport capacity in the short term. For environmental reasons these transport lines may later be replaced by other systems of transport. In order to improve the bus network the Ministry of Transport needs to concentrate its effort on constructing a bus system that is efficient and utilizes the existing infrastructure. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
The first step to do this is by preventing any cars to enter the city. This will provide the bus system with a free and large road infrastructure without any traffic jams!<br />
<br />
Large multilevel parking spaces are provided on all major entrances to the city from which several buses depart at regular intervals. <br />
<br />
All road networks will be used by buses only and the parking space on the sides of the roads will all be transformed into urban green spaces with cycling lanes! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbGTOZgGbwV_DNbL1g7khMhDNybOG1Oe7EPdJxb9VhajXoIi3r0W3x4UNUO_1-dxl2Zo6mF2DcW8NnN4hlQDeK6APXHM2Wp6jdoxhqEKfhipZqQhCzTzepfQWk6ZZs5WjczKnF2fgQik/s1600/fabric333+F.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbGTOZgGbwV_DNbL1g7khMhDNybOG1Oe7EPdJxb9VhajXoIi3r0W3x4UNUO_1-dxl2Zo6mF2DcW8NnN4hlQDeK6APXHM2Wp6jdoxhqEKfhipZqQhCzTzepfQWk6ZZs5WjczKnF2fgQik/s640/fabric333+F.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NO CARS IN THE CITY, Yellow indicates possible parking lots, streets become bus lanes with road side parking space reclaimed as green space</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTw541e2MKamTxWC80Ft9m_vEFUffia1rv8hDJAucv604RHqPbAowpwdV24Z6YsqmjduslCcW9rxvOgaC0n2njY3PBJeNyHrTnBCskacT6TqnYvJWih_fb7M93QFo-9MWH8jf_M35lCQ/s1600/BEFORE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> Today (2010) for every 2 people (including minors) we have a registered car. This means about 500 private passenger cars/1000 people! Soon we will have to destroy residences to make way for higher income groups cars or we can stop and redesign our failing life-style! </span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">IN conclusion </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMi58Mm9Pz7odikzyy2ECN6gmvazZYDlvtwC8lXUgggGTgWU9EpSuIue8XQOfZrH16vaXHZ0UUNiS0RiL69RvujgIM3t0lN0D8Tqgg3PWvn4aoFPwGqFTJYpxB-9xVjFaYU3yFrBVH9s/s1600/sections.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMi58Mm9Pz7odikzyy2ECN6gmvazZYDlvtwC8lXUgggGTgWU9EpSuIue8XQOfZrH16vaXHZ0UUNiS0RiL69RvujgIM3t0lN0D8Tqgg3PWvn4aoFPwGqFTJYpxB-9xVjFaYU3yFrBVH9s/s640/sections.jpg" width="355" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
2010 = 10965 accidents, endless wasted hours, high blood pressure and wasted public money <br />
<br />
If the possibility of Beirut without cars has not enticed you yet and you do not understand or see the spatial, social, and natural capital sacrificed to feed the car culture habit then let me include the following measurable losses for the government and individual. Official accidents registered by the Red Cross for 2010 are 10,965 (Kunhadi,2011). <br />
<br />
Kay(1997, 67) provides some parametric to convince us of the loss of urban space and our cities by comparing the land needs for automobiles with other modes of transportation and urban uses. The numbers are shocking, a pedestrian uses 1.5 square meters standing and 3 square meters walking, a car requires on average 91 square meters standing still, taking into account all passageways necessary for access to parking spaces, and 914 square meters while moving at 48 kph. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Iskandar (1994) and a World Bank Study (1996) states that the <span style="font-size: large;">average Lebanese household spends 13.85 per cent of its income on cars.</span> Darwish and Timberlake (1999) state that congestion on roads were estimated to cost Lebanon $2000 million per year in 1997 (approximately 15 percent of its GDP). El-Fadel and Hashisho (1999, 86) state that Health problems in Lebanon from high blood lead levels alone are estimated to cost the society $118 million annually. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">So the next time a government official tells you that they cannot invest in better infrastructure and transportation systems you may want to reconsider voting for someone that clueless about the cost of the status quo. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TB8IvQ41AV37IkLfw2sUKFg7tv9R2lU6GfNHAH1YIi-454uywM7FQjTVoRnFPA4V5_9WBZLL_8Mhhn_mgIG_hjJwy0Sqn4dBkioCuEfPEXiPoSb6iYcJOAfMWWYzWhUFVhL6bPHpYEM/s1600/after+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TB8IvQ41AV37IkLfw2sUKFg7tv9R2lU6GfNHAH1YIi-454uywM7FQjTVoRnFPA4V5_9WBZLL_8Mhhn_mgIG_hjJwy0Sqn4dBkioCuEfPEXiPoSb6iYcJOAfMWWYzWhUFVhL6bPHpYEM/s640/after+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">& DREAM OF ENDLESS GREEN CORRIDORS FILLED WITH LUSH LANDSCAPES FOR LUNCH-BREAKS AND MORE</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">References <br />
<br />
1- NEWMAN, P. and KENWORTHY, J. (1999), Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence (Washington, DC: Island Press). </span></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<br />
2- KAY, J. H. (1997), Asphalt Nation: How the Automobile Took Over America, and How We Can Take It Back (New York, Crown Publishers). <br />
<br />
3- HASS-KLAU, C. et al. (2000), Bus or Light Rail: Making the Right Choice: A Financial, Operational and Demand Comparison of Light Rail, Guided Buses, Busways and Bus Lanes (Bristol, UK: Environmental and Transport Planning). <br />
<br />
4- KENWORTHY, J. and LAUBE, F. (2000), 'The Role of Light Rail in Urban Transport Systems: Winning Back Cities from the Automobile', presented to The Fifth Light Rail Conference, UITP, Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, 8-11 October 2000. <br />
<br />
5- LOWE, M.D. (1993), 'Rediscovering Rail' in L. R. Brown et al., State of the World 1993: A Worldwatch Institute Report on Progress Toward a Sustainable Society (New York: W.W. Norton), 120-38. <br />
<br />
6- MEYMERIE, F. (1999), 'Transport Plan for Greater Beirut' in LTP <br />
<br />
7- NAJIA, Y. (1995), 'The Future of Public Transportation in Lebanon: An Administrative Assessment in View of Current Practices', M.A. thesis, Beirut University College Business School. <br />
<br />
8- BAAJ, M. (ed) (1999), Proceedings of the Workshop on Land Transport Policy for Lebanon [LTP], prepared for the Lebanon Ministry of Transport. <br />
<br />
9- NAKKASH, T. (1999), 'Beirut Urban Transport Project: Preparatory Study' in M. Baaj, LTP <br />
<br />
10- Perry, M. "Car Dependency and Culture in Beirut: Effects of an American Transport Paradigm," Third World Planning Review (University of Liverpool), Vol. 22, No. 4 (November 2000), pp. 395-409 <br />
<br />
11- Kunhadi , <a href="http://www.kunhadi.org/">http://www.kunhadi.org/</a>, last accesses 10/2/2011 <br />
<br />
12- ISKANDAR, M. (1994), The Lebanese Economy 1993 (Beirut: M. I. Associates). <br />
<br />
13- WORLD BANK (1996), Trends in Developing Economies 1996 (Washington, DC: World Bank). <br />
<br />
14- DARWISH, F. and TIMBERLAKE, R. (1999), 'Road User Charging Study: Charging Scenarios on the Basis of Road Funding Requirements and Cost Allocation to Vehicles' in LTP, 58-71. <br />
<br />
15- EL-FADEL, M. and HASHISHO, Z. (1999), 'Phase-Out of Leaded Gasoline in Lebanon: Cost and Health Benefit Analysis' in M. Baaj, LTP, 85-88. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-1485554883600538622011-09-25T19:54:00.008+03:002011-10-16T11:54:23.544+03:00Revolt Against Bladders Leash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2UP9TTZCkSg64Aew3_j3xHy0SURPnnZVxshUTH6ZUxKdzX0IoA0t8QAPuy5KPCRlEq43BYpBkBHDxpzR6az1FmO9hIsbLOumQPgyjKDuhp5a3vq-PZKYFEAkq-YgLp8RCKkcuL0KC_Q/s1600/32b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hlamIunxtJyGP7U2jKtquPt4ofH3jES_0o9CQ9cXep3b94cK6OzXO03ZmmOhtqfq5SI4XI_tLG8NOihW85GTA5vpsSB_vdItRtCSn_o_Ltuq6797rtkmxKCtG0rn5o3uSIJdZ9GaQBc/s1600/toilet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hlamIunxtJyGP7U2jKtquPt4ofH3jES_0o9CQ9cXep3b94cK6OzXO03ZmmOhtqfq5SI4XI_tLG8NOihW85GTA5vpsSB_vdItRtCSn_o_Ltuq6797rtkmxKCtG0rn5o3uSIJdZ9GaQBc/s640/toilet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsCXUKRbmXt5ltnN-jQqzxZiQO8Dywb3dvLENXMY49rP9GFEufhDBVJNzKll9kQ0zjgJDKx4bqOT0tnNzwNJgZXDBrMCHMJZQ6LzKJwQPm3RDaGDG4c94VTV7EE1Nkp2eP4fEbZMQCD8/s1600/closeup+public+toilet+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
Your Public right to a Public Toilet<br />
<br />
"A nation is judged by its toilets, it's one of the first images tourists and visitors get and we should generally be ashamed in this country" stated Greed when discussing the case of the UK! Imagine what she would say about Beirut. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Did you ever walk anywhere or were driving and had to drive like a maniac to sneak into a coffee shop's toilet and exit shamefully?</span> If you do not live in a 10 minute radius of any of your outings the chance is the answer to this question is yes. Where do you go and what do you do in Beirut when you need to use the toilet? <br />
<br />
I decided to investigate this in one of our only public spaces in Beirut, the Corniche.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_NYnfn0wO9z8Rc3Z4F0oQSmmMUAWdmLCop0ASSOV01Q1lH3pL8zSHS4sra5H5C-v2XpgHlceDx68WvMBI5WnT_yxiwFPKGGP7dUEnPSeUksOupRILkaslUtCziqCRZ1ndMyieI0DIm8/s1600/public+toilet+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_NYnfn0wO9z8Rc3Z4F0oQSmmMUAWdmLCop0ASSOV01Q1lH3pL8zSHS4sra5H5C-v2XpgHlceDx68WvMBI5WnT_yxiwFPKGGP7dUEnPSeUksOupRILkaslUtCziqCRZ1ndMyieI0DIm8/s640/public+toilet+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFXIIJZp2VqHsXChzD9d2fQySwlb-5tER-2o3xQgu1abJHxb1NvUwgV2ZLuWCg4xLNq0BYjUe0I8fDA1OavAKNM22knyyVMbg5aKjyd8kV6hQjT8TTjaqgEDDQq6p2EXodRumukDne2k/s1600/public+toilet+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
The case of Beirut’s Corniche <br />
<br />
The Corniche is a seaside promenade offering visitors a view of the Mediterranean and the mountains. The Corniche a beautiful space that people in Lebanon can access and spend the day regardless of their economic backgrounds and their purchase ability. However this site lacks adequate public services that will facilitate your stay for longer than an hour. <br />
<br />
On Sundays and holidays the Corniche is packed and let’s face it it’s the only place in Beirut where people can spend the day without paying for entrance, seats, parking … During the week the Corniche is also congested with passersby that spend an average of an hour walking, sitting, contemplating. Couples meet there and of course the joggers during sunrise and sunset fill the space. Families that try to provide their children with a space to spend some time outside their apartments also frequent the Corniche after sunset during the week and all day during the holidays and Sundays. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFXIIJZp2VqHsXChzD9d2fQySwlb-5tER-2o3xQgu1abJHxb1NvUwgV2ZLuWCg4xLNq0BYjUe0I8fDA1OavAKNM22knyyVMbg5aKjyd8kV6hQjT8TTjaqgEDDQq6p2EXodRumukDne2k/s1600/public+toilet+one.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFXIIJZp2VqHsXChzD9d2fQySwlb-5tER-2o3xQgu1abJHxb1NvUwgV2ZLuWCg4xLNq0BYjUe0I8fDA1OavAKNM22knyyVMbg5aKjyd8kV6hQjT8TTjaqgEDDQq6p2EXodRumukDne2k/s640/public+toilet+one.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Public toilet 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jhrXxxj8pkHWiLhvDw8TsIdOtODFfJbEAIR3JehF14KAj47KcEjC40NcXLAgDWJkVyS5KOhtZ0eGmbWyURC_QOGSaO3gVUy7mTBuJ_VkeHFshTeottuLMYA2uqsiKTdwfYKBz374e6g/s1600/toilet2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qDG6Ngl0emZr2cWCNEVqcWBcRtOBJCq0K1prBQrmPjkP0i-N8swEDzdEaMZZInkfM8jOvhzhgDG6TvyZv2tCt7OlNjUEW1rGZX5zVIT5qm2AHHSnRHkODN70REeArIBiAAGNZde5hjo/s1600/urinals+bathroom+A+bathroom+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
Toilets on the Corniche <br />
<br />
So I decided to first ask two young women seated close to what I thought was the only public toilet in the area if they ever had the urge to use the toilet while on a visit. They looked up at me worried and thought I needed a toilet and said “oh I am so sorry but you should try to hold it in and if you are desperate there is a very dirty and smelly toilet just behind us in between the two streets.” I smiled nodded and thanked them. <br />
<a name='more'></a>I crossed the street to look into it. As I approached the small structure, I understood the look the two women gave me. First the smell of large volumes of old urine surrounding the space made me sick. The women's toilet was closed and the men’s open. I closed my nose and looked in. The toilets were dark and the walls were stained with human feces! I ran out for a breath of air and bumped into two men crossing the street. They screamed at me saying "don’t try to use this plus the man that usually ‘cleans’ this is hardly ever here." They advised me to go to the next one facing the Riyadeh stadium which is always cleaner. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZt5bP1AWmukleOsDqk5mv_E8Lrl_qagrsdgzRwUTP4Mj8PNAugqNJD-fIBHt0h5ZHbpNDcKePKP8Gi19esYp6i5BIQ4bhlUZHMSzUVZ6IuX08v605Pd7FNZr-v35ExpNoVlrRd2IYCY/s1600/public+toilet+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZt5bP1AWmukleOsDqk5mv_E8Lrl_qagrsdgzRwUTP4Mj8PNAugqNJD-fIBHt0h5ZHbpNDcKePKP8Gi19esYp6i5BIQ4bhlUZHMSzUVZ6IuX08v605Pd7FNZr-v35ExpNoVlrRd2IYCY/s640/public+toilet+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Public Toilet 1....I'm glad the trees didn't die from the stench... the womens toilet is locked</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Another public toilet on the Corniche! I was pleasantly surprised. As I walked towards it I stopped to ask a woman with a child about using public toilets and access to them. She looked at me and chuckled and said "we cannot stay here for more than an hour and then we rush home. My child does not know how to use the Arabic toilet plus there is only one toilet on all the Corniche so you can imagine the ques during the weekends." I smiled and continued my walk towards the second public toilet with high hopes. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsCXUKRbmXt5ltnN-jQqzxZiQO8Dywb3dvLENXMY49rP9GFEufhDBVJNzKll9kQ0zjgJDKx4bqOT0tnNzwNJgZXDBrMCHMJZQ6LzKJwQPm3RDaGDG4c94VTV7EE1Nkp2eP4fEbZMQCD8/s1600/closeup+public+toilet+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsCXUKRbmXt5ltnN-jQqzxZiQO8Dywb3dvLENXMY49rP9GFEufhDBVJNzKll9kQ0zjgJDKx4bqOT0tnNzwNJgZXDBrMCHMJZQ6LzKJwQPm3RDaGDG4c94VTV7EE1Nkp2eP4fEbZMQCD8/s640/closeup+public+toilet+2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Public toilet 2: <br />
<br />
Two cab drivers and the municipality employee sat under the tree next to it. They were excited to talk to me. <br />
<br />
The cab driver said that he has to plan his day of work around passing in front of this toilet so he can use it. He says it’s nice to wash your hands after using the toilet, plus have some privacy and this is the only place that offers this. Otherwise you will have to find some corner which is just shameful. <br />
<br />
The man responsible for this toilet, X, complained that the municipality of Beirut decided to close the toilet on Sundays and holidays and so he isn’t paid for those days. What happens is that he is back on Monday and the area around the toilet is filled with pee and feces and because of the sun that dries it it is so hard to clean and leaves its marks! He is thinking of opening for free during these days as he says the sudden closure is a crime against humanity. "Imagine you are running towards a toilet and suddenly you find it closed! What can you do?!"<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jhrXxxj8pkHWiLhvDw8TsIdOtODFfJbEAIR3JehF14KAj47KcEjC40NcXLAgDWJkVyS5KOhtZ0eGmbWyURC_QOGSaO3gVUy7mTBuJ_VkeHFshTeottuLMYA2uqsiKTdwfYKBz374e6g/s1600/toilet2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jhrXxxj8pkHWiLhvDw8TsIdOtODFfJbEAIR3JehF14KAj47KcEjC40NcXLAgDWJkVyS5KOhtZ0eGmbWyURC_QOGSaO3gVUy7mTBuJ_VkeHFshTeottuLMYA2uqsiKTdwfYKBz374e6g/s640/toilet2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Public toilet 2 includes a room for municipality employee on the side plus a mens toilet, womens toilet and 2 urinals and washbasins</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
The municipality employee stated that the his toilet pod is used by about <span style="font-size: large;">10 people per hour during the week </span>that includes drivers that park to use the toilet as well as the Corniche visitors. During the weekends, and especially on <span style="font-size: large;">Sundays there are ques of people waiting with an average of 15 to 20 people per hour.</span> The toilets access is for free and is cleaned regularly (sometimes more than once a day) and opens from the early morning till mid-night with three shifts for the guards/ care-takers. <br />
<br />
The second cab driver said the municipality of Beirut after the war has had no regard to individuals that occupy the public sphere and these include people that drive from outside Beirut to work. He said he remembers that before the war he used to use the toilets under martyr square and a few others in the city. “They were bigger, better and more in quantity in each block. Now this toilet has one toilet for women, one for men and two urinals. The other one is mostly closed and unreliable and dirty and so I never try “ <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qDG6Ngl0emZr2cWCNEVqcWBcRtOBJCq0K1prBQrmPjkP0i-N8swEDzdEaMZZInkfM8jOvhzhgDG6TvyZv2tCt7OlNjUEW1rGZX5zVIT5qm2AHHSnRHkODN70REeArIBiAAGNZde5hjo/s1600/urinals+bathroom+A+bathroom+B.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qDG6Ngl0emZr2cWCNEVqcWBcRtOBJCq0K1prBQrmPjkP0i-N8swEDzdEaMZZInkfM8jOvhzhgDG6TvyZv2tCt7OlNjUEW1rGZX5zVIT5qm2AHHSnRHkODN70REeArIBiAAGNZde5hjo/s640/urinals+bathroom+A+bathroom+B.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toilet 1 versus Toilet 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Policy proposal <br />
<br />
Hamra has no public toilets! There is very little understanding of the value of toilets in the public realm and very little information about policies that govern it. Yet studies have shown that areas that have public toilets attract more shoppers and affect the economy positively. People can stay longer in the area. Public toilets may be seen by the municipality as costly yet this can easily be solved by designing their external walls as advertising spaces. <br />
<br />
Children, women, disabled people and elderly people feel the most anguish over the toilet drought. Many people are shy about cheekily using toilets in shops, restaurants, bars and pubs and feel forced to purchase something. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">UK activists have termed the inability to travel freely due to inaccessible toilets as the “bladders leash” which Beirut clearly suffers from. People need toilets and the lack of them is a sad reflection of our governments that do not regard its citizens with respect. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2UP9TTZCkSg64Aew3_j3xHy0SURPnnZVxshUTH6ZUxKdzX0IoA0t8QAPuy5KPCRlEq43BYpBkBHDxpzR6az1FmO9hIsbLOumQPgyjKDuhp5a3vq-PZKYFEAkq-YgLp8RCKkcuL0KC_Q/s1600/32b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2UP9TTZCkSg64Aew3_j3xHy0SURPnnZVxshUTH6ZUxKdzX0IoA0t8QAPuy5KPCRlEq43BYpBkBHDxpzR6az1FmO9hIsbLOumQPgyjKDuhp5a3vq-PZKYFEAkq-YgLp8RCKkcuL0KC_Q/s640/32b.jpg" width="588" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toilets may be placed in between buildings especially in areas where set backs are forced by the building law</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Local authorities need to be obliged by law to provide access to toilets for free in intervals that vary and target both pedestrians and drivers alike. One bathroom compartment every 500 meters should be a minimum where the streets and pavement space isn't large enough to install more. What do you think?<br />
<br />
I would like to thank Café Younes, Hamra in this case for my multiple emergency toilet visits.srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-38196240490161675512011-09-13T01:58:00.003+03:002011-10-16T11:57:57.576+03:00MIXED TENURE : "بناية الأشباح “ The Ghosts Building"<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Walking around Hamra today and seeing the new and under construction building stock I feel that we have already lost the social and economic heterogeneity in Hamra. Today the building stock is made up 220 to 350m2 net areas for each apartment. In addition each ‘high-end' apartment has its own core (elevator + staircase). The building law has set up through its formulas of allowable net and gross areas a homogeneous building stock for what used to be one of the most diverse areas in Beirut. <br />
</span><br />
<div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPzgxH0TpYCNRi0q5U8fj6-HuqcjP5ubNnCunhp4q_R13AT7m99I4eemCsjpQkFVcSWvemrait8zqzC4O2A_NYg5I2bn3VtJ8fgmP6yeCD-cFyqlFUy3h5RQCozVonqpIDNzNkr_qSDo/s1600/016fdgvdfsvg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPzgxH0TpYCNRi0q5U8fj6-HuqcjP5ubNnCunhp4q_R13AT7m99I4eemCsjpQkFVcSWvemrait8zqzC4O2A_NYg5I2bn3VtJ8fgmP6yeCD-cFyqlFUy3h5RQCozVonqpIDNzNkr_qSDo/s640/016fdgvdfsvg.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original image taken as part of a research project in AUB 2003 with BASTA</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<b>The flowing is a snapshot of a mixed tenure building in Beirut. </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">X star narrative:</span></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
X star is nicknamed "بناية الأشباح “ , the ghosts building". There is a rumor that the walls speak and talk about the fleeting partitions, gazes, and the eroticism of friction, movement, proximity, contact, suspicion, and an attempt at obliviousness.<br />
<br />
The three by three meter grid on the facade produced by the generic balconies and vertical concrete partitions entice the passer by with voyeuristic gazes from the semi transparent balcony doors. Different intensities of light, saturation of color, transparency, amount of laundry, and exhibited utilitarian objects, fragment the screen and hint at the invisible affairs of the separated partitions. The ephemeral is the myth of the building.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwx5yXceOWvShnAR_jZef-z16CFylSxVEVEGlJf25Ymf_gZcxEuMxA6thB2elzp_uhwtwtfXv07tPQcOvx2F1U1X9MupBh5TODZ1bYPSrD-yJSMnUlOnPAK4Z_QxfvQACKR7ue7ol-02w/s1600/prices.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwx5yXceOWvShnAR_jZef-z16CFylSxVEVEGlJf25Ymf_gZcxEuMxA6thB2elzp_uhwtwtfXv07tPQcOvx2F1U1X9MupBh5TODZ1bYPSrD-yJSMnUlOnPAK4Z_QxfvQACKR7ue7ol-02w/s640/prices.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It is illegal to rent a room for less than a month. Yet that can happen. Prices may range from hour, day, month</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Its assembly has been composed due to the economic, political, and contextual pressures of Ain Al Mressieh, which had introduced the diverse users in one space. The context allows the ability for different users to exist with close proximity to each other, while still maintaining the capacity to define themselves, and shape their routine and movement; not only in reaction to the 'other' but also in relation to their existing habits. This makes the assemblage unique. Proximity does not enforce contact; and the characters traits create specific perceptions of their spaces in which they move around and engulf or are engulfed by them. The building seems to house misplaced individuals, all with different backgrounds, that occupy the space on the margins of the center. Fragments of contradictions, produce within the building a set of momentary veins (relationships), pulsing with emotions and reactions intoxicated by the constant redefinition of the 'other'. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYqnW9hMIkgdCNuOExYC9kxWBR77YgrKUYfA2alUfs3Eau7Kb7lNkv1ucputArdN8X3KbpRzqtq0SLyqKis8QPlh_3L8DqQBPdSn5bi1H6ngddXaU-jy7EJvPtpN_po2TrS0oufD4mZg/s1600/sssssssssss.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYqnW9hMIkgdCNuOExYC9kxWBR77YgrKUYfA2alUfs3Eau7Kb7lNkv1ucputArdN8X3KbpRzqtq0SLyqKis8QPlh_3L8DqQBPdSn5bi1H6ngddXaU-jy7EJvPtpN_po2TrS0oufD4mZg/s640/sssssssssss.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original image taken as part of a research project in AUB 2003 with BASTA</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><span style="font-size: small;"> In between the structural grid and the endlessly repeated compartments, is a building, drunk by the life of its characters, creating architecture. <br />
<br />
In the romanticizing of the building that encompasses and defies boundaries and zones that separate user groups, I find myself having introduced my fascination and intrigue with the social relationships produced. This de-zoning of the space functions with user groups that discriminate against each other, but through a continuous negotiation of space, and fluidity of experiences, continue to live within the same building. <br />
<br />
Living within a city that used to allow this mix to occur, I find that the utilization of this phenomenon is a missed opportunity. At no point am I suggesting that this mix will enforce any type of relationship, but rather I do the opposite in highlighting my interest in how proximity will not impose connection. None the less I recognize that it injects the chance of an encounter. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMt4Y2rMxSug5NdOERVtprsa_seDJlrahNSVMW1jO265uz9CCiDzOZK6RP4kQqFffeZFFalNMaOBD9BBCWnrtrfsWNlu-xa6fLP8MRzaFblabhuzQkQ4j1gY_kzfkGEg24DvpbvaMSD44/s1600/017+b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMt4Y2rMxSug5NdOERVtprsa_seDJlrahNSVMW1jO265uz9CCiDzOZK6RP4kQqFffeZFFalNMaOBD9BBCWnrtrfsWNlu-xa6fLP8MRzaFblabhuzQkQ4j1gY_kzfkGEg24DvpbvaMSD44/s640/017+b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original image taken as part of a research project in AUB 2003 with BASTA</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><m:smallfrac m:val="off"><m:dispdef><m:lmargin m:val="0"><m:rmargin m:val="0"></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a><br />
THE CHARACTERS </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
As an architect who has appreciated the observation of mixed tenure in one building, while they all maintain their own lives, intersecting and disconnecting accordingly, I realize that planning policies and building law need to find a way to encourage mixed use and economy to occur.<br />
<br />
It is important to indulge with the documentation of such relationships introduced within the space of the building and to understand the building through their words. I will represent six occupants, that attempt to make home in a space they do not feel attached to.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">ALL THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVES ARE BASED ON INTERVIEWS HELD IN 2005 FOR MY UNPUBLISHED BARCH THESIS. ALL NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4C8F5_EOXzknzy6sJyAKsSJPO97RcVMSzbV_jZdSLuIjlUX3_WM4l3ytUBib-88kr_5hREa9hRT3lpv2Gz-HjoATy046accE04cSgYOdq1U3WB6yjU4S3XUzngi10fFWdXxuDLqiFktA/s1600/015fff.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4C8F5_EOXzknzy6sJyAKsSJPO97RcVMSzbV_jZdSLuIjlUX3_WM4l3ytUBib-88kr_5hREa9hRT3lpv2Gz-HjoATy046accE04cSgYOdq1U3WB6yjU4S3XUzngi10fFWdXxuDLqiFktA/s640/015fff.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original image taken as part of a research project in AUB 2003 with BASTA</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><span style="font-size: small;">H the Doorman<br />
<br />
The doorman, an illegal migrant worker from Egypt, called H, lives on the 1st floor of the building and has a small office in the entrance. H states that he is the man in power as he watches and questions everyone walking in and out of the building. He holds the keys to all the rooms, and will take you around. His job encompasses all legal work needed for the rental process, and if they don't exist, well, he smiles and invites you into his office. <br />
<br />
His working habits have been readjusted and formed according to the desires of his paying clients. "It is busy here at night and I need more control than during the day. Sometime I have my walks in the corridor at odd hours, like noon ... One needs to know how and where to position ones self, sometimes to show others that you are watching, and sometimes not to. Watching here can never be boring someone is always doing something."<br />
<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLa_jMQB9u8OVd2Te3vGIcPGAgZ0EaF6n1AtNAWrVHGaDCzrGvVJzc5LzIlNdPxL_fnJi2WMoR-kFWkPqfuSLtoT1OYR9KgS7ukBvrYgmO52KbLmQ7YqKWwEsPGoLdKhS_7V8yEqsr09A/s1600/gfdbgbdf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYIHFOBjs3JkylnvfZVS6-cBSL8saJw8OMSl7sqiNN7_86lFjGGrFAXMsqb59zkh2-NWcYvnWPYnssLhjdcrMYd1-2YRlM-ikpGZpxGzhpadKwM6Vof38oK18LP7PcTHYq_cPcyoC0hw/s1600/grfsg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYIHFOBjs3JkylnvfZVS6-cBSL8saJw8OMSl7sqiNN7_86lFjGGrFAXMsqb59zkh2-NWcYvnWPYnssLhjdcrMYd1-2YRlM-ikpGZpxGzhpadKwM6Vof38oK18LP7PcTHYq_cPcyoC0hw/s640/grfsg.jpg" width="560" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original image taken as part of a research project in AUB 2003 with BASTA</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">D the prostitute<br />
<br />
The single woman on the first floor, D, says she is a prostitute. There was no need to knock on the door as it was half open. You could peak in; the colors were so strong, that the second you reach the corridor, the enticement is so powerful, as if she invites the voyeur.<br />
<br />
She calls me in but I remain outside. She explains that I can look at her house and pick where I want to be seated. Her 5m by 5m apartment is divided into parts. The 1st part is where she entertains the visitors, and where I can choose to sit; the other space is a room divided from the entrance by a curtain with a bed. She entertains 'others' there. When she is bored she takes her walks, and causes some disorder or gets some work. <br />
<br />
"The building to me is just my room and the corridors are part of the street. I wouldn't mind if the others come and visit, but the women are scared for their husbands and kids". The wood piece at the door is to stop the kids from trying to sneak in, "what's forbidden is desired'" she says with a loud and vulgar laugh. "Look at him standing out waiting I have to pass by so many of these useless walls to get to my door.'</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">"</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; direction: ltr; line-height: 150%; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiSx13Cz44mSAkO4CMSAb-QhgXXRzdl8p6aZKCk2CuVJfvIa7APX3k0aIwKbkxpUMhDuJJq3_mK5dLIBHcd4fyIAKSe4sFSAflxvLUBVqMwypEFuL2A1s7VvfrywXoomQVw3cY6TQ44s/s1600/sdgs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiSx13Cz44mSAkO4CMSAb-QhgXXRzdl8p6aZKCk2CuVJfvIa7APX3k0aIwKbkxpUMhDuJJq3_mK5dLIBHcd4fyIAKSe4sFSAflxvLUBVqMwypEFuL2A1s7VvfrywXoomQVw3cY6TQ44s/s640/sdgs.jpg" width="532" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original image taken as part of a research project in AUB 2003 with BASTA</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
L the Migrant Family<br />
<br />
The family, a migrant Guanine/Philippine women, who is married to an Egyptian man, with two children, occupy a room within the building. She is reduced, because of her nationality, to clean households. She says her furnished apartment building corridors are no place for a family to be a part off, they have been ignored and they ignore.<br />
<br />
In a desperate attempt to belong somewhere L has turned her house into a shrine where the walls have disappeared behind religious symbols and signs. The house contains about two hundred statues of saints, in different sizes, some with traces of deterioration yet extremely clean.<br />
<br />
The walls of L and her family seem to be the only attachment they have managed to construct and she belongs between them. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQATqCHWynyvsqZ9_S1QQzvIkKWA-VC0EWXdQXgbwqv2NIScKgcrg1IjwYhs9DKaEKpe-rB5Aq_CTKajTrYQZaXFr0ft1qs8WmdCoB6wlR4Oa_w2GHC0osm1rs0IWDQ6ja6zIrbGSErXk/s1600/gfsdg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQATqCHWynyvsqZ9_S1QQzvIkKWA-VC0EWXdQXgbwqv2NIScKgcrg1IjwYhs9DKaEKpe-rB5Aq_CTKajTrYQZaXFr0ft1qs8WmdCoB6wlR4Oa_w2GHC0osm1rs0IWDQ6ja6zIrbGSErXk/s640/gfsdg.jpg" width="548" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original image taken as part of a research project in AUB 2003 with BASTA</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">P The pimp: <br />
<br />
The businessman’s room is nothing like the others. Newly painted and well designed, to accommodate a high income standard of furnishing partitions and objects. A color palette of strong red and seductive paintings makes the space suspicious. He sits with a sly smile, and this time H enters, and sits too. He says 'I live here because I love it; the greatest writers lived in slums. I had office in another building but it's easier to work from here. I help get some women living here money and I manage a few of the 'bars'. I am well located.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4g6osCGjcnZI5STQW2LLVBJ3DtQEFPXf8t-WKww8A_jIVYAZLdtJk1Ah8FIkTjRU6I03eyUE8bO_tBnZr3AG-lcdJfLlkyvTN9eeaUVBjpEAO7M7mw17gzc0QpggmfrO1QmAFTCHxths/s1600/r533.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4g6osCGjcnZI5STQW2LLVBJ3DtQEFPXf8t-WKww8A_jIVYAZLdtJk1Ah8FIkTjRU6I03eyUE8bO_tBnZr3AG-lcdJfLlkyvTN9eeaUVBjpEAO7M7mw17gzc0QpggmfrO1QmAFTCHxths/s640/r533.jpg" width="572" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original image taken as part of a research project in AUB 2003 with BASTA</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody> </table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiSx13Cz44mSAkO4CMSAb-QhgXXRzdl8p6aZKCk2CuVJfvIa7APX3k0aIwKbkxpUMhDuJJq3_mK5dLIBHcd4fyIAKSe4sFSAflxvLUBVqMwypEFuL2A1s7VvfrywXoomQVw3cY6TQ44s/s1600/sdgs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
W the owner/ alcoholic<br />
<br />
Mr. W is the owner's brother. He occupies the last floor. He moves from the corridor to his bed. He is an alcoholic and everyone says that he was married to Miss France. When she dumped him he became depressed and nearly drinks himself to death everyday.</span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
"He is helpless on the last floor it's like he is imprisoned up there. He might be trying to escape. Sometimes we see really well dressed men come to visit…he was a big shot."<br />
Nobody lives on the last floor…no one will rent a room up there he occupies the circulation space.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiSx13Cz44mSAkO4CMSAb-QhgXXRzdl8p6aZKCk2CuVJfvIa7APX3k0aIwKbkxpUMhDuJJq3_mK5dLIBHcd4fyIAKSe4sFSAflxvLUBVqMwypEFuL2A1s7VvfrywXoomQVw3cY6TQ44s/s1600/sdgs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNGqfSgTrXvigr9FbOX-Ok-sVmvZjIanMO6TQSAj0lDl8-lXLbzeuUF66jL-B4ZYWQzr30Omc6UNcbE5D-ZuP5hisNzN0w7NYsWyph3mvgiRwwex99sinf7ioayqxRaOSYWa5WNBSFtU/s1600/JPG033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNGqfSgTrXvigr9FbOX-Ok-sVmvZjIanMO6TQSAj0lDl8-lXLbzeuUF66jL-B4ZYWQzr30Omc6UNcbE5D-ZuP5hisNzN0w7NYsWyph3mvgiRwwex99sinf7ioayqxRaOSYWa5WNBSFtU/s640/JPG033.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original image taken as part of a research project in AUB 2003 with BAST<span style="font-size: small;">A</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
The Transient: rents for an hour or day <br />
<br />
H, the doorman says, "These are the rooms we rent for a short period of time. We are not allowed to rent the rooms for a period less than a month by law…. Each of the people in control in the building and area have their clients and connections…sometimes we rent for less….we provide bed, bed sheet closet soap and a towel.....the empty rooms are located on specific floors… you know people coming in for short periods of time do not connect with the building. they make a lot of noise and since they will not live here they don't care about the neighbors…sometimes in a hurry they don't close the doors! We've had some problems."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Questioning the case:</span><br />
<br />
<br />
The building houses their lives and its de-zoning and large corridors allow and encourage them to continuously negotiate with each other, recognize each other yet not necessarily accept each other. Relationships are made not all necessarily healthy yet full of potential .</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Research has highlighted several benefits to mixed tenure that results in such buildings. The benefits include changing the perception and image of an area, changing the approach to the quality of access to services and avoiding postcode discrimination. In addition there is this assumption that the mix will add potential for networking and employment opportunities.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Yet can we enforce such mixed tenure?</span><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The purposefully planned:<br />
<br />
The notions of engineered society exist if mixed tenure is to be adopted as a policy. Yet, the policy does increase the frequency in contact which can facilitate interaction and the building of relations and social support between people from different income groups. It also blurs the “us and them” conception. Shared public spaces and the need to maintain them, plus neighborhood problems might require building groups to meet. This requires the use of shared gardens stairways and car parks to provide this contact and promote interaction. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Is there more tolerance to social difference due to tenure mix? </span><br />
<br />
The observations readings and research including site visits to varying neighborhoods in London, were this policy is adopted, made it clear that ‘social mix’ may reproduce the social exclusivity, deprivation and discrimination due to the geographic proximity of extremes. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
It seems that the situation on the ground is very unclear and contradictory to the aims of the provision of affordable housing through social mix in the case of London. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Imagine Mixed Tenure in Beirut </span><br />
<br />
Imagine how these ideals could have played in the space of very exclusive neighborhoods through the reconstruction process in Beirut?<br />
<br />
As a result, within the city of Beirut social mix might require more than just the mix of tenure and income groups which partially already exists. According to graham Hindes (2008,southwark London walk), chief executive of Octavia housing and Care in the UK, different family make-ups have been purposefully mixed in housing compounds to avoid a building filled with kids or single mothers ! <br />
<br />
In this case of Beirut that would then mean policies that would encourage mixed religious or political affiliations?! <br />
<br />
Could this policy become operational on other identifiable characteristics besides income group or will we end up engineering another exclusionary society? <span style="font-size: large;">Is dividing people 'alike' strengthening or weakening them?</span> The thought is scary ...<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Do you think we should encourage a mixed tenure policy for Beirut based on income?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">References </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
The research on the building is part of my undergraduate thesis in fulfillment of my BArch<br />
<br />
Photos of building are by a group of students which I was a part of named BASTA unless otherwise indicated <br />
<br />
<br />
Atkinson, R. and Kintrea, K. 2000. ‘Owner occupation, social mix and neighbourhood impacts’, Policy and Politics, 28(1), pp93-108.<br />
<br />
DETR. 1999. Towards an urban renaissance: final report of the Urban Task Force, chaired by Lord Rogers of Riverside. London: DETR.<br />
<br />
Grillo , 2005a, “Backlash against Diversity? Identity and Cultural Politics in European Cities”, Centre on Migration, Policy and Society Working Paper No. 14, University of Oxford Available: <a href="http://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/publications/Working%20papers/Ralph%20Grillo%20WP0514.pdf">www.compas.ox.ac.uk/publications/Working%20papers/Ralph%20Grillo%20WP0514.pdf</a> , (Last Accessed 01 December 2007).<br />
<br />
Grillo, R.D. (2005b). ‘Mixity and Contemporary European Cities’, pp. 183-204 of Callari Galli, M., Londei, D. and Fratta, A.S. (eds.) Il Meticciato Culturale:Luogo di Creazione, di Nuove Identità, o di Conflitto? Bologna<br />
<br />
Healey, P. (2003). [Editorial]. Planning Theory and Practice, 4(3), 245–247.<br />
<br />
Hislock, R. 2001. ‘Are mixed tenure estates likely to enhance the social capital of their residents?’, paper presented to the Housing Studies Association Conference Housing Imaginations, University of Cardiff, September.<br />
<br />
Holmans, A. 2005. Housing and Housing Policy in England 1975 – 2002. London: ODPM<br />
<br />
Livingston- Mayor of London, 2004a, The London Plan: Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London, greater London authority, London<br />
<br />
Livingston- Mayor of London, 2004b, A Summary Highlights from the Mayor’s Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London, greater London authority, London<br />
<br />
London Borough of Tower Hamlets , 2006a, Engaging with diverse communities in Tower Hamlets, London<br />
<br />
LSE (London school of economics) 2007, “ affordability and tenure” in LSE cities program studio 2007, John McAslan and Partners, lonodn<br />
<br />
Nagel c., 2000, ethnic conflict and urban redevelopment in downtown Beirut” in growth and change vol31 p211-234, http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/0017-4815.00126, last accesses feb 2008<br />
<br />
Norris, M., 2004. Developing, Designing and Managing Mixed Tenure Estates: Implementing Planning Gain Legislation in the Republic of Ireland, European Planning Studies 14:2<br />
<br />
Parekh, B., (2000), The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain, London: Profile Books.<br />
<br />
Portes, 1998, SOCIAL CAPITAL: Its Origins and Applications in Modern Sociology, Annual Review of Sociology Volume 24, 1-24, downloaded from ajournals.annualreiews.org by University College of London 11/29/07</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
Sandercock, Leonie (2004) 'Towards a Planning Imagination for the 21st Century', Journal of the American Planning Association, 70:2, 133 – 141<br />
<br />
Tunstall, R., 2003. Mixed Tenure Policyin the UK: Privatisation, Pluralism, or Euphemism? in Housing, Theory and Society 20:3</span><br />
<br />
</span> <br />
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" dir="RTL" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" dir="RTL" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span dir="LTR" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="RTL"><br />
</div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-52644716037160181172011-09-04T20:04:00.001+03:002011-10-16T12:00:24.706+03:00Vertical Towers of Green: Skyscrapers of Food in Beirut<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRzdO14BhNZUcyOrgQeu48OsZNNWsn2tfuxrlPAxxgf55H7LJgHq7R1hPXkSNXSnb7m1Tk1HWZE-EPI_eulFl3tpOWiJsUHfmmqkyxSBJ4il3eVSh18oUYL0p2X89IwRC69RWQeHFd9A/s1600/looking+up+nt+recent+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRzdO14BhNZUcyOrgQeu48OsZNNWsn2tfuxrlPAxxgf55H7LJgHq7R1hPXkSNXSnb7m1Tk1HWZE-EPI_eulFl3tpOWiJsUHfmmqkyxSBJ4il3eVSh18oUYL0p2X89IwRC69RWQeHFd9A/s640/looking+up+nt+recent+2.jpg" width="506" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">In July, a show in Lebanon aired on TV, “Kalam el-Nas” on LBC that informed and documented the state of our food production quality in its varying processes. It seems we water our fruits and vegetables with sewage directly among other major hygienic problems. An increase in the death of citizens due to food poisoning and an active Facebook page 'Food poisoning victims of Lebanon' keeps this topic alive. Without discussing the restaurant hygiene standards, controlling where and what we purchase of fresh food products, with the current population cost and temperature rise has become nearly impossible. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/UzYFrD6PQk4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe> Part of Kalam al Nas report</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">To add to the problem of our unhygienic food production a previous entry entitled “<a href="http://spatiallyjustenvironmentsbeirut.blogspot.com/2011/07/food-security-can-global-food.html"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Food Security: Can global food production be increased?</span></a>” indicated that Lebanon needs to increase food production by three times the total area of the country and therefore increase the currently existing agriculture land by about 5 times to be self sufficient. http://goo.gl/rCRV9. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5xazH152ZvY8ohDJVswWV_6Y7rqydgOVIq8zO3gZuiRLKHZ-8TY6XNP5Z_1oOjKllpIOFovJfMPK8BllnCzmJwV-Y6cY83DViWZM-YyDs6W2wEcXT-aAkDiLcJaVCbXuSzBq7UycdGw/s1600/pic+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5xazH152ZvY8ohDJVswWV_6Y7rqydgOVIq8zO3gZuiRLKHZ-8TY6XNP5Z_1oOjKllpIOFovJfMPK8BllnCzmJwV-Y6cY83DViWZM-YyDs6W2wEcXT-aAkDiLcJaVCbXuSzBq7UycdGw/s640/pic+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Moreover the Food Security indicators of Lebanon’s agriculture instead of increasing show a steady and clear decrease. Considering food is a basic human right for nutrition food security policies and plans need to take a forefront in our demands. Moreover healthy and clean food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods need to be affordable and accessible to all. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The need to tackle food security and sovereignty in all its aspects is clear, yet, what to do, how to act, what to propose to increase access to good quality food, seem less clear in the case of Lebanon. Vertical farming in this case, similar to the world, might be a viable option to help grow the food needed to support the growing population and provide the existing one with healthy clean food. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0Oq3rQoo8dHJ-JkoLQtZvZ-7Sgr1MuNMM4sc_BNBpoo76EiZdxq0Hgcvs0oHoKHQKjNEdsvxLuxiDis7FrwuaI9Eh5oBj-TcB7WsiRk3aCNFTKt_a5GIyLFyhxJFNA2XSRKSH5fjxtA/s1600/looking+up+nt+recent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0Oq3rQoo8dHJ-JkoLQtZvZ-7Sgr1MuNMM4sc_BNBpoo76EiZdxq0Hgcvs0oHoKHQKjNEdsvxLuxiDis7FrwuaI9Eh5oBj-TcB7WsiRk3aCNFTKt_a5GIyLFyhxJFNA2XSRKSH5fjxtA/s640/looking+up+nt+recent.jpg" width="504" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0Oq3rQoo8dHJ-JkoLQtZvZ-7Sgr1MuNMM4sc_BNBpoo76EiZdxq0Hgcvs0oHoKHQKjNEdsvxLuxiDis7FrwuaI9Eh5oBj-TcB7WsiRk3aCNFTKt_a5GIyLFyhxJFNA2XSRKSH5fjxtA/s1600/looking+up+nt+recent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The case of Beirut:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">If Beirut used all its public sites as sites where a network of vertical farms can proliferates several aspects will be covered. These my include </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;">1-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>No weather related crop failures </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;">2-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>Introduces urban agriculture in amounts that are relevant to the need of production.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;">3-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>Control quality of food production</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;">4-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>Public land tenure is secure and may be secured by a government decree</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;">5-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>Reduces the need for transportation of produce </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;">6-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> Control price of the raw food products as they are planted on government owned land</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoxJwmGuZLp0uAlVxSVniZ_BIsaJKbYhHwaXJuTkr2F_7JdXUwD8npNGsfPurB5UV1Uz9JhMywNRBMrytTN2GLMGjid8UFOuo92JiHuHmYuYm_LTiuLyIC5pA5WdrTa0aSI3Qgu1xZDM/s1600/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoxJwmGuZLp0uAlVxSVniZ_BIsaJKbYhHwaXJuTkr2F_7JdXUwD8npNGsfPurB5UV1Uz9JhMywNRBMrytTN2GLMGjid8UFOuo92JiHuHmYuYm_LTiuLyIC5pA5WdrTa0aSI3Qgu1xZDM/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0Oq3rQoo8dHJ-JkoLQtZvZ-7Sgr1MuNMM4sc_BNBpoo76EiZdxq0Hgcvs0oHoKHQKjNEdsvxLuxiDis7FrwuaI9Eh5oBj-TcB7WsiRk3aCNFTKt_a5GIyLFyhxJFNA2XSRKSH5fjxtA/s1600/looking+up+nt+recent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">These green towers act as food production multipliers. These are structures of trellises and platforms that are hung off of vertical cores, some enclosed in controlled environments and others are not. These stacked surfaces produce a new ecology. These multiplied vertical spaces are organized to take advantage of the progressive shading of the space by layers of vegetation and mesh. In this way varying ecosystems and weather conditions are created within the vertical farms. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ecg_qhG8rYcFAuSZvvCAsSLMuXvwZE1XXtbmCl86wwIhScvfhj7YXBmW1ACo2fGRFc3nm5VW9nxsmmc9Dr1RN5Csx73LvQn8WKVN6tBF78NYHVbvehGk4pZQeqCDzDKdUEcxfvDG1A4/s1600/up2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Ecg_qhG8rYcFAuSZvvCAsSLMuXvwZE1XXtbmCl86wwIhScvfhj7YXBmW1ACo2fGRFc3nm5VW9nxsmmc9Dr1RN5Csx73LvQn8WKVN6tBF78NYHVbvehGk4pZQeqCDzDKdUEcxfvDG1A4/s640/up2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Beirut will in this case increase its green space by 60% and start allowing access to healthy food to become more equitable if this is a long term government initiative and extensively reintroduce urban farming in Beirut. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-SKwjYA2NFSjaozHNsNUbixlGbdyfPQu_i0XRpymSZmyzJ1vRKOWEMsCj9n3hL7NFgijCS6lUwy8e90nZhFIx7k9nfCAiwQxI8hyphenhyphensm6X6jJdJHW3tXC79jqqjOZfD50DSGoqdxMYtMU/s1600/looking+up+nt+recent+2222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-SKwjYA2NFSjaozHNsNUbixlGbdyfPQu_i0XRpymSZmyzJ1vRKOWEMsCj9n3hL7NFgijCS6lUwy8e90nZhFIx7k9nfCAiwQxI8hyphenhyphensm6X6jJdJHW3tXC79jqqjOZfD50DSGoqdxMYtMU/s640/looking+up+nt+recent+2222.jpg" width="640" /></a></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Yet the cons of vertical farming are extensive and these include a large initial investment in planning and construction in a addition to a continuous energy cost to run these structures. Yet towers of green eruptions of vegetables and fruit in Beirut’s urban-scape, and a skyline of farmed skyscrapers make the images posted here seem even more exciting to me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvr30jq-MGjdaeu3G1frmx_Mo0H0qJylO8dEOlXuLdmGoWokulS2zhREprDvzgxzw3rFcaq1JBuakzXN7hzsgUPfSd0UDuOnogZf6T_N4syv1w483wC7O6Ry-dBvDWgIRHtu80tOakmQU/s1600/collages+green+line-Model.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvr30jq-MGjdaeu3G1frmx_Mo0H0qJylO8dEOlXuLdmGoWokulS2zhREprDvzgxzw3rFcaq1JBuakzXN7hzsgUPfSd0UDuOnogZf6T_N4syv1w483wC7O6Ry-dBvDWgIRHtu80tOakmQU/s640/collages+green+line-Model.jpg" width="640" /></a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">What do you think of skyscrapers of public farming spaces shared by the city in all our 'public' spaces? </span></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-88891971862025859662011-08-28T18:27:00.004+03:002011-10-16T12:04:25.109+03:00URBAN HERITAGE AND ITS POLITICS :THE GRAND THEATER in Beirut<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpwGVKQkIRhLBHWpooLK6MNFI5Df1GdkNTdyXnfmdQ8i7kqU_pnw7PSGKnCLUzbtgbhDMET01UKx9XiyeyiXm7DFehFipvl9e5l7tXDr_BWywai60EifEsqU3aHyFCT6ACEDWm4PTXg8/s1600/Le_Grand_Theatre01b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpwGVKQkIRhLBHWpooLK6MNFI5Df1GdkNTdyXnfmdQ8i7kqU_pnw7PSGKnCLUzbtgbhDMET01UKx9XiyeyiXm7DFehFipvl9e5l7tXDr_BWywai60EifEsqU3aHyFCT6ACEDWm4PTXg8/s640/Le_Grand_Theatre01b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Caroline Tabet of Theater of Beirut ground, mezzanine and first floor seating from stage </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Our insistence to remember the value of heritage and the built environment has impelled us to continue to question the reconstruction of the downtown area in Beirut. Recently images of the partial destruction of the grand theater in Beirut created a mass of rumors that resulted in nothing else but that. The recent demolition of a section of the Grand Theater complex was perceived by many as a prelude to the demolition of the entire building.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNmRHTphyphenhyphenEOPagk4bX3_mCCTeGsJKsOM_ZNBFP-P_yscYRkH3EeyEqwyp3WFWzCw2FbyOpPwMrvWdDIC0JXSXks-KF4CWKoXYZByCJjj093HnTLMkn_z2-I0OY8Q1e4dCKx_0lIJoKpw/s1600/HABIB+BATTAH+BACK+BUILDING+P1060942.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNmRHTphyphenhyphenEOPagk4bX3_mCCTeGsJKsOM_ZNBFP-P_yscYRkH3EeyEqwyp3WFWzCw2FbyOpPwMrvWdDIC0JXSXks-KF4CWKoXYZByCJjj093HnTLMkn_z2-I0OY8Q1e4dCKx_0lIJoKpw/s640/HABIB+BATTAH+BACK+BUILDING+P1060942.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Habib Battah of the back building on the same block as Grand Theater Beirut</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Solidere informed everyone that they are only removing parts that are not 'valuable', specifically the block attached to the theater, and will rebuild and so on. First let us establish that in such cases the government is accountable and not Solidere, a private company. Having said that I do not approve how and what the private company has established. Yet I think that we have over exhausted our rumors and need to publicly debate and critically evaluate heritage and reconstruction. Issues of ownership of heritage buildings need to be dealt with, and addressing questions such as :<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2G1iUR1XUh6UPxPdIYkazHoPnZ3q2459F7FjowLZlZ9N_KnxgFsMLnP1mX-lc7CUb_1jKorBvUuPBehOUprag9PhpWWVQTIHTcqr2co0_mWWA_bnjlvYPy3zukxZQ_WzgMC7yoaITlY/s1600/CAROLINE+TABET+Le_Grand_Theatre06b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2G1iUR1XUh6UPxPdIYkazHoPnZ3q2459F7FjowLZlZ9N_KnxgFsMLnP1mX-lc7CUb_1jKorBvUuPBehOUprag9PhpWWVQTIHTcqr2co0_mWWA_bnjlvYPy3zukxZQ_WzgMC7yoaITlY/s640/CAROLINE+TABET+Le_Grand_Theatre06b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Caroline Tabet of Theater of Beirut from mezzanine looking towards the stage</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Who heritage is for?<br />
Why and to whom is it significant ?<br />
How do we decide what to preserve?<br />
What and how do the tensions of global historic preservation agendas fostered by international donors affect the embeddedness of monuments in local historical and social contexts?<br />
How much do public initiatives play a role in urban heritage and preservation?<br />
How much of the recreation of the past in the present is a political act that we should avoid by integrating heritage preservation in the present and the future instead?<br />
Do we preserve a building spatial production and program or its facade as a poster?<br />
Do we preserve an urban quarter or just a building?<br />
Most importantly what are the implications of such decisions on local and national economies? <br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
We can start by discussing those questions so please feel free to comment and start the debate below.<br />
<br />
In the case of the Grand Theater I have decided to start an investigation and publish both plans, sections, photos and parts of a movie that tackle the grand theater in Beirut.<br />
Please find these below so that we can start discussing what and why and if the grand theater is valuable to us and understand how and what the grand Theater was and can be.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpwGVKQkIRhLBHWpooLK6MNFI5Df1GdkNTdyXnfmdQ8i7kqU_pnw7PSGKnCLUzbtgbhDMET01UKx9XiyeyiXm7DFehFipvl9e5l7tXDr_BWywai60EifEsqU3aHyFCT6ACEDWm4PTXg8/s1600/Le_Grand_Theatre01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/HwMrweEHXSU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/IAqgL55tvMQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/z648w8bLiKw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<br />
<br />
We can start by watching the 'Grand Theater: A Tale of Beirut' which is a 30 minute documentary film produced and directed by Omar Naim. The documentary actually has a very strong view about heritage and the importance of such structures as it examines the Lebanese civil war through the microcosm of the Grand Theater, a historic structure which found itself on the green line between East and West Beirut. It features interviews with various witnesses.<br />
<br />
APPRECIATING WHAT EXISTED:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii42g2gcFtdQUN-b9uY62QGpoTJD2Z0y2wAdwf0GEq563OobCClZapT63C8FOrJiXHjp52oYYcFfRrMn0nqr1lxL-VIroTFIfbsqxq2mndzZCEUwANHmQoA7MArDkSM886HGByqlk-RXo/s1600/2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2WKjWdX-sFS17r-aWnBOGEjLKkUGv87W6rKc0Kgnk2i3tqbKwP7LWerKu8tjmxQ5LKjyNJ6MS9gnxL5GRd0h0rziPFWM1hN5QaZob4uHZCYpBQXpstkdPB16WYD339QUKTCcv5SfoX0/s1600/img9832p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2WKjWdX-sFS17r-aWnBOGEjLKkUGv87W6rKc0Kgnk2i3tqbKwP7LWerKu8tjmxQ5LKjyNJ6MS9gnxL5GRd0h0rziPFWM1hN5QaZob4uHZCYpBQXpstkdPB16WYD339QUKTCcv5SfoX0/s640/img9832p.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the entrance of the grand theater source:unknown</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpt5m1pUtLuzx7I655BUoxIABVjeRw31h36cWkTCD5znwV2_Ka9AkA28EC5KdzIZws_ekmeZqmFKF5JUyD-ohvfvyLvVNYQH8bWr6YfpFVDUAlFULRfe2XHkvbBrlr82kn516Xg4POUA/s1600/int.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpt5m1pUtLuzx7I655BUoxIABVjeRw31h36cWkTCD5znwV2_Ka9AkA28EC5KdzIZws_ekmeZqmFKF5JUyD-ohvfvyLvVNYQH8bWr6YfpFVDUAlFULRfe2XHkvbBrlr82kn516Xg4POUA/s640/int.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from the mezzanine and the first floor looking at stage source:unknown</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKfel_7cdBL9P9TMuwfnf-KKb1at_fQCQrAv5ZWhJpbSWFrJxnUkjeDBM3x7vyUbESBRh49GKYKQ4Pi5O29yyH4wqcyo6aLcOYO1RIEieyOFaZUYqsfBsD7PjdCoVp0ur2WQPGAx9oh0/s1600/intd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKfel_7cdBL9P9TMuwfnf-KKb1at_fQCQrAv5ZWhJpbSWFrJxnUkjeDBM3x7vyUbESBRh49GKYKQ4Pi5O29yyH4wqcyo6aLcOYO1RIEieyOFaZUYqsfBsD7PjdCoVp0ur2WQPGAx9oh0/s640/intd.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shows mezzanine and floor 1 that has the projection room source:unknown</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table> Grand Theater is a building of historical significance to the city of Beirut. Built in the 1930's, it consisted of a hotel, shops and apartments in addition to the theater itself. The auditorium was a venue for performances of all kinds.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8hu2RE8Jj0c6EsTLtsZqzEX-0hW77niFbNZLfaAksmDvYtFu8R1Lja3WCtoQhV9GpIMcufcwzDnzxRy35BhnPrvUU-xku3O8d8FAklXu5PZmvgKKQNaf36IEtCzIsaCzGNnj79r2-iI/s1600/PICT0276.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8hu2RE8Jj0c6EsTLtsZqzEX-0hW77niFbNZLfaAksmDvYtFu8R1Lja3WCtoQhV9GpIMcufcwzDnzxRy35BhnPrvUU-xku3O8d8FAklXu5PZmvgKKQNaf36IEtCzIsaCzGNnj79r2-iI/s640/PICT0276.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Habib Battah of the arcades outlined by shops that lead you to the main entrance of the theater</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
The ground floor plans below, a result of a survey conducted post war, shows the two main entrances. One was to the theater and the other smaller lobby took you to the hotel/apartments. An arcade with shops also outline the street level of the building. It is clear that the building mixed public and more accessible programs successfully by providing multiple entrances. The first floor shows the private and public programs separated yet both functioning.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCGe00VCN28yOaCx7WUBSE1glvVQRChxck2zVCenKoRMWLWeRL8IEt2dP83fS0cUBZtwSL9dnzSNhQRdfBtn30Eru4K1hV0nts49Hu8uyjDSr9kD-Kek2RJJII5hwJIli0LtfviKFm18/s1600/gf+1+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCGe00VCN28yOaCx7WUBSE1glvVQRChxck2zVCenKoRMWLWeRL8IEt2dP83fS0cUBZtwSL9dnzSNhQRdfBtn30Eru4K1hV0nts49Hu8uyjDSr9kD-Kek2RJJII5hwJIli0LtfviKFm18/s640/gf+1+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
Below the surveyed plans show the second, third and fourth floor. Those floors only include the flyover the stage and the private hotel and apartment spaces. The ability for the centerpiece of the scheme - the original auditorium - to be employed for public use, while remaining integral to the hotel proposal should therefor be maintained in the future development of the Grand Theater building . This will ensure that the cultural significance of the building is not lost.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTeZ0RZwpmdCov_7HGxFWF-qPXXRWLpQKobhC25ZYKDlJeWS6Ofr1TH_14vyCJm8vtSg-x24lX-_XCINvExKjFhVY4iAAvoI5qL-9PSsMKLT52ClLUYEHg6gNAUnpbE3VQ2_UoFBYSbU/s1600/2ND+3RD+FLORTH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTeZ0RZwpmdCov_7HGxFWF-qPXXRWLpQKobhC25ZYKDlJeWS6Ofr1TH_14vyCJm8vtSg-x24lX-_XCINvExKjFhVY4iAAvoI5qL-9PSsMKLT52ClLUYEHg6gNAUnpbE3VQ2_UoFBYSbU/s640/2ND+3RD+FLORTH.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd 3rd and fourth floors showing the private parts of the theater</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7HjsKJleIlRFE80pYMVk0foMIAZ2_VXPfKYK-j12QWde-bZBSjPUUk_fjBHu7OEdqA0Y_qb7bHri5OK7RMbzcu9u0GkFzFArvjZ21DxxkvzPBPxcw5F_4t7FDLC6b8th2Sj8yegZrcE/s1600/SAA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7HjsKJleIlRFE80pYMVk0foMIAZ2_VXPfKYK-j12QWde-bZBSjPUUk_fjBHu7OEdqA0Y_qb7bHri5OK7RMbzcu9u0GkFzFArvjZ21DxxkvzPBPxcw5F_4t7FDLC6b8th2Sj8yegZrcE/s640/SAA.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">section AA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It is clear that the theater is small but not all theaters need to be large. There is no reason why this theater cannot continue to function if restored. Its acoustics which were historically notable might not be up to contemporary acoustic standards. Yet theaters built in the 1930s continue to exist and function around the world. Therefore acoustical solutions to upgrade the space are possible if required.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7zR3ZTuGzmymr-Rj10LkQ7WIQYggmzaQnHk3yt80RJMggqCJt2cOBMwQvOQsIMVdmJmiew5akBysSSeEFcchSs8qn_moUQA2cKCAzAzPaYfSTeEm94YQg06xDkTCKba_T2CapSkqt78/s1600/SAA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7zR3ZTuGzmymr-Rj10LkQ7WIQYggmzaQnHk3yt80RJMggqCJt2cOBMwQvOQsIMVdmJmiew5akBysSSeEFcchSs8qn_moUQA2cKCAzAzPaYfSTeEm94YQg06xDkTCKba_T2CapSkqt78/s640/SAA.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">section AA and section BB</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
My take on the Grand Theaters future:<br />
<br />
Until today, the economic value of urban cultural heritage is the predominant force in Beirut's preservation and reconstruction process. The socio-political and 'public' fabric of the city by contrast is undermined. This commercialized and globalized identity subordinates any other quality left in the urban fabric of Beirut and more specifically downtown.<br />
<br />
The Grand Theater building which is a mixed use building that includes apartments, hotel rooms, shops and the theater itself is an outstanding example of the cultural production of Beirut in the 1930s which should be preserved as such. I am not against adding a floor to the hotel space, enlarging shops, improving acoustics.... but I am against the theater space existing as a space within the hotel lobby. If such spatial relations, as access, are altered we would have destroyed the socio-political identity of this specific building. This buildings multiple program, user groups, income groups, and spatial moments, should not become a tourist attraction or a consumerist product but a source of inspiration for generations to interact in.<br />
<br />
What do you think? What of the building should be preserved?srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-14746193361155149802011-08-20T21:33:00.005+03:002012-04-21T13:08:07.581+03:00READY FOR THE RISE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDaHrjmFexOqZ9VHHPrLbmNTrzvOCgh78rwjUIU9-9MT7KJgGOxf1UmAeCEeclEGLwEkWkEbzRa-H0q4yGWxId9Q9T777HC7wVHemfSczLM1fPtOqMaDcpDVHTAhFBZ4tauT_iiOZNhQ/s1600/water+leb+coastline+maps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDaHrjmFexOqZ9VHHPrLbmNTrzvOCgh78rwjUIU9-9MT7KJgGOxf1UmAeCEeclEGLwEkWkEbzRa-H0q4yGWxId9Q9T777HC7wVHemfSczLM1fPtOqMaDcpDVHTAhFBZ4tauT_iiOZNhQ/s640/water+leb+coastline+maps.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">in1000 years a large part of Lebanon's coast will be under water </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The future of Lebanon’s coastal cities and their flood mitigation and sea rise plans are affected by two main things: </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">1-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>The constantly and drastically changing environment causing the rise in sea levels, increase in storms and their frequency, sinking landmasses and wild waves are all some results we are observing constantly among others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">2- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Planning disabilities that contain lack of funding, long time periods plans with no direct encouraging results, unclear understanding of issues and results, lack of management and communication between diverse stakeholders…</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">None of us today can forget the images of Hurricane Katrina or the recent tsunamis. Our coastlines are much denser today and are growing so the scale of disaster we will face is drastic. Yet avoiding such disasters even some of which will appear in as far as 1000 years may be managed in a positive manner starting today. (previous blog entry maps 1000 years water rise effect on Beirut. <a href="http://goo.gl/HXjWb">http://goo.gl/HXjWb</a>) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCsFgze5yOe0nQUJ4iRgF-KMvOk3KxxHsxLmux2IlZQyQ4xfAhTpxMuTsy0b2ZhSQO1DVhr_BR0rB3k7DGC2CjSSz4pIUM30e1HBASaiw3N-RJWbPeOEC-w9mORCDW6owHEcsGBIhs88/s1600/SECTION.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCsFgze5yOe0nQUJ4iRgF-KMvOk3KxxHsxLmux2IlZQyQ4xfAhTpxMuTsy0b2ZhSQO1DVhr_BR0rB3k7DGC2CjSSz4pIUM30e1HBASaiw3N-RJWbPeOEC-w9mORCDW6owHEcsGBIhs88/s640/SECTION.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Current condition of sea level in relation to Lebanon </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I will highlight several strategies to ‘overcome’ the reality of loosing coastal communities that are an intrinsic part of our histories, contribute to the economy, and are home to millions of residents . These strategies are long term plans and are sometimes used in fragments on some areas and are governed by funding and investors. To avoid the coastal areas drowning these strategies nee to be used on all the coast.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The main three strategies presented are</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">1-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>RESIGN: phased out abandonment of the coastal city area of Beirut </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">2-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>OVERPOWER: land reclamation to build habitable dam types </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">3-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>INTEGRATE: floating a city: new types of development</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjNc4NkoXXTC8bfDI9IFMDVmX2kw9QCZJE3FNezW1X2fLxdJFiM6lpEq78X4vZfOz04qFbqum0oHpRojWB7ruH8LGcxfHwVgqCDD7inBzu9ygRYJTa3IRajd7GkeOQYecZhBddP8nhv8/s1600/SECTIONWWW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjNc4NkoXXTC8bfDI9IFMDVmX2kw9QCZJE3FNezW1X2fLxdJFiM6lpEq78X4vZfOz04qFbqum0oHpRojWB7ruH8LGcxfHwVgqCDD7inBzu9ygRYJTa3IRajd7GkeOQYecZhBddP8nhv8/s640/SECTIONWWW.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in1000 years a large part of Beirut's coast will be under water that is if we do not get a tsunami before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">RESIGN: phased out abandonment </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcDiKxEWuW9v5qyDAzZlrNsG5HVZbAUGdUq8sbp_0Bb-3hRlTf6NKiY8Y0zRjnroW3UYkcjDkvrvEOQHIpHyGqR1HKfp_M0ODi21ucVWWBe6FUSaQ0eezioxD5lNTOONliEvTpz8TgA0/s1600/SECTIONmmm+better.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcDiKxEWuW9v5qyDAzZlrNsG5HVZbAUGdUq8sbp_0Bb-3hRlTf6NKiY8Y0zRjnroW3UYkcjDkvrvEOQHIpHyGqR1HKfp_M0ODi21ucVWWBe6FUSaQ0eezioxD5lNTOONliEvTpz8TgA0/s640/SECTIONmmm+better.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">To abandon a location and avoid a catastrophic future is to avoid a large human toll. It will mainly require housing and infrastructure to move to safer ground. This abandonment can be a managed process that allows the coastal area of Beirut to slowly transform into a public green zone that may help the environment and lesser sea rise. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoinJvMhAbaMSnYKRKFlvuNm57Bcy1URuz1dXCVCZnfC2IxfI9NCpKhLYWmU9cBGBvB_RUbFBJE8Iirhzne54_uoq5F72OZf8Cv_w7XjtEHAZYdkt6EKzMdJvpiNL9evSlYjraoMcsZU/s1600/SECTIONmmm+better+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoinJvMhAbaMSnYKRKFlvuNm57Bcy1URuz1dXCVCZnfC2IxfI9NCpKhLYWmU9cBGBvB_RUbFBJE8Iirhzne54_uoq5F72OZf8Cv_w7XjtEHAZYdkt6EKzMdJvpiNL9evSlYjraoMcsZU/s640/SECTIONmmm+better+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">relocating slowly + making this space a large forest may prevent floods and also create a threshold of public space </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This is a long term sustainable plan that will allow new investments not to be lost and will decrease investment in flood defense. Abandoning and allowing the sea to flood areas is a strategy that exists but has never occurred in dense cities yet. Its disadvantages such as loosing communities, land, infrastructure…are obvious. YET relocating slowly and making this space a large forest may prevent floods and also create a threshold of public space that Beirut needs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Overpower: Land reclamation is an act of overpowering nature. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">When we talk about land reclamation several examples come to mind, Dubai and even Beirut’s waterfront. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdThOlpKhQdFfQlRAnk40jEY9oCqDwUTKBZqQUKcux7wr7VBFP9mLSDY7mjxRM7grItwA9n13wAUj6vsjIyqHV75H-uk1iKLSeGYwlAXIw5vvE5i0dPcekoh_CZLm16yRDUqNW5rsXbjU/s1600/Evolution+of+Master+Plans.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdThOlpKhQdFfQlRAnk40jEY9oCqDwUTKBZqQUKcux7wr7VBFP9mLSDY7mjxRM7grItwA9n13wAUj6vsjIyqHV75H-uk1iKLSeGYwlAXIw5vvE5i0dPcekoh_CZLm16yRDUqNW5rsXbjU/s640/Evolution+of+Master+Plans.gif" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">BEIRUT'S LAND RECLAMATION PLANS POST WAR </span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Land reclamation works in the opposite way as abandonment and consists of actually building another coastline. By choosing this strategy, the existing built infrastructure of the city’s coastline is protected from floods and does not need to be relocated to higher ground or rebuilt after flooding. Flood defense is very expensive but is also a strategy that exists and has been used on different scales. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Considering how expensive such a strategy is for a city they can be designed in a way to make them economically or commercially viable spaces such as public tourist spaces. Such a strategy needs to exist on all the coastline and needs to be a minimum of 10 meters higher than the existing coastline.</span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLSOXkgkrJsvoOywwy8AAR_cOCv2FFBwCSgSUXMcZnvwTYZQvNV0nZxvKjT2nTjYZVIie3q-bI00RIvO_PhKZ_4vidGvd97zDUas9-aitKd_Jpo4wbezWe1EVdTJNty4KkuUnf8pAZLs/s1600/OVERPOWER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLSOXkgkrJsvoOywwy8AAR_cOCv2FFBwCSgSUXMcZnvwTYZQvNV0nZxvKjT2nTjYZVIie3q-bI00RIvO_PhKZ_4vidGvd97zDUas9-aitKd_Jpo4wbezWe1EVdTJNty4KkuUnf8pAZLs/s640/OVERPOWER.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Integrate: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0tYq7zEv-iYo7Csw5bIjLtsm9D7BklRXJV1Q3tO9yx9AacfHpbWa-qyycRtdgwAvQi6lEKTKXGYemFPFswQXY6QLAimHrVJIoKNBwAJLiQsrULJjIrMp_TvfaqYxHKMzWLyNyauVrtI/s1600/3b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0tYq7zEv-iYo7Csw5bIjLtsm9D7BklRXJV1Q3tO9yx9AacfHpbWa-qyycRtdgwAvQi6lEKTKXGYemFPFswQXY6QLAimHrVJIoKNBwAJLiQsrULJjIrMp_TvfaqYxHKMzWLyNyauVrtI/s640/3b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><em>“The ship is the heterotopia par excellence. In civilizations
without boats, dreams dry up, espionage takes the place of adventure,
and the police take the place of pirates.”</em> -Michel Foucault</i></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"> To integrate the coastal cities into the water has massive development potential to be gained both for water and the city. Overpowering by building dams, even the livable ones suggested in strategy 2, does among other disadvantages damage the coastal habitats. Integrating will allow sprawl into the water instead of what is left from the countryside.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaLK_BZMCAPnH4vQVXNc-HnlUPaIvHV5HLXTPT7XOZMqKxLnUkOch3ik1sXE5SO8ph3LNFGxTwY44zJXccdUsTiRVYli1UVBGow8yvbpdvjq2HRopqTTnXelOipl3ieHx8Tw3MzxRTug/s1600/3bbbbbb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaLK_BZMCAPnH4vQVXNc-HnlUPaIvHV5HLXTPT7XOZMqKxLnUkOch3ik1sXE5SO8ph3LNFGxTwY44zJXccdUsTiRVYli1UVBGow8yvbpdvjq2HRopqTTnXelOipl3ieHx8Tw3MzxRTug/s640/3bbbbbb2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">If our grounds are no longer safe why don’t we build on the more dynamic surfaces that exist?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">Floating cities docked in place can be a sustainable way to continue to enlarge and densify cities and may also become an new urban planning tool with a lot of potential. If our grounds are no longer safe why don’t we build on the more dynamic surfaces that exist? This strategy will not prevent our coastal cities from drowning but will through long term management and planning policy relocate all that live in such spaces into new property. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-33275722157973259752011-08-14T23:40:00.003+03:002011-08-15T14:38:36.206+03:00LET IT RISE<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxQrQb4F9vzgRmmUGUy6pDDfeZiL8mLD3KFRGujda5g3xnZzf3_0DgiKyOz8ZH0xaPh2uNEAWOz5egk2i1gl_TjBSMyY0NPE9z6vW73bqpD7yKHCgTgvaoqW5ROMULPpBz1nd1C-deg8/s1600/Athanasius_Kircher%2527s_Atlantis.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxQrQb4F9vzgRmmUGUy6pDDfeZiL8mLD3KFRGujda5g3xnZzf3_0DgiKyOz8ZH0xaPh2uNEAWOz5egk2i1gl_TjBSMyY0NPE9z6vW73bqpD7yKHCgTgvaoqW5ROMULPpBz1nd1C-deg8/s640/Athanasius_Kircher%2527s_Atlantis.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ATLANTIS source http://atlantis.haktanir.org/ch3.html</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pL-8tlmzvo7CJqVhBc2SmzB5EMfJPipUgVsAu0j75rno2GujMy871IoUNA-WeN-3PxyMCDAG0umoWAWlbwofDGB0mhN6XWu-F3dLESJG8XtmHedoNx5mcVFXjKddeWHjEPr8r_SpNAQ/s1600/MS+Axis++3parts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></span></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The idea of inhabiting the planets oceans and seas is a fascinating one that has been dealt with by designers and philosophers for centuries. Noah’s Ark, Atlantis, and most recently movies such as Water world have all dealt with inhabiting the water . Today land reclamation, dam habitations, and floating structures exist but remain underplayed in the urban planning and development strategies of flood mitigation in coastal cities. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZms0xXxTDWckRzbqpOPJkYAl1pHiIST0mO6V4AH3FEnmRsdN8q2tPCIqKx__PzWPwPw7HvepBfJZsRzzASqTRqRgSdVNJBIFWWWER4boleGe0n8yDfwcPIKnE0sPpGjE0JIYL_fxx0zw/s1600/200103_med_level2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZms0xXxTDWckRzbqpOPJkYAl1pHiIST0mO6V4AH3FEnmRsdN8q2tPCIqKx__PzWPwPw7HvepBfJZsRzzASqTRqRgSdVNJBIFWWWER4boleGe0n8yDfwcPIKnE0sPpGjE0JIYL_fxx0zw/s640/200103_med_level2.gif" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Mediterranean sea will rise between 10mm to 20mm/ year on the coast of Lebanon in its best case scenario! </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Yet flood mitigation and utopic dreams of inhabiting the waters might become a must with the continuous rise of the sea levels. Strong evidence shows that global sea level will rise at an increased rate due to thermal expansion of ocean water and of the melting of land ice. Bindoff et al. (2007) states that Global sea level has been rising at a rate of 1.7mm/yr during the 20th century, and increased to a rate of 3mm/yr since. Specifically, the Mediterranean Sea, during the 21st century, is expected to become saltier and rise drastically (Marcos and Tsimplis 2008). The map above shows a rise around the coast of Lebanon of about 10mm/year! This will imply that if we do not start dealing with the sea level rise a large part of Beirut will become under water by the next millennium. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBqlZTERRmTfyWk8CI854DoW9lWOnhd0CtGSQQO6H4gqm0jns6JyjdfZP4OJipVL6LGF91sBWMdT_biZCz_grkvD49crtLezg09dlsR9w0TGlApQ4al16adB4W4oapfmNAtZU8rdGr9k/s1600/2+water+levels+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBqlZTERRmTfyWk8CI854DoW9lWOnhd0CtGSQQO6H4gqm0jns6JyjdfZP4OJipVL6LGF91sBWMdT_biZCz_grkvD49crtLezg09dlsR9w0TGlApQ4al16adB4W4oapfmNAtZU8rdGr9k/s640/2+water+levels+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beirut coast line today Beirut coast line in 1000 years </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAI6IBpG9Rdh4QlgtIO9wmkZdzYNAaSX6zYDsaNnbuKm_SVLi9JXh7WWn6HFnRygZfgZb8eJK0GtbM7nwM9YqatgPP1uGaN_GNLBPgSqm3Trhgl9Bop1WU_WJkis8KzHHwNWThoqIGvj0/s1600/water+levels+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The next few entries will address Beirut, a coastal city situated along the Eastern Mediterranean coast at 33.5°N and 35.5°E. Beirut's location and environmental condition sets it in the zone that will rise between 10 to 20mm/year in the best case scenario. To start understanding this rise and the effects a look at Beirut's topography is required. Mapping the rise of the Mediterranean on Beirut. regarding its topography displays the results. The results are shocking and yet we remain unaware of them. What can we do and how can we build and plan our cities for the centuries to come?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pL-8tlmzvo7CJqVhBc2SmzB5EMfJPipUgVsAu0j75rno2GujMy871IoUNA-WeN-3PxyMCDAG0umoWAWlbwofDGB0mhN6XWu-F3dLESJG8XtmHedoNx5mcVFXjKddeWHjEPr8r_SpNAQ/s1600/MS+Axis++3parts.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pL-8tlmzvo7CJqVhBc2SmzB5EMfJPipUgVsAu0j75rno2GujMy871IoUNA-WeN-3PxyMCDAG0umoWAWlbwofDGB0mhN6XWu-F3dLESJG8XtmHedoNx5mcVFXjKddeWHjEPr8r_SpNAQ/s640/MS+Axis++3parts.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Beirut in the next millenniums</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The reality of losing coastal communities that are an intrinsic part of our histories, contribute to the economy, and are home to millions of residents should awaken us. Moreover, this should encourage us to start thinking of the future of our cities .<span style="font-size: small;"> The following entries are designed to provoke longer term thinking across a wide audience: from architects to government, to policy-makers, to planners, engineers and the general public</span>. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">References</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Bindoff, N.L., J. Willebrand, V. Artale, A, Cazenave, J.M. Gregory, S. Gulev, K. Hanawa, C. Le Quéré, S. Levitus, Y. Nojiri, C.K. Shum, L.D. Talley, and A.S. Unnikrishnan. 2007. Observations: Oceanic Climate Change and Sea Level. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignor, and H.L. Miller, Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcos, M. and Tsimplis, M.N. 2008. Comparison of results of AOGCMs in the Mediterranean Sea during the 21st century. Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans, 113 (12), art. no. C12028.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-62049480871933084652011-08-10T22:46:00.004+03:002011-10-16T12:06:25.340+03:00Water privatization in Lebanon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlH2dNwLkcVdmoVOmJPJgB5Djev_UWjLmhHgMD4iYgnwbCzVzqUnN9cVCsLcvCsy5KngPij7HMlvgvyXWreGUqVWxIsKL3uicE05YMGLl7tvlUKn6ZZSer2lA8IUO9UNNdL_kfgiSqv_M/s1600/Untitled-211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr style="color: black;"><td style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIQLM9lJf395Ls3fE2bNGDA7xsuLvQBf-s0mXE3ZC6pMK19P8J0gnzhjGVrUHlsotoqReYutrsOpPdHU6qeIEe67MLS3BRINxFm9l59FaNSetoItMC1PvIhIbHMbUZG1bKpJpBl9AXOg/s1600/beirut+rivers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIQLM9lJf395Ls3fE2bNGDA7xsuLvQBf-s0mXE3ZC6pMK19P8J0gnzhjGVrUHlsotoqReYutrsOpPdHU6qeIEe67MLS3BRINxFm9l59FaNSetoItMC1PvIhIbHMbUZG1bKpJpBl9AXOg/s640/beirut+rivers.jpg" width="478" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mapping Lebanese Rivers</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Wc6afkM08DfTiqJVVMve-ErJweRwO0_s-fxf8tw6LIpi2xZTKPrFiE-B70FzruZ7oTAt7k_RhL5uDjzja75hvbL5LewyhP2-KzGY_y6MzdnGiXLmQ_ZsDFHzJiOFH7KvNiBbL_0AUgI/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></a></span></td></tr>
<tr align="left" style="color: black;"><td class="tr-caption"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Water privatization touches on many intriguing and conflictual debates such as public versus economic good, monopolies, human rights and government failures in provision of services. The lists of incentives or the lack of them for the market to provide for the low income areas are obvious.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> If I were to debate this issue in theory, I would definitely agree on the dangers of turning a public need into an economic good controlled by efficient yet financially guided partners.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">However, in the midst of a continuous debate in Lebanon about water and electricity privatization I found my position less definite</span></span></div></td><td class="tr-caption"></td><td class="tr-caption"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlH2dNwLkcVdmoVOmJPJgB5Djev_UWjLmhHgMD4iYgnwbCzVzqUnN9cVCsLcvCsy5KngPij7HMlvgvyXWreGUqVWxIsKL3uicE05YMGLl7tvlUKn6ZZSer2lA8IUO9UNNdL_kfgiSqv_M/s1600/Untitled-211.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlH2dNwLkcVdmoVOmJPJgB5Djev_UWjLmhHgMD4iYgnwbCzVzqUnN9cVCsLcvCsy5KngPij7HMlvgvyXWreGUqVWxIsKL3uicE05YMGLl7tvlUKn6ZZSer2lA8IUO9UNNdL_kfgiSqv_M/s640/Untitled-211.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Demonstrators burn tires to block roads in south Beirut, which have suffered extensive electricity and water cuts. (Hugh Macleod/<a href="http://www.irinnews.org/" target="_blank"><span class="caps"><span class="caps">IRIN</span></span></a>) http://electronicintifada.net/content/politicized-power-cuts-behind-deadly-riots/7328</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> <a name='more'></a> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">This should show if anything how context and politics are intertwined with issues regarding infrastructure. In Beirut, ‘most’ homes are serviced with water and electricity. Yet the quality of this service is clearly below ‘average’ and expensive. Moreover, the government continuously declares a loss in these sectors. This is attributed to several causes and one of which is that a very powerful and militarized political party's supporters do not pay for these services. The government threatened by this party does not enforce any type of cuts in the services that is different from the paying citizen. It is important to note though that a large group of this political party is low income yet a large number of low-income residents that are not supporters of this party have to pay for receiving the services. Is it fair that they suffer the burdens? In such a context, will privatization increase the problem of access and affordability or make it more equitable? </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">I find myself unable to answer this question yet I can highlight the polarization a private company creates. Yet I feel like I need to add that public private partnerships with subsidies provided for all low income residents by the national government regardless of political affiliations seems like the most equitable recommendation. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">What do you think?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mgWBTFoIRi31uaLitbfO2iUmve9cR3hVrkgN3fpwwqMbg8451ecXMounIT7r0xxpD13jpX9C1ZFH_AOMm1VndeHaPvtbWaksSRkImNQZ9Ep7j1i-qfoaztpj0T5H8YWY1amjWyxH4zk/s1600/Untitled11-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mgWBTFoIRi31uaLitbfO2iUmve9cR3hVrkgN3fpwwqMbg8451ecXMounIT7r0xxpD13jpX9C1ZFH_AOMm1VndeHaPvtbWaksSRkImNQZ9Ep7j1i-qfoaztpj0T5H8YWY1amjWyxH4zk/s640/Untitled11-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nahr Damour (river Damour) at the bottom of the Chouf Valley, as it flows through Jisr el Qadi, Lebanon <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Peripitus" title="User:Peripitus">Peripitus</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif";"></span> <u></u>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-71583844366512206582011-08-06T15:14:00.002+03:002011-08-06T15:30:09.092+03:00AIR-scape urbanism: Building Green 'Infrastructure'<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HjgynK1I6_ohpBMKiZBF0melBk39TpqOAT72KuDW-AsuVGnBC-1E49v9jH9rGsLwnwUOkZrKQx0UNFTAj6QzNw_F-2SEAAWc8usPYuConq7GwYOI4jkn-S0V2dTcH-gY9fCeR2LQco4/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">In a previous blog entry ' Beirut is Ill' </span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">http://goo.gl/M33Bm</span> we established that for Beirut to become a healthy city and achieve the 10m2/person of public green space required by the World Health Organization it will have to destroy 41% of the existing city!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">This is because The World Health Organization has established indicators for what makes a city healthy and it ultimately arrives at a statistic of 10 meter square of public green-space per person and 40 meter square of private green space per person. For more details about <span style="background-color: white;">Beirut's numbers and how it compares to other cities please refer to blog entry 'Beirut is ill' </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">http://goo.gl/M33Bm</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">. </span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rhcoPzMJmvaM0HmFGGAKA2QSjZ4YPr-L6DJO4IQ9b84v5rz_vu38MtB8AheZ77Y9wurAdxRT0uinPW_dQErAiX7-pOSqHe8fsi68snSFwT8vqwTPpW45hHhR2Nq-RWcPuFyof2x65KI/s1600/b1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rhcoPzMJmvaM0HmFGGAKA2QSjZ4YPr-L6DJO4IQ9b84v5rz_vu38MtB8AheZ77Y9wurAdxRT0uinPW_dQErAiX7-pOSqHe8fsi68snSFwT8vqwTPpW45hHhR2Nq-RWcPuFyof2x65KI/s640/b1.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Cities across the world are trying to meet these criteria in order to be included in the network of healthy cities. But these criteria ultimately reflect the European cities that they are drawn from, which were planned and designed after the Renaissance. </span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">Moreover, t<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">he assumption that green space must accumulate into large-scale spaces in order to optimize public usage reflects a western stereotype of space utilization.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPQsmS8XE7gQkd5HKqKhyphenhyphenNNCSsagYNO4iX7eLDB7NHVnAumSSzptSY8xjC7YPSSXI_hTysveCLtY0cyxQz-_G2-Hv4SDaFtyIC-zZEcZWoIpy_vhW-DIJVkgFg11NPTncrtjqv26jkRc/s1600/demolish+or+grow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPQsmS8XE7gQkd5HKqKhyphenhyphenNNCSsagYNO4iX7eLDB7NHVnAumSSzptSY8xjC7YPSSXI_hTysveCLtY0cyxQz-_G2-Hv4SDaFtyIC-zZEcZWoIpy_vhW-DIJVkgFg11NPTncrtjqv26jkRc/s640/demolish+or+grow.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Cities where public green spaces were not designed in adequate amounts need to address and challenge the possibilities of inserting public green space. In the case of Beirut we need to dream BIG. Do we destroy or build for green?</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0pt 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt;">Instead of </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt;">demolishing, I</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Propose to </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt;">grow </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt;">and proliferate a green space from within the city. It accepts the density of Beirut and exacerbates it. It creates a new dimension of urban experience—airscape—which comes not from the clearing of history but from a new encounter with it. This productive green space is proposed as Beirut‘s </span><u><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt;">second reconstruction</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt;">, a productive stage for the city to improve its public </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt;">health</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt;">.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Green infrastructure DESIGN STRATEGY:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> <b>Air rights are appropriated over the whole city.</b></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1-DLuMSlDz60IM2vLkJONwi5eXx7UuGe7ea2kwkSfbYK8tIJGEdoc51owarUZqGwN2iXNcRkZah6UgZfOr6rsxpd8dYtykHGTv8AnLzW9HvBCItQAAqVzIffP_-zPXMJXx__0PdhBBg/s1600/up1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1-DLuMSlDz60IM2vLkJONwi5eXx7UuGe7ea2kwkSfbYK8tIJGEdoc51owarUZqGwN2iXNcRkZah6UgZfOr6rsxpd8dYtykHGTv8AnLzW9HvBCItQAAqVzIffP_-zPXMJXx__0PdhBBg/s640/up1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Public building and sites Roofs</span></b></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwjZz75JXNlz2vYntEGIrt9TzzOitsT_rh7C-KwnyLToLZqcrrqlZ43l_6igbTj96v7eSlQ2vovjqPbTi8IUu8lcORHwsTB-CMBnugZdrlakBcGnwrFBOPKdmh6nqYqWgr1Qwq3AIhT4/s1600/BeirutMunicipality++roof+collage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwjZz75JXNlz2vYntEGIrt9TzzOitsT_rh7C-KwnyLToLZqcrrqlZ43l_6igbTj96v7eSlQ2vovjqPbTi8IUu8lcORHwsTB-CMBnugZdrlakBcGnwrFBOPKdmh6nqYqWgr1Qwq3AIhT4/s640/BeirutMunicipality++roof+collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Roofs of public & semi-public buildings are occupied for public roof gardens with side access. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">All public spaces in the city are also appropriated, including public sites (such as archaeological sites), public gardens (such as the three parks I showed earlier) and public buildings (such as mosques and churches). </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU70rw8Edlhcn4MRCFkweU29hvAGebGCdJzmgs892AhtsTgAvefBlvH_SGU3iq0GyH-AHOEsyWK6jtFrf3SVKgafMLUoXKPnVY5pu7Ktm_LXzIvats-WCfUwIKBAyRFPB7ws0CuYPa6XE/s1600/DSCF1107+elevator+shot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU70rw8Edlhcn4MRCFkweU29hvAGebGCdJzmgs892AhtsTgAvefBlvH_SGU3iq0GyH-AHOEsyWK6jtFrf3SVKgafMLUoXKPnVY5pu7Ktm_LXzIvats-WCfUwIKBAyRFPB7ws0CuYPa6XE/s640/DSCF1107+elevator+shot.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">vertical links to public green roofs</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> </span><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></span> </div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCf5gsSFtp9C51ODkKVl6rOQd2CYD-miA0xvPVivkThfpGj18_AEIVvOqusagFHx3MAn5waYdtOqFdZ6rgSIfHLo10Emm-L3ojBLN0Ad3IN6TPMQLVzvWymlfzVVGlOpioPiZN5D3cdKQ/s1600/up3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCf5gsSFtp9C51ODkKVl6rOQd2CYD-miA0xvPVivkThfpGj18_AEIVvOqusagFHx3MAn5waYdtOqFdZ6rgSIfHLo10Emm-L3ojBLN0Ad3IN6TPMQLVzvWymlfzVVGlOpioPiZN5D3cdKQ/s640/up3.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b> </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Distribute</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b> </b></span></span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></b></span> <br />
<div style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0pt 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">This will create</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline;"> dispersed green rooftops that will not amount for more than a 0.5% increase in public green space. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline;">Therefor</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline;"> a green pedestrian network that connects them giving each neighborhood a pocket garden is encouraged. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">There will have to be a vertical connection to the network every 250 meters.</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">These </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">dispersed greens establish a datum over the city which traverses its political divisions. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXGLSz6Ev973jCJDDtYtP4yzdEpCOKRydAFd5ozQR40mMTGlYdsGkmwZueF7Eg8ZlSBGWmw-Hbu_Lt6MmDS1nOMxFlkN6-eutLKXfZNEsdZkZt-g6a1PGv33ntKIwL5OghKgW43OvPGE/s1600/lines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXGLSz6Ev973jCJDDtYtP4yzdEpCOKRydAFd5ozQR40mMTGlYdsGkmwZueF7Eg8ZlSBGWmw-Hbu_Lt6MmDS1nOMxFlkN6-eutLKXfZNEsdZkZt-g6a1PGv33ntKIwL5OghKgW43OvPGE/s640/lines.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Re-frame and Connect</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">This decline of traditional public park space is also opportunity for the rise of a new kind of green space—a productive green space, rather than a contemplative one. The pathways are meant to be understood as a new and much needed infrastructure for the city that includes pedestrian pathways, </span><span style="font-size: small;"> bike lanes, pocket gardens, a possibility of an air train and most importantly a productive green space from which the neighborhoods may partially feed themselves. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizANY2d4YXisQRmkamqq6AmECGTiFnR0k5TS-09jxd8RQusyD6McngoMSpkeHV9CO5uyACKQ1pBG1YH7GDOJVzsuMFOkxD9_Xq1UjpIl2VnNc9GQl1vkMB1V5Ix6HfgE50ilw4JP7AU7A/s1600/dispersed+greens.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKU1yyyKjQ7NdFR_J1cf5anzPBM32hXeGwJIxVfecEseT2uCf9pMpJl3XOOu663ozWImoPZR1b_aLU4G21fFzIrDFmCZbxcc_jyUsrzO_Nr751Q0B-snMRDLI4-peveQ64_ygYIevbII/s1600/AIRSCAPE+URBANISM-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKU1yyyKjQ7NdFR_J1cf5anzPBM32hXeGwJIxVfecEseT2uCf9pMpJl3XOOu663ozWImoPZR1b_aLU4G21fFzIrDFmCZbxcc_jyUsrzO_Nr751Q0B-snMRDLI4-peveQ64_ygYIevbII/s640/AIRSCAPE+URBANISM-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcgmE7bHL0e09RF4nEDddoIsv_C4Mabe2n9Jza6vjzggd3mAPmqbzWc9oPLX1Y2YTw2KtiTtdPEQ4MHfY32N5hzk8fA1LHfZ2Q-q9BJ9X8L0XOMIJrybUs_DRF76fcTh3ir1_5xI-gLM/s1600/AIRSCAPE+URBANISM-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline;">varying </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">vegetation schemes in the city will generate and intensify a series of green surface experiences in the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">air creating </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">a mini eco-system and present the paradoxical notion that as diversity increases both in nature and society so might </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">cohesion. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Dreaming BIG about green infrastructure will result in large amounts of construction. Lets face it construction is not so green and so this will have to be a long term plan to move people up into a new type of transportation in the air (bike- air trains- pedestrian in green lines) . By 2050 people might give up their cars and move-up into this mode of transportation. This might also then allow us to plant the ground. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1WXrmPSqZ-n5t8sqhMJ307cYU6oggLsi8y2b2XNg83SyB8TpgETy0CWjeSvbCeL2ZmBrGSZYoyWo3FT2ofxaNJKM9JROA5lDZELmFJV2og5OM_YQHnnBzjsAxoQXVcyFY1tALr1Yblc/s1600/AIRSCAPE+URBANISM-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzDuRi99ffhAbpFA3UsJcFApqkZAylrLyNgzcWHf8zjgYHEcVJ3lqtHlrafwtkIefhi5JutSGoKo9hX1_9dOjmpiNXCKbGJQ_TQqsi7lugRswzPJtxuy-YsnxQgF6En_6Ebgn1V7PnV8/s1600/ba+AIRSCAPE+URBANISM-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzDuRi99ffhAbpFA3UsJcFApqkZAylrLyNgzcWHf8zjgYHEcVJ3lqtHlrafwtkIefhi5JutSGoKo9hX1_9dOjmpiNXCKbGJQ_TQqsi7lugRswzPJtxuy-YsnxQgF6En_6Ebgn1V7PnV8/s640/ba+AIRSCAPE+URBANISM-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-66045472240590709402011-08-03T01:46:00.002+03:002011-10-16T17:06:21.695+03:00Martyr square<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcklLeaFH8nc1pY5btWEQzvbNlZxBwfLDEhMvHL5bzm4bat7x_su1NdB2QMs0T_AnqnAZwl-j52GC8ehX8uxmMOMqmYL-gubFCJDPgE8MVj7RtHH0mhx5EDE_JMHHqUK3W8Wjh0pdm08/s1600/martyr+square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcklLeaFH8nc1pY5btWEQzvbNlZxBwfLDEhMvHL5bzm4bat7x_su1NdB2QMs0T_AnqnAZwl-j52GC8ehX8uxmMOMqmYL-gubFCJDPgE8MVj7RtHH0mhx5EDE_JMHHqUK3W8Wjh0pdm08/s640/martyr+square.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Martyr square is a public square in downtown Beirut,Lebanon. Its history is the story of Lebanon, eventful and dramatic. The story of this square starts in the 1920s and today awaits in limbo.<br />
This entry will be a short photo-history of the square. The text will only be in caption form:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kKz_86ik6HgRAeTFSb2U-fioY-ZVggvivxrcWnMJSIbn4AmbawMpMR0c1Ud_u2L6TXrSt91ni8FJGyjlT5BZk66WqMtIroFr1Nii9RO6E9wLBhwJ6CkjUXMY2MNZLvUB30SuzrgqoTE/s1600/martyr+square1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kKz_86ik6HgRAeTFSb2U-fioY-ZVggvivxrcWnMJSIbn4AmbawMpMR0c1Ud_u2L6TXrSt91ni8FJGyjlT5BZk66WqMtIroFr1Nii9RO6E9wLBhwJ6CkjUXMY2MNZLvUB30SuzrgqoTE/s640/martyr+square1.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhG5g-aPkDlt66wEdc46CfXSeCeiUoNc6Uenfr5eoQ20kbMqpRui-i-WnTtIORlub-iHjZ8fcd6yxGw8HgVHNEYI6DgyCtA2TILKyfm1dPdyqyLAgv_OIpf8O5qbpXGHQwzFDVLgNy50/s1600/martyr+square2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hMt9LCDURHPn4VAfPprb5BF5S4PSAhg0IFmZSrqA-inwHo389SU7hinNTDO6sruwcKo2928LgBpoSw08Wmy8OQ2VjwRz-8gJ4riRj3bcRnmn4Giv9dNtMX2nn26ByyhT8H0v-lCdJAM/s1600/martyr+square3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hMt9LCDURHPn4VAfPprb5BF5S4PSAhg0IFmZSrqA-inwHo389SU7hinNTDO6sruwcKo2928LgBpoSw08Wmy8OQ2VjwRz-8gJ4riRj3bcRnmn4Giv9dNtMX2nn26ByyhT8H0v-lCdJAM/s640/martyr+square3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
During the Ottoman period, the square was known as Canon square. During the Ottoman rule, when world war 1 discriminatory practices against the locals took place a revolt occurred. This resulted with the square being used as an execution for Lebanese nationalists. After the ottoman period ended and due to the events that occurred in this square the name was changed into Martyr Square in the name of the nationalist martyrs. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-mpN6EjUUmKSyhdx5cxbDE4u0Id5mqmFNtRqxwi07gx3DxHTr7u1oMiAPBLr_CajIhJhqg46sgb6dl8JA1qyl6WpPKltSZT18-L6Dl0a_WZEF1g5w_RfYeixjW3muHiRqAG2ZuKLmKg/s1600/martyr+square4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-mpN6EjUUmKSyhdx5cxbDE4u0Id5mqmFNtRqxwi07gx3DxHTr7u1oMiAPBLr_CajIhJhqg46sgb6dl8JA1qyl6WpPKltSZT18-L6Dl0a_WZEF1g5w_RfYeixjW3muHiRqAG2ZuKLmKg/s640/martyr+square4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDp3bIglMrkGvAFAvW4UX4Gv2MTjWDGp0lLaqdO_2i41itCWWleh0dy2Re6g8nTQfutYPd_bmwhcKh7rnW6ZOq2zUxGlFvWKFsw3LxQ87JUSJqHverED8rzmAdpJSoNFDjGW_UWeBbu4/s1600/martyr+square5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDp3bIglMrkGvAFAvW4UX4Gv2MTjWDGp0lLaqdO_2i41itCWWleh0dy2Re6g8nTQfutYPd_bmwhcKh7rnW6ZOq2zUxGlFvWKFsw3LxQ87JUSJqHverED8rzmAdpJSoNFDjGW_UWeBbu4/s640/martyr+square5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Martyr square was always the center of the city, geographically, physically, socially and politically. In the 1970s when the social fabric of the city fell apart martyrs square got its fair share of hatred, bullets, and death. The green line divided the city of Beirut into east and west and passed through the square in a no mans land.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">. <img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFscnc9NCDeZSDuo5wbKH9Hcou8BJHPuMcDlGf86D179jsa0ddrsdSlZSqh12ldwWIR_pd38MyIe1uEijL2FvBC2aCal_xFclAmvhk1xSHppq9IDgFYGbzNydGZ3cEhOqX-RhZk1D5aA/s640/martyr+square6.jpg" width="640" /></div><br />
<br />
In the early 1990s when the war was finally over the surrounding buildings were razed to the floor to start a period of 'reconstruction' and amnesia.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6H2ezYrMCAijEEuF_G956QawW4ZHCORk5qmxEGBYo8HfHWuiOk9TpxRu2S7d4hIN9R3gjF3RW4nld0nauyVXH4JQlSzKGDSdiRHiD7h8QmACgJOvhaxLlLnKArkShoKu-9Oq_xYk1L0k/s1600/martyr+square7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6H2ezYrMCAijEEuF_G956QawW4ZHCORk5qmxEGBYo8HfHWuiOk9TpxRu2S7d4hIN9R3gjF3RW4nld0nauyVXH4JQlSzKGDSdiRHiD7h8QmACgJOvhaxLlLnKArkShoKu-9Oq_xYk1L0k/s320/martyr+square7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23dwzWDAJZa1xilSczLVTNif1Fx9Im9-Oc9G_d00ga7W-DFtS4_xaaSQZ-a0jXOkBOThh-vhLJIO2mngcPBGFsrd2iXwjyqPHJWIJaBHPCnjftEy5K20pSnjesP95LK1s8VjFNw7vnqw/s1600/martyr+square8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23dwzWDAJZa1xilSczLVTNif1Fx9Im9-Oc9G_d00ga7W-DFtS4_xaaSQZ-a0jXOkBOThh-vhLJIO2mngcPBGFsrd2iXwjyqPHJWIJaBHPCnjftEy5K20pSnjesP95LK1s8VjFNw7vnqw/s320/martyr+square8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
In 2005 On the day of the demonstration and those that followed the statue seemed alive. It became a center again crowded with demonstrators hopes, banners and flags. <br />
<br />
More than 20 years later the square remains a void in the city with big plans. Does the square today still symbolize the reality of the Lebanese geography a waste land of ideas and dreams of an unreconciled history?srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-74369369130010706242011-07-31T00:43:00.002+03:002011-07-31T11:14:16.914+03:00BASHOURA cemetery's airspace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNfuzRWZnTIgJ8e_fLo1JEmxzNUOChmq3oQkx9EeC9WDvVvnJU4sFIe7qzSI2wa6PNF_Ac2TbnoVWoi5LA_1Uv6ILND6IWXhJELiJNe45JrAQbDU5Nkq3yN0TVUe6sCwtm_gStFnAHxc/s1600/a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs1Wojr5wAWqooW0XicAgJZMb52u7j8T5ns74DOZiHhNKDGC1o2c81PMc8zARMZ74dYF3I9VrZ-Uxi8VSzIm6hqCUI-4-FKOCHs6puwzrGbPOt4fvCFedEXX4PelUL8nVvWA-78fFovI/s1600/b2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtLtu38gJtcK3q_EE7uTL-a2KCsYXmBXMW6j52CNhFzFLy_napiQ6SY6nTHkvf80FZ8JfN_FGzTfxy_ATpFJn9rtH9z8fP_jcIQKIiIh98rRgCenR-zA3nxd8G1ohnmpMKsUL_R7DnmE/s1600/print+21+MAPS+BEIRUT+COMPARE-Model.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtLtu38gJtcK3q_EE7uTL-a2KCsYXmBXMW6j52CNhFzFLy_napiQ6SY6nTHkvf80FZ8JfN_FGzTfxy_ATpFJn9rtH9z8fP_jcIQKIiIh98rRgCenR-zA3nxd8G1ohnmpMKsUL_R7DnmE/s640/print+21+MAPS+BEIRUT+COMPARE-Model.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Beirut maps highlighting cemetery location by an outline: Map1 1876 - Map2 1919- Map3 1964- Map4 1994- Map5 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Bashoura's built space to open air ratio is one of the least shocking in relationship to Beirut's other neighborhoods. This is mainly attributed to the large historic cemetery that creates a breathing space in the middle of the dense neighborhood. Yet when the cemetery was planned it was surrounded by plantations; today it is surrounded by apartment buildings. The cemeteries location today actually allows the neighborhood fresh air, ventilation space, and direct sunlight.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihs1Wojr5wAWqooW0XicAgJZMb52u7j8T5ns74DOZiHhNKDGC1o2c81PMc8zARMZ74dYF3I9VrZ-Uxi8VSzIm6hqCUI-4-FKOCHs6puwzrGbPOt4fvCFedEXX4PelUL8nVvWA-78fFovI/s1600/b2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZVpGK_GWFmVZV_h63Mf2unapAoPJ1dYw5i09hyphenhyphenEaeuDKVgbmGcCBHptz65DPLRbtmUwIrGsP_jzCLo5M099LuXWKeQtnzgxBQMJypKrENzq1k3nzdfRtUJYCnxq_L2OtRK-uMl0K8vs/s1600/option+2+background.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZVpGK_GWFmVZV_h63Mf2unapAoPJ1dYw5i09hyphenhyphenEaeuDKVgbmGcCBHptz65DPLRbtmUwIrGsP_jzCLo5M099LuXWKeQtnzgxBQMJypKrENzq1k3nzdfRtUJYCnxq_L2OtRK-uMl0K8vs/s640/option+2+background.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Sandra Rishani 2009. A void in the city. Bashoura Beirut cemetery </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal">Today urban cemeteries are increasingly viewed as amenity landscapes that may provide charming and ecological values to the communities that surround them. However, cemeteries have historically been seen as sacred spaces; people are, after all, laid to rest in them. At the time of their establishment, most cemeteries were typically a fringe-belt land. Established on what were the outskirts of the built-up areas, many cemeteries are now surrounded by dense urban development. Aside from small religious buildings and family plots, cemeteries were seldom planned as an urban land use.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNfuzRWZnTIgJ8e_fLo1JEmxzNUOChmq3oQkx9EeC9WDvVvnJU4sFIe7qzSI2wa6PNF_Ac2TbnoVWoi5LA_1Uv6ILND6IWXhJELiJNe45JrAQbDU5Nkq3yN0TVUe6sCwtm_gStFnAHxc/s1600/a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
Several reasons for ignoring this very spatial land use come to mind. In the nineteenth century, municipal governments saw burial grounds as potential health hazards. In addition, 'cemeteries, even those privately owned and operated for profit, are mostly not typically subject to property taxes, so they provide little municipal revenue'.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQwB-RuTamRetfE-lkR9ypmzPhjqw9UQMk05nk1g0_FAb1_xh6_Plyu4sCSk7jp__FOnNQRh1Bj4SOOGAMht44FKJJUtBirMsQE0xgv_E2CorjiVRF1JUgpgkL_4muq8IEQspdfhmMic/s1600/b2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQwB-RuTamRetfE-lkR9ypmzPhjqw9UQMk05nk1g0_FAb1_xh6_Plyu4sCSk7jp__FOnNQRh1Bj4SOOGAMht44FKJJUtBirMsQE0xgv_E2CorjiVRF1JUgpgkL_4muq8IEQspdfhmMic/s640/b2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal">For planners, the most frustrating open spaces to contemplate are the cemeteries of the city. Together, they take up a large amount of space.... I have toyed with the thought of all of the good things that could be done with the land were there a relocation effort and also explored the airspace over sanctified grounds, but UNDERSTAND that this might be a politically and religiously explosive matter. Yet this should not prevent us from investigating on this blog the possibilities of cemeteries and their air space. </div><div class="MsoNormal"> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal">In Bashoura the cemetery has become overwhelmed by graves covered by their marble top. Its dead occupants have taken over the site and turned it all into a marbled raised ground. Two large trees only exist on the site. Even though as is the site already creates a breathing space for the neighborhood, inspired by the plug in 1960s, I wonder may we ‘respectively’ takeover its airspace and hang from cranes along its walls large plant holders to green the Grey open space?<br />
<br />
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoczSRK-OtCqvxzuneZ7uvW6p3UT6c8Ab7HEKo_jX0jXPikuDUxGBYl08bNoHS0FgOpHB3VpJ6hmHH5lZSyS9uSs_q2OdE6_nSfyHtq7vdr7wVAzgdRymoWRxKLweiexQTZubLxnYq7k/s1600/b+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoczSRK-OtCqvxzuneZ7uvW6p3UT6c8Ab7HEKo_jX0jXPikuDUxGBYl08bNoHS0FgOpHB3VpJ6hmHH5lZSyS9uSs_q2OdE6_nSfyHtq7vdr7wVAzgdRymoWRxKLweiexQTZubLxnYq7k/s400/b+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Plug in' plant and tree holders. Bashoura Beirut </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbq6L90RlvnDY8bUbMrB47z9_31MiuDPlncehQsXe8f7v1IT06d2CTHAIptS0_-i2Nx_Yu98D_h8k0d74ww7FnDVK2FjuYBnai8VqFA5y1s5SVsDJ_y7xBc84SqvjTWIoRLBkhumWw5w0/s1600/b33+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbq6L90RlvnDY8bUbMrB47z9_31MiuDPlncehQsXe8f7v1IT06d2CTHAIptS0_-i2Nx_Yu98D_h8k0d74ww7FnDVK2FjuYBnai8VqFA5y1s5SVsDJ_y7xBc84SqvjTWIoRLBkhumWw5w0/s400/b33+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floating trees. Bashoura Beirut Lebanon</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iMaxHnzi0fWBXcTroLX0A-i81nXCAgzPP-zDN-EZtJFIBpkCP_RFwjzEWnnau5kJFmnPrP6x3-6aumhsfAOo5t5NDEMyB2VHiUocJS6YInoiJYW-ZOmpGMOB_bUCMYZE2gGHXX0IX9w/s1600/b33444+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iMaxHnzi0fWBXcTroLX0A-i81nXCAgzPP-zDN-EZtJFIBpkCP_RFwjzEWnnau5kJFmnPrP6x3-6aumhsfAOo5t5NDEMyB2VHiUocJS6YInoiJYW-ZOmpGMOB_bUCMYZE2gGHXX0IX9w/s400/b33444+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greening the Grey with Plug ins that take over scared grounds airspace.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Could designing garden\public space, a physical program that has historically been rooted in the grounds surface be re-conceived in order to maintain significant sites while accommodating growth? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">The possibility of such a plug in light infrastructure that can add green to all those sacred grounds without moving them may be intriguing. Nevertheless, if this is not possible for now, cemeteries such as Bashoura which are already nearly full should be accessible to the public. With a city like Beirut in which public space is so scarce cant we have a walk, read a book or just respectively relax on a tombstone? IF the city consciously decides to open up such spaces the cemetery edges and entrances may be re-planned to allow easy access to the residents of Beirut. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-6251534480866592442011-07-27T23:26:00.001+03:002011-10-16T12:23:09.753+03:00Behind “the pink house”<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdByImAr-B13esHWzcuXK8Ss_-GYvdAMihkvehLBH7Iip7Nrk9ml7rqQvbHu4ouQ6D1WyiwV1ON9hW5ptfiMZMzYW5TWJN0EXnaY3UWLg95F6mTyPcOiNFqOU-KqpwKGv6fQt-rhnQ3Ps/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdByImAr-B13esHWzcuXK8Ss_-GYvdAMihkvehLBH7Iip7Nrk9ml7rqQvbHu4ouQ6D1WyiwV1ON9hW5ptfiMZMzYW5TWJN0EXnaY3UWLg95F6mTyPcOiNFqOU-KqpwKGv6fQt-rhnQ3Ps/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><i><b>Around the Pink House</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I watched again one of my favorite Lebanese movies. For everyone that has not seen it yet pick up a copy or at-least read about it. </span><br />
<br />
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">This blog entry will discuss the movie, “Around the Pink House” that highlights how post war policies on the macro level regarding reconstruction and the internally displaced affected people’s ability to recover from the war. The ambition of this entry is to highlight the importance of personal narratives and experiences within spatially just reconstruction plans and policies, which were disregarded, and shows how the top down macro scale decisions continue to disturb the post-war geography of the city. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHWja1vXsTlTXfuvNZoGXl00P29ikx3Vg5uujhXe3fYvvIAOSmrehrndD5-LB9q5PQmiGScHwUZH4MwQSHQ4rYPnBumafqtgxEEU6x28ySLb8awSjMsyPUzV665XcCnAkwJ7Z27le5rQ/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHWja1vXsTlTXfuvNZoGXl00P29ikx3Vg5uujhXe3fYvvIAOSmrehrndD5-LB9q5PQmiGScHwUZH4MwQSHQ4rYPnBumafqtgxEEU6x28ySLb8awSjMsyPUzV665XcCnAkwJ7Z27le5rQ/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>Documenting the invisible struggles:</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZWk6SvdVPEyVlnnAlu1iTDWM-VHDKkWEELJms8yoo8ohAmwGnVx52KhUnAbfOYIMAZ4we8_TG3oimNwNjDNG1DsbfInD8Qid4EGvNdYZOLggpcRB4DPT-B2BkIqzrZE9tC-KbfVilWA/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZWk6SvdVPEyVlnnAlu1iTDWM-VHDKkWEELJms8yoo8ohAmwGnVx52KhUnAbfOYIMAZ4we8_TG3oimNwNjDNG1DsbfInD8Qid4EGvNdYZOLggpcRB4DPT-B2BkIqzrZE9tC-KbfVilWA/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a> The movie begins with a day to day event interrupted by a traffic jam in a neighborhood with men in uniform running in-between the cars. The scene of daily life mixed with a scene of militias and day to day war scenes highlights a confused and forced transition from the war period to the post war period. The people stuck in the traffic are not disturbed by the militia men running through and are discussing an explosion that is shown on a television in a cafe. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">This starts the conversation about reconstruction and what this new type of city destruction will bring to the residents of the city. One man in a café proposes that the new plan for a new ‘world’ city is going to save the neighborhood with an upsurge in the economy. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The movie then focuses on the pink house by showing us a man looking into the day to day activities and windows of the houses residents. We see the the pink house in the activities of its residence. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The camera slows down several times during the movie; the music becomes eerie and shifts into the private moments of the characters. The moments only share a common house, the pink house, but their memories and thoughts are varied all affected by the trauma and displacement of the war. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">These portraits create multiple narratives that show that the groups opinions about post war reconstruction were not based on peoples religions but on their a geo-political locations and outlook on social justice. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiy9RrK88jcJuCfLutOV5ujJ9NCTaI-rRfL962UOwBnlPCiK4tMkTIQknzxnHw11fpuzA8Hrkt7wITasodBh7e86phmYEDXK53g0dFZ2EhI0vfoZd5RPfjU-KKA-eJ4usf1etv50dYvk/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiy9RrK88jcJuCfLutOV5ujJ9NCTaI-rRfL962UOwBnlPCiK4tMkTIQknzxnHw11fpuzA8Hrkt7wITasodBh7e86phmYEDXK53g0dFZ2EhI0vfoZd5RPfjU-KKA-eJ4usf1etv50dYvk/s640/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i><b>Around the Pink House - screen shots</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a name='more'></a></span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The day to day activities of the house are then suddenly disturbed by a real estate agent that walks into the house to lecture the two displaced families occupying the house about how they should leave the house for the pride of Lebanon. The film then focuses on the conflict between the macro scale investments, the high income investor, and micro scale situation, low income war displaced families in the city. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0RQt40INdFR5KUXxXjYJai0z-lkrrOknIZaq3ySTVWRp-mTPgSLM4TBWMZ6DZFDfoMV7F3Pb5gUxQ52bFMeNteRFDskRZcqrrUh31yQVDH3YiuzPadPadRld3ZLNP7WJwP878pzRRvE/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0RQt40INdFR5KUXxXjYJai0z-lkrrOknIZaq3ySTVWRp-mTPgSLM4TBWMZ6DZFDfoMV7F3Pb5gUxQ52bFMeNteRFDskRZcqrrUh31yQVDH3YiuzPadPadRld3ZLNP7WJwP878pzRRvE/s640/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i><b>Around the Pink House - screen shots </b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The feud starts within the neighborhood between the people that believe that the future of the city and its plans don’t include them versus the people that trust that the future will create a trickle-down effect that will recreate their preset circumstances in a more positive light. Eviction haunts the characters and the war is only represented in the stories of their past eviction from the village to the city. Reconstruction and economic development creates another shift of displacement and the house becomes a symbol of their resistance. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Ownership and the right to living in the city become issues that are discussed between the members of the house and the residents of the neighborhood. A petition is signed in support of the residents of the pink house is passed around the neighborhood and exacerbates the division. The house residents are offered by the government a compensation of 3000$ that is not enough for them to rent a house in the city for over a year. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The war displaced families are disregarded in the cities reconstruction and future and their alienation is reinforced when they try to label themselves as a group. Are they illegal residents, refuges or occupiers? The residents of the pink house recognize that the reconstruction project is too big for them to face and be a part of alone. They can not agree if it is their right to ask to stay or decide their future or do they have to beg for their voice to be heard and for them to be able to shape their future. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The internally displaced refuges in Lebanon make up a large amount of the Lebanese society. The residents of the pink house expresses they are a part of the community, mainly from the south of Lebanon that for the past thirty years have been pushed around and moved unwillingly by the government, political parties, militias, Israeli occupation, or pure instinct in search for safety. This disregard to them again highlights the start of a resistance against the governments reconstruction projects and proposals. The premise that the community resistance attempts to propose, and is documented in the film, is housing and peoples trust in the government, institutions and reconstructions instead of infrastructure for peace. The resident’s question each other, asking what this reconstruction move is, and what would they want, money or a feeling worthwhile and legitimacy . </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"></span></span></div><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 200%;"><b>The rallying for social justice includes both material and the non-material terms, such as security, legitimacy and dignity. The movie begs its audience to recognize this and understand that social justice for some such as the displaced and refugees are intrinsic ad more important than economic benefits. </b></span></span></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal">The neighborhood divides. One group decides to trust the reconstruction projects even though they seemed exclusive. They assumed that these changes will create a slow but eventual trickledown economy for the rest of the small local business owners. The other group decided that their pride honor and right to live and work in the city are threatened.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjior3fmeHRcGZYr5liAGlPshS6qtT_QMP5OqwDnTml3niYysZeT3mkzalCFNcmKnc0_0zxe8ZGQLithcy8DuwEg0uFEGmNn45SxAY4gHCL2_PvnWKDq3TxrLoC4TOCFPFYVQ3lItNw_N4/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjior3fmeHRcGZYr5liAGlPshS6qtT_QMP5OqwDnTml3niYysZeT3mkzalCFNcmKnc0_0zxe8ZGQLithcy8DuwEg0uFEGmNn45SxAY4gHCL2_PvnWKDq3TxrLoC4TOCFPFYVQ3lItNw_N4/s640/7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><i><b>Around the Pink House - screen shots </b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent>The green line present in the civil war is redrawn in the neighborhood, dividing again two parties that disagree about the future of the city and country. The political and social conflicts in the city are reborn, post conflict, and the green line in the film shows that the conflict might be less violent than the war but yet it is as severe and dangerous. </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In between these intrinsic discussions about legitimacy, human rights, displacement, memories, traumas and compensation a lawyer appears and gives hope to the residents of the pink house. Can they get their rights from legal government institutions? The lawyer contacts the resident a few days later to tell them that the law is vague and unclear and the displaced movement will have to work outside the institutions to receive their rights. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Socially just planning</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Planning becomes an intrinsic tool to work with and analyze as it is the primary strategy by which decisions politics and interventions by states and institutions at the macro level interact with the politics of everyday life at the micro scale. The film highlights this by depicting the human scale effects of planning. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Conflicts within diverse cities, or towns and the rise of the multiplicities of social movements make the field of planning both in practice and theory interweaved with contradictory claims perceptions and ideologies. The film does not attempt to simplify the process and documents its complexity by showing that even the displaced in the same neighborhood have contradictory claims and opinions but also highlights that the ones in the same group share a common trajectory. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Post war planning in Beirut attempted to identify itself as a pure market driven approach. Yet, whether this is the case or not, the shaping of the built environments and in turn it empowering and dis-empowering agencies is an “inherently political and powerful activity” (tewdwr-jones2000p.124). This process becomes very sensitive and important in postwar reconstruction were power, legitimacy, trauma and violent civil conflicts still underlie and guide all social relations in interactions on the neighborhood and street scales. The film stops at this sensitive stage and does not depict the aftermath of such macro scale insensitive planning which resulted in a more fragmented and divided city.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Houschka-Light--Identity-H; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 200%;">The film:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Hadjithomas J. and Joreige K , 1999, “al bayt al zahr” also called “Autour de la Maison Rose” or “the pink house”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 200%;"><br />
</span></span>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-47665619867855931932011-07-23T16:04:00.001+03:002012-06-06T10:31:04.940+03:00Occupying the urban landscape: Burj-el-Murr<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosGZAIpf_-NE4b8yHhHqoJPq3OHLAPMrS2peNkuVffB-jKrjPd-XUNLxcUUB4XEPBtGK7BTPkY5njcBRQ7TcoN59OwAP0gY2SIXAYVwTgJcxs1cgG7bjZB7iNumXQHaM0DM_F5lCgkyk/s1600/borg+al+murr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosGZAIpf_-NE4b8yHhHqoJPq3OHLAPMrS2peNkuVffB-jKrjPd-XUNLxcUUB4XEPBtGK7BTPkY5njcBRQ7TcoN59OwAP0gY2SIXAYVwTgJcxs1cgG7bjZB7iNumXQHaM0DM_F5lCgkyk/s400/borg+al+murr.jpg" width="308" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc543Y_r6gJX79WhOZTswzkmfUaDWHqlVNlMaNa-hG-oaRFNGDRIvR_Yp2Ku0DCOH2PahQGK-HkjE4X7qU6Kdk0HThf0X37AnDgIc_7T4iTTYhc66wkO9H1Ni5OEXtvpLtMLDtTlbym34/s1600/burj+0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc543Y_r6gJX79WhOZTswzkmfUaDWHqlVNlMaNa-hG-oaRFNGDRIvR_Yp2Ku0DCOH2PahQGK-HkjE4X7qU6Kdk0HThf0X37AnDgIc_7T4iTTYhc66wkO9H1Ni5OEXtvpLtMLDtTlbym34/s400/burj+0.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">A serene sacred monolith stands still in Beirut’s continuously changing urban fabric. This 40 story unfinished tower dominates the skyline of down-town Beirut. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The unfinished building is about 35 years old now. Its construction started in 1974 and by 1975, the start of the Lebanese civil war, 28 of its floors were built. Despite the unrest, the work continued until the whole structure was erected. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The building was structurally daring relying on a hollow tube concrete structure with its facades as the load bearing walls braced by the core buildings shear walls. It was firm enough to withstand the weapons used on the battle-field and to continue to exist as an icon in the post war period. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9UukILfzpIe_UkbpFTQM70bGiIBHK9ussRm9M2uS4hxlCEZFqwMXosSGXbo7fzGBDdbW9ShbA3B8zmd2kYYvIzbTZTLtk7dBjsxoVtYeeloOCcaY6bqKoQ40o22tfKSIMyq0Hf_2r-g/s1600/bg4b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9UukILfzpIe_UkbpFTQM70bGiIBHK9ussRm9M2uS4hxlCEZFqwMXosSGXbo7fzGBDdbW9ShbA3B8zmd2kYYvIzbTZTLtk7dBjsxoVtYeeloOCcaY6bqKoQ40o22tfKSIMyq0Hf_2r-g/s400/bg4b.jpg" width="292" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4q3E4bd45ojygax2c-Lvx8uRFS4ju3cjP4wZhUrLN8-q0tC9WNhsw-3iKoTfeFHJ9gbBI3R0-NsJx_dInzdy4wCz-vIEsjSfHX6EIo_KtmIKomf-gAUF4g6fXf-5nIN2rfimBZJsBQQc/s1600/burj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4q3E4bd45ojygax2c-Lvx8uRFS4ju3cjP4wZhUrLN8-q0tC9WNhsw-3iKoTfeFHJ9gbBI3R0-NsJx_dInzdy4wCz-vIEsjSfHX6EIo_KtmIKomf-gAUF4g6fXf-5nIN2rfimBZJsBQQc/s400/burj.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> Its height, location and facade treatment and structure made this an ideal sniper location. It created a type of panoptic war tactic which drew an imaginary urban circle of about 2.2 km of fear around it. </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">After the war a post construction boom took place. Sites and buildings were either erased and reconstructed or developed a new. The Murr tower's problem or advantage is that it is too high to topple and too solid to implode making its erasure problematic and expensive. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This concrete artifact originally meant to be an office tower was only used as a sniper outpost. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Today it stands filled with disturbing memories, horror stories and scars rising to the sky. What is to become of this structure and what should become of it has been an issue to many in Beirut? In the mean time it stands as an unused tower. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Proposal</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0EvKkPjl2EPloI4NWLvKOrlSAu_sDGP-JQM-CjDjIttd_2NwGNoT1_QUjMh0DsDSQR0Dvixrcrb0ZTFgtz9vYO4z_f_rz_0MZ7L7Ddx9ft9sgQv6tQYoT6jtSLPLRScfJwDenUOSPvo/s1600/a+b2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0EvKkPjl2EPloI4NWLvKOrlSAu_sDGP-JQM-CjDjIttd_2NwGNoT1_QUjMh0DsDSQR0Dvixrcrb0ZTFgtz9vYO4z_f_rz_0MZ7L7Ddx9ft9sgQv6tQYoT6jtSLPLRScfJwDenUOSPvo/s640/a+b2.jpg" width="640" /></a><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">With the past blog post, </span></span>Beirut is ill: The WHOs 'Healthy City Networks', </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">( http://spatiallyjustenvironmentsbeirut.blogspot.com/2011/07/beirut-is-ill-whos-healthy-city.html )</span> showed that the required public green space required for Beirut is extremely scarce. We need to start dreaming of possibilities for new public green spaces. Green spaces have a range of functions and types of which not all need to be equally physically accessible. Access may range from the climate change results they cause in terms of oxygen production and or food production, ecological variety, visual access, or physical contact access among other types.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgHaE8VPQaXV0SG79oElC4eY5TFuz4YYZApn7AB5IjAthnCharaNxT6pPzaCIE2_lRH_1m3HEHuLCNWiQAbVKpLG_TGJuj7sVBi-Je909SKTYFEr2u-E9mFlINVU2Tt7sevDNgjKETpk/s1600/eeeBurj+al+Murr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgHaE8VPQaXV0SG79oElC4eY5TFuz4YYZApn7AB5IjAthnCharaNxT6pPzaCIE2_lRH_1m3HEHuLCNWiQAbVKpLG_TGJuj7sVBi-Je909SKTYFEr2u-E9mFlINVU2Tt7sevDNgjKETpk/s640/eeeBurj+al+Murr.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> What I propose for Burj-el-Murr , which is structurally viable, is a landscape of green. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> The Burj’s east and west facade is made of 6 equally placed and sized windows on each floor. The strategy is simple, a range of bush type plants or trees to be placed on each of the widows from inside with guidance to the exterior. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmE61DAAJ6_p9MqksJ7Af7gcsZ4neyCw48uBl5d1d21dVAxH7DEn_HVkYH7M9gignPHJsqCOuJCm6wWL8DZISQ1_oxyVDxqixWDEy50aVCrfibsKXCukYF50TqvKtddkQFEXxTahn0Q4k/s1600/d4924337062_b0c3baaf82_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="465" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmE61DAAJ6_p9MqksJ7Af7gcsZ4neyCw48uBl5d1d21dVAxH7DEn_HVkYH7M9gignPHJsqCOuJCm6wWL8DZISQ1_oxyVDxqixWDEy50aVCrfibsKXCukYF50TqvKtddkQFEXxTahn0Q4k/s640/d4924337062_b0c3baaf82_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The result might just be a vertical mountain or wall of green that will overtake the sacred monolith of Beirut. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The project proposal will require an efficient watering system and maintenance system but its result will be immeasurable on the street and urban scale among others. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrICbdO0Eup6yRpEE7n_5xD5G83oT308wLjQVhZKnVOsLhuiqOwi-hpkPoKsmK0nikLrGbv21Z9DmMnPYBCWTsDs_qSxntjNogxxEwAJJQ396CdFEyTUFAO4lubFvrRW7XE43li-cJos/s1600/bUntitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrICbdO0Eup6yRpEE7n_5xD5G83oT308wLjQVhZKnVOsLhuiqOwi-hpkPoKsmK0nikLrGbv21Z9DmMnPYBCWTsDs_qSxntjNogxxEwAJJQ396CdFEyTUFAO4lubFvrRW7XE43li-cJos/s640/bUntitled-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The hill will grow on itself and slowly decompose the building. After 50 years when the mound is more or less fully grown the exterior
may become habitable in some form and the building will be lost.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Original Images </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">by Ramiabikhalil http://www.arch.mcgill.ca/prof/davies/arch671/winter2007/students/abou/RamiAbouKhalil_ThesisDescription.pdf</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24989774@N07/">by Centrifugador</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">all collages by sandra rishani </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-55337763660453726122011-07-16T19:41:00.000+03:002011-07-16T19:42:54.860+03:00Food Security: Can global food production be increased?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0979bF-GZxBv9GUi1CsdA0sbcxs29x1w0gT7fZrbF3Al6IWXYws-dgP4Swom7-XRJ3BJjsle84gwQHfwhdcbLI8eIkx_kMFDHKW1a-4CGI16pCEqCTShB4pPQMn2NvW6YWZS0gD-_OSE/s1600/pic+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlY3eB_g9jhJHYk47m2iPpyvMyHma5CKHs5dnhbu9MDap_h-XaxsmRg_KAhqWKY6gRvixQ_v94L7Cwt8o6D1uRd0qGhGg9YOoU-w8ZLzuty41ahfNFlmg8P6aMdblOdmknJ4lv_wwvROI/s1600/pic+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlY3eB_g9jhJHYk47m2iPpyvMyHma5CKHs5dnhbu9MDap_h-XaxsmRg_KAhqWKY6gRvixQ_v94L7Cwt8o6D1uRd0qGhGg9YOoU-w8ZLzuty41ahfNFlmg8P6aMdblOdmknJ4lv_wwvROI/s640/pic+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">In a day where the water tables are falling, the temperatures of the world are rising drastically, and the population continues to increase, our food production is facing eminent collapse. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Moreover countries that continue to industrialize today drive up the demand for food increase the population and simultaneously shrink the cropland areas. The cropland areas are then used for industrial and residential developments.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Yet even though these associations are visible to most of us reversing this decline of space for food production has not been easy even with government incentives. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> Can urban agriculture be large enough in scale to feed its city?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">To quantify this in numbers is hard mainly because these numbers do not exist. They only exist in the form of specific crops such as grain and for specific countries. After a vast research of these numbers I concluded that if water shortage and environmental disasters do not continue to increase and with the current average common technologies a viable relationship of food production area to number of people it feeds is </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraLASiOQbrfClQFAssHWbcmmimStNxbHjwdjsZL7pf1sLNvhN-7b7SeQhbMsEI-gM0xdQaZaNoJf8-bKZ96PXMFKNsQyhy_-rzbafYhyphenhyphenfV5G5J6hwfncNWAl3torh4Gel1G1XazIQokg/s1600/pic+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjraLASiOQbrfClQFAssHWbcmmimStNxbHjwdjsZL7pf1sLNvhN-7b7SeQhbMsEI-gM0xdQaZaNoJf8-bKZ96PXMFKNsQyhy_-rzbafYhyphenhyphenfV5G5J6hwfncNWAl3torh4Gel1G1XazIQokg/s400/pic+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This doesn't seem very shocking until you start trying to understand it in terms of your cities and or towns. I wonder if other numbers to indicate this ratio have been produced as i still have not found any. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Lebanon’s food requirements </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">HOW much food does Beirut need to produce to feed itself?</span></span></div> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The Biqa Valley, plus the narrow valleys sweeping down to the sea is evidence of the variety of Lebanon's agricultural lands. However, Lebanon's fertile land In addition to the livestock production has not been fully exploited because of almost constant warfare.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations has some key statistics on Lebanon published stating that the agricultural area in Lebanon is 6,870 km2 in a country that is 10,452 km2 with a population of 4.224 million (</span><a href="http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index.asp?lang=en&iso3=LBN&subj=4"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index.asp?lang=en&iso3=LBN&subj=4</span></a><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> ). </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiy3HFPaFqaGSL0CsMcynjvDT5Gxiuygo5GJWoj_vYqXoob_lbjZTtAMSwVDx4zhkCSYNY_ft8nOZ0lWgHhm1n62nI_A86bb19W1O01-2q3grdA1SVto3mzWb78t756GPGXPC8y6MP2gI/s1600/pic+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiy3HFPaFqaGSL0CsMcynjvDT5Gxiuygo5GJWoj_vYqXoob_lbjZTtAMSwVDx4zhkCSYNY_ft8nOZ0lWgHhm1n62nI_A86bb19W1O01-2q3grdA1SVto3mzWb78t756GPGXPC8y6MP2gI/s400/pic+5.jpg" width="366" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> </span></span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">If we are to assume the numbers of the FAO, and assume that all that land is intensely cropped all seasons, which is not the case, they will show that to feed Lebanon we need to increase our food production .</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0979bF-GZxBv9GUi1CsdA0sbcxs29x1w0gT7fZrbF3Al6IWXYws-dgP4Swom7-XRJ3BJjsle84gwQHfwhdcbLI8eIkx_kMFDHKW1a-4CGI16pCEqCTShB4pPQMn2NvW6YWZS0gD-_OSE/s1600/pic+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0979bF-GZxBv9GUi1CsdA0sbcxs29x1w0gT7fZrbF3Al6IWXYws-dgP4Swom7-XRJ3BJjsle84gwQHfwhdcbLI8eIkx_kMFDHKW1a-4CGI16pCEqCTShB4pPQMn2NvW6YWZS0gD-_OSE/s640/pic+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">For Lebanon to be self sufficient the numbers show that we need three times the total area of the country and therefore increase the currently existing agriculture land by about 5 times</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">These shocking numbers seem unreal! These are just calculations I put together and need to be verified and questioned further. Yet technical advances need to increase the amount of food production within 1km2 in addition to a conscious decision for people to eat less and for planners and architects alike to realize that this is as much a spatial problem as it is a humanitarian one. These numbers are even more shocking in dense cities if we are to assume cities need to at-least share the burden of food production.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuv6cz8Bi9kT6fweZOeCgAACSqL0xwntRkuqJDmLQMvvW1zMLUpfKW2KEzqQZ2DHe8MzUn5eNyrETq8GfPVbmE0mS_wNqx2glipkM7rvPPWp9pC5Hi5oBvBNSKJrRRnpQSt-FrOOnzoYI/s1600/pic+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuv6cz8Bi9kT6fweZOeCgAACSqL0xwntRkuqJDmLQMvvW1zMLUpfKW2KEzqQZ2DHe8MzUn5eNyrETq8GfPVbmE0mS_wNqx2glipkM7rvPPWp9pC5Hi5oBvBNSKJrRRnpQSt-FrOOnzoYI/s640/pic+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> Links and References </span></span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"<a href="http://www.wri.org/wri/biodiv/agrigene.html"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Agriculture and Genetic Diversity.</span></a>" World Resources Institute. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Agricultural Biotechnology Information Center <a href="http://www.nal.usda.gov/bic/"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Home Page</span></a> (U.S. Department of Agriculture) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> "The Ecological Risks and Benefits of Genetically Engineered Plants." Science (290), 15 Dec 2000.</span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Unknown, Human Appropriation of the World's Food Supply, last accesses may 2011 </span><a href="http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/food_supply/food.htm"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/food_supply/food.htm</span></a></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thomas Collelo, ed. <i>Lebanon: A Country Study</i>. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1987. <a href="http://countrystudies.us/lebanon/">http://countrystudies.us/lebanon/</a> last accessed may 2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ministry of agriculture, Republic of Lebanon, <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.lb/english_file/index_e.htm">http://www.agriculture.gov.lb/english_file/index_e.htm</a>, last accessed may 2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, Country Profile: Lebanon, </span><a href="http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index.asp?lang=en&iso3=LBN&subj=1"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index.asp?lang=en&iso3=LBN&subj=1</span></a><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">, </span>last accessed may 201</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Lester Brown, Outgrowing the Earth: The Food Security Challenge in an Age of Falling Water Tables and Rising Temperatures, 2004</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Lester Brown, Plan B: Rescuing a Planet under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble, Earth Policy Institute, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 2003, ISBN 0-393-05859-X</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">"</span><a href="http://www.wri.org/wri/trends/foodprod.html"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; text-decoration: none;">Food Production: Have yields stopped rising?</span></a><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">" World Resources Institute's Sustainable Development Information Service </span></span></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-70475548996150619992011-07-11T00:45:00.003+03:002011-11-20T22:28:25.773+02:00Illegality and informality clashes in Lebanon<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuldVbqqn_i-as_r7Rdf3isPlzjoH9YwcKAZLA8cSXXl2mogEnd_Hdc7BDbAQqxUob09Zv7IrVjnYUM9cD7erjhN29W4Hysh7V4qdXS05uuXP_edhariMB0fSjRY8_aop3iwUKS-5Tiow/s1600/sea+facade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuldVbqqn_i-as_r7Rdf3isPlzjoH9YwcKAZLA8cSXXl2mogEnd_Hdc7BDbAQqxUob09Zv7IrVjnYUM9cD7erjhN29W4Hysh7V4qdXS05uuXP_edhariMB0fSjRY8_aop3iwUKS-5Tiow/s640/sea+facade.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken in 2005 by Sandra Rishani St. Simone Area</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">“… [N]either cities nor places in them are unordered, unplanned; the question is only whose order, whose planning, for what purpose..." (Marcuse, 1995:244).<br />
<br />
The recent Beirut headlines state 2 killed in clashes over illegal housing in Lebanon, April 21, 201 (<a href="http://www.yalibnan.com/2011/04/21/2-killed-in-clashes-over-illegal-housing-in-lebanon/">http://www.yalibnan.com/2011/04/21/2-killed-in-clashes-over-illegal-housing-in-lebanon/</a>). Six policemen injured over illegal housing in south Lebanon ( <a href="http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/May/02/Six-wounded-in-scuffle-over-illegal-housing-in-south.ashx#ixzz1N7KgjKLV">http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/May/02/Six-wounded-in-scuffle-over-illegal-housing-in-south.ashx#ixzz1N7KgjKLV</a> ) among other skirmishes resulting from a decision by the government to stop and eradicate ‘illegal’ and ‘informal’ construction.<br />
<br />
With such conditions and varying urban realities we need to critically analyze the approach to the phenomenon of informal housing in Lebanon. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
What is an ‘informal city’? A fashionable word that intrigues some, including scientists, architects sociologists, artists, and disgusts others. ‘Formless’, ‘chaotic’, ‘dirty’, ‘self-built’, ‘illegal’, ‘irrelevant’, ‘ephemeral’, ‘productive’, ‘unproductive’, ‘integral’, ‘critical’, ‘tax-free’, ‘lacking public services’, and ‘parasitic’ are some words that can be used to describe it. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
So, how does one approach something that can be anything and a concept?? </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
In a continuously changing city, there needs to be a conscious and specific recognition and approach to such spaces by tackling the humanitarian issues whilst addressing and understanding informality as a study of adaptation and innovation. Defining informality as a transitional phase caused by the civil war has allowed this type of production to continue without serious attempts at its eradication. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>Background of the Debate: </b></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
The informal housing debate has occupied the forefront of urban research for about the past forty years (Fernandez and Varley 1998). During this period, the debate shifted from the viewpoint that informal housing is a temporary negative sign of urban growth, to a declaration during the first international housing conference (vancuver, 1976) that informal housing is a legitimate form of production and acquirement. In addition most of the planning terms that used to describe these areas, as “a “creeping cancer”, or “urban misery belts” filled with politically and socially marginal peasants (Juppenlatz 1970:5), became seen in a different light put forward by john turner and later adopted by Habitat(1969,1972). Underlying this shift in perception is a move away from the assumption that direct public agency contribution will establish formalized market systems that will replace the informal housing provision. (Rodwin1987, Annez and Wheaton 1984). Yet with increase in poverty, the need to tackle these issues increased (Millennium Project 2005). </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
Therefore, tenure, informality and the law were placed on the head of the development agendas. Several systems have been recognized round the world in different contexts shaped by culture, history politics and the economy and each have their advantages and limitations. It is clear though that globalization and the ‘development / salvation’ movement (Escobar 1995) has enforced and encouraged a single intervention based on western ideals and individualism. (Payne2002 </span> <span style="font-size: small;">)<br />
<br />
It would be easy to place all the interactions in informal spaces in the city under the illegal category; however all these places have created markets with unique characteristics, different institutional schemes, empowered different groups of people, and serve the access to needs of different groups. Moreover, different levels of security, flexibility and accessibility characterize these markets creating the options required within such diverse contexts. This dual approach of formal/informal and registered/unregistered conceals important market characteristics that can be found, built-on and improved within some cities. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CYewTqOmf4EDMgNy5fv6fHFdTbwBx25edqwwYFKhvD0cXWSz64bAzUXFBGGLHakBbOFgfykyOw7Ow37k04LdjUmDVpFnPNE55HC9FosyVW3UkQu-QBdb1wNB6E5-cbLY5sts-Kg4kug/s1600/part+of+thesis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CYewTqOmf4EDMgNy5fv6fHFdTbwBx25edqwwYFKhvD0cXWSz64bAzUXFBGGLHakBbOFgfykyOw7Ow37k04LdjUmDVpFnPNE55HC9FosyVW3UkQu-QBdb1wNB6E5-cbLY5sts-Kg4kug/s640/part+of+thesis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
People cope with what they have. They live and make lives. Informality might seem chaotic to the outsider or even impossible to ‘the other’ to comprehend, yet a closer look at the way physical, social and spatial relationships manifest themselves within these spaces prove that adaptation, regularization and order exist. It is important to recognize that the informal city is not an infected city, or a space of transition, but a different market, and to deal with it accordingly. The informal city is an intrinsic part of any contemporary city in a globalized world. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
<b>The Case of Lebanon: </b></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
Lebanon’s informality lies in the failure of the government to provide for its people, and the formal institutions and markets to include these people. The success of Lebanon’s informality is in the strength of the groups of people in providing for themselves. With the rise of these groups the formation of these informal enclaves are secured and ways of provision of services are established. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
It is obvious that these fragments in Beirut are alive and to a certain degree productive enclaves that affiliate themselves with political groups to ensure security. In this case the state should be challenged to restructure and redesign rules and networks of infrastructure and production to encompass, open up, and connect these segments as an integral part of the rest of the city and not attempt to haphazardly destroy them. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
Most importantly recognizing the informal enclaves in Beirut and working with them should not be a top down effort anymore. This is a chance for the Lebanese government to include all these fragments, connect them and allow them to start combining intersecting and opening up to each there and to government institutions. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
Housing and community based rebuilding and upgrading can impact people’s lives greatly and the way it is done and the process can be beneficial for the whole city. This can be the intervention Beirut and Lebanon requires removing it from its political deadlock. Housing development is a sector that will include all occupants in the city both by developing their spaces and by giving them the right to manage and decide. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
It is a long process which regardless of its end will affect institutions, rights, justice, power relations and the future of a city and country. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br />
Please ask for references if interested </b></span>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-89376477157710820382011-07-06T19:30:00.001+03:002011-08-21T03:47:02.082+03:00Beirut is ill: The WHOs 'Healthy City Networks'<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b>Public Green Space in Developping cities</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The United Nations (1991) identifies that the number of people living in cities almost tripled in the world. More specifically it identifies that in developed countries the urban population doubled while in developing countries it linearly quadrupled. The main factor behind this transformation is a population boom of the 20th century coupled with the rapid economic growth which is unfortunately associated with a decline in the share of agriculture in economic activities and increased share of the industrial and service sectors, the latter of which are mostly located in urban areas. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Public spaces and green spaces have many functions in a city that are important. Some of which are physical, ecological, social, provision of recreation opportunities, as well as opportunities for pedestrian circulation, provision of comfort for citizens , encouragement of natural habitats to remain in the city, as well as the reduction of noise and air pollution among others. To be able to provide these contributions, public green space needs to be planned systematically and maintained or at least protected. I believe gardens are much more than natural vegetation's in a dense urban context These spaces have a potential through which many cultural, social, economic, and political concerns, can be directed, expressed and brought forth to the public sphere.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Provision of urban green spaces has to be planned and realized together with the planning of housing, transport infrastructure, etc. In developing countries where all these planning resources are inadequate and are coupled with <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">traffic congestion, air pollution, insufficient services such as water and electricity green spaces are regarded as less important aspects of land use.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b>WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION for Public Green Space </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF90mFvKFYjgfEW_rrFfGfiFQROpWKVG_Ndq0dx2DB-iqWkmx7u_3lU7_ZHXTYGQdN9Z-PtRXYqijP_7vMsZDTeBWHPdXbMwGsmxErLnoCchdAEOex1upfdZyx0hbuY21gNvqE72w-sk/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF90mFvKFYjgfEW_rrFfGfiFQROpWKVG_Ndq0dx2DB-iqWkmx7u_3lU7_ZHXTYGQdN9Z-PtRXYqijP_7vMsZDTeBWHPdXbMwGsmxErLnoCchdAEOex1upfdZyx0hbuY21gNvqE72w-sk/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The problem of disregarding planned green spaces in cities have been exacerbated and highlighted by the World Health Organization(WHO). Currently the WHO has established indicators for what makes a city healthy. These include a varying amount of issues including private green space, pollution levels, water quality etc....It specifically established a metric that links public green space to public health with an international quota of 10 square meters per person as a benchmark for healthy cities. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApKqvpH2YApwunSuYxhAF57y6rd731Mu36miVMNg79VxX79ibsr_rfxwveHNyVODJaLG7OsLEZLIBNexO1CjXBLQk2BnZ0saAVL3sCMJq21epocvupDo1EAZB-YkK4RLdtme1f7nLEaY/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApKqvpH2YApwunSuYxhAF57y6rd731Mu36miVMNg79VxX79ibsr_rfxwveHNyVODJaLG7OsLEZLIBNexO1CjXBLQk2BnZ0saAVL3sCMJq21epocvupDo1EAZB-YkK4RLdtme1f7nLEaY/s640/2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Several cities have produced the number for themselves to compare to the WHO number. Only a few Western European Cities make the cut for surface area. Not a single Middle Eastern City comes anywhere close. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa5yvUh3F1EqeVShu8WqqZwerByffUT4kJPka47ltBH0YUIYNV74MH_SPND2pJ34AXSd4rAjPSzG5B9E_H4fsLupk7NMc68OoeQu0SsTjQrUOf70sU0w7EmzeRvvI_HjL_DHljSn8icE/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa5yvUh3F1EqeVShu8WqqZwerByffUT4kJPka47ltBH0YUIYNV74MH_SPND2pJ34AXSd4rAjPSzG5B9E_H4fsLupk7NMc68OoeQu0SsTjQrUOf70sU0w7EmzeRvvI_HjL_DHljSn8icE/s640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The data graphed here are collected from varying sources between 2005 to 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>City Intiatives: </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;">None the less cities across the world cities are taking measures to add green space, trying to meet the WHO criteria in order to be included IN THE HEALTHY CITY NETWORK<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROS_7cxJnzlgyDs5lCcICzTHiLN9Nx12O9zGoA9MRMYKysMBohbhqMcflsesju6f4actPcWh0Z0LqvU3UcVTKjN7tPUE7v0E3eM6kKr4AES4FUxCyvCXxykpAUhhKfueZwQFNiFme6l8/s1600/mm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROS_7cxJnzlgyDs5lCcICzTHiLN9Nx12O9zGoA9MRMYKysMBohbhqMcflsesju6f4actPcWh0Z0LqvU3UcVTKjN7tPUE7v0E3eM6kKr4AES4FUxCyvCXxykpAUhhKfueZwQFNiFme6l8/s640/mm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>In Cairo, an moderate Islamic NGO, <b>the Aga Khan Development Network</b>, created a new Park in the center of the city. The park was basically a gift but the land had to be expropriated by the Egyptian government. 0.04m2 PBS/person</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">In Beijing, the government planned a ring of green spaces around the city, expropriating land and trying to distribute it radically</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">In New York, the city government is teaming up with private interests to transform existing privately owned parks into publicly accessible green space. This adds up to a distributed network of greens. </span> </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Gardens in Beirut </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Beirut has even less available public green space than these examples. Only 1.8% of its surface area is green, this would have to be multiplied by 22 to arrive at the WHO indicator. The city would have to demolish 41% of the city, and transform it into a park, in order to meet the World Health Indicator.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfCwtO-_uNMtcnLhgijrdpoDHJPlEFk1wZVBr7Y3LH01ef9O5a8kdj3NdX6yjknvKhzY0DxYXY9k7jQhSnZXhQt8-BYTtyNEHYSIDrUrOO7C2g6GeIs-IpPulFinZamqKfPJppsnOKgg/s1600/greenlines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfCwtO-_uNMtcnLhgijrdpoDHJPlEFk1wZVBr7Y3LH01ef9O5a8kdj3NdX6yjknvKhzY0DxYXY9k7jQhSnZXhQt8-BYTtyNEHYSIDrUrOO7C2g6GeIs-IpPulFinZamqKfPJppsnOKgg/s640/greenlines.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The Greenest Beirut has ever been was during the war, from 1982 and 1992. This is because a line divided the city--a no-man's zone where fighting occurred--which was overgrown and created a green desert landscape. To qualify for the WHO city networks Beirut will need to demolish 41% of its existing fabric, and this is only regarding the existing urban population which is still continuously increasing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadFrA3wMkMJTYIkGw6YBMxMO6uBwom-7TmHbVCDaeQ2ag8mGYhUcmHfFCsM0eMNSJZiA1_4AayKYAo2Z59iypfBV120dxeP1NmElQHg85osZFOO-b51fcESbQxTSzPcwL4s6xddMuYQY/s1600/b1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadFrA3wMkMJTYIkGw6YBMxMO6uBwom-7TmHbVCDaeQ2ag8mGYhUcmHfFCsM0eMNSJZiA1_4AayKYAo2Z59iypfBV120dxeP1NmElQHg85osZFOO-b51fcESbQxTSzPcwL4s6xddMuYQY/s640/b1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">In CITIES that value the density of their urban fabric, a green infrastructure needs to be inserted into the existing city fabric. We need to reimagine what and how we can inject public green space in such cities. Such is the case in Beirut where the urban fabric and the real estate is in such high demand for housing and other basic urban needs.We need to start dreaming of new types of public green-spaces that can be inserted into existing congested cities. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-85457050756762186942011-07-02T14:19:00.000+03:002011-07-02T14:21:53.094+03:00On the agency of designers:<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Are designer’s only observers, autonomous creators, self interested professions, victims of the market or can they also be enablers, activists and resistive agents within their field</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">? </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Through their work, designers/architects have been tackling large infrastructural, ecological, urban, and regional systems and through their involvement with public buildings, they have touched upon culture, religion, and education among others. Following a shift in the scale of their tasks in the past few decades, it appears that architects and designers at large have acquired more power to shape their environments. They concretize social, political and economic interactions and can have an agency in their production. Therefore design practices can have a more active and transformative influence in </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">shaping contemporary urban realities. Although urban environments and their design cannot single-handedly solve deep-rooted problems, they, coupled with political and social conditions, can alter and affect each other. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Therefore, architects should no longer be submissive to the demands of clients and their agendas and programs but should be part of shaping the agenda and the strategy to achieve it. International institutional buildings that have emerged as a type of office building that will produce peace is an example of a typology that the architect on the project should challenge. Even though a building to house bureaucratic needs is inevitable yet if the reality is to create dialogue and coexistence or bring the international community closer to its source of intervention these building have clearly failed as spaces. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQQyT9s4p5Qk9w9z0NTOuc6rmQyR3brcMWmFHGVuORP9QqlFgVErYjYp-gYU_MJFLHpBz3_c7L0s5kX-uf3PymL5OiSLZHnzk_vADMcQPExNGng7ZbTcvAyFN-He2CxFFY3_cQzuZvMs/s1600/b3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQQyT9s4p5Qk9w9z0NTOuc6rmQyR3brcMWmFHGVuORP9QqlFgVErYjYp-gYU_MJFLHpBz3_c7L0s5kX-uf3PymL5OiSLZHnzk_vADMcQPExNGng7ZbTcvAyFN-He2CxFFY3_cQzuZvMs/s640/b3a.jpg" width="622" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walls wrap the building entrances seen in Google earth (no pictures of ESCWA walls are allowed)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Look at the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FUnited_Nations&h=DAQBY4wu4" target="_blank" title="United Nations"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">United Nations</span></a> Economic and Social Commission for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Asia" target="_blank" title="West Asia"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Western Asia</span></a> , ESCWA, in Beirut for example. A huge building, set up in Beirut, has built huge concrete and sand walls around it with constant armed guards walking around. This building has created a gated pocket in Beirut that’s sits in the city’s most expensive and inaccessible real estate surrounded by high walls as a prove to the failure of such spaces specifically in urban contexts. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjliAPAzkd-KcXRaeTLP2u7tn0WbRD1rKQ1b6brM4YHNSE-QNLp1vQWwHt37hCnmGSvsLnLxemIM2KCDaQNShdW_DWwSWaNCIXkG3H_r0ATOPGzjxlLeZjasgzZmAfdxTbWLNuKKK4zTM/s1600/bg3b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjliAPAzkd-KcXRaeTLP2u7tn0WbRD1rKQ1b6brM4YHNSE-QNLp1vQWwHt37hCnmGSvsLnLxemIM2KCDaQNShdW_DWwSWaNCIXkG3H_r0ATOPGzjxlLeZjasgzZmAfdxTbWLNuKKK4zTM/s640/bg3b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Yet if agendas of public buildings and their budgets are used to build institutions that in themselves will help in achieving their agendas and are accessible and open then architects and designers transform their interventions from objects within the landscape to spaces that can unite and invite and encourage certain interactions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724043031283924282.post-68264661312955700722011-06-25T18:30:00.002+03:002011-10-16T16:57:33.870+03:00Urban Agriculture in Beirut<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The world is urbanizing continuously and at a vast rate. The United Nations predicts that by 2030 more than half of the world population will be living in cities. About thirty five percent of Lebanon’s inhabitants live in Beirut and its suburbs. This dense city that continues to densify at a rapid scale raises several concerns one of which is food security. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Food security has taken the forefront in many debates recently and has also been placed in the millennium development goals. Yet except for some student interest and a few workshops and course work funded at the American University of Beirut this debate has not been addressed and no clear action or government proposals or initiatives can be found. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">To address food security for Beirut planners, policy makers, and municipal officials need to reevaluate the potential of urban agriculture. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVqYyjSEmpLd_YAQvBm4jbk4lkL5XhMt0gBqubrBRb7o6BakOEJ6zRrjMAMvj90UQdNTeKt4xrYBl43DCP2reRGUtku1IVYmsYyOfOA1MS0b3oE7alkQymYDCDnA0GxTtC2Rh9RzLZeo/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVqYyjSEmpLd_YAQvBm4jbk4lkL5XhMt0gBqubrBRb7o6BakOEJ6zRrjMAMvj90UQdNTeKt4xrYBl43DCP2reRGUtku1IVYmsYyOfOA1MS0b3oE7alkQymYDCDnA0GxTtC2Rh9RzLZeo/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKkSjrdzdq_9UuPpev6mgMuTcZGEaFtBTOZuuoRI_ENhGkCQv0WE0uNRbkYySdvJTSpu_ms8egQlXbHuawTipuPYpeH5TZ8tNNAgwyiE1YZxnk0RYpjybHqwt5pteyWY80G0DXuGL3iM/s1600/map+1923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKkSjrdzdq_9UuPpev6mgMuTcZGEaFtBTOZuuoRI_ENhGkCQv0WE0uNRbkYySdvJTSpu_ms8egQlXbHuawTipuPYpeH5TZ8tNNAgwyiE1YZxnk0RYpjybHqwt5pteyWY80G0DXuGL3iM/s640/map+1923.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 1923 map of Beirut </span> http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lla146X4eX1qgzjpgo1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1310980712&Signature=80Fq66T7dBs5MLH3api4SrFSgXQ%3D</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beirut’s urban agriculture</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beirut had a long and eventful history which makes its city plans and growth difficult to study in detail and categorize. Yet taking a set of maps from different periods shows a growth of the city that can be characterized as unplanned especially from 1980s onward during which the city’s political problems were exacerbated by a civil war that over‐densified the city and caused the over‐taking of the agriculture zone.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq8qg_nvHicbAaEd8IXcFlho-fRhonNhfwE7VtfIr0GUdrwategpp6oblVq0lD-rvavxC0AiHCIGFAEBBHbHpslozbQhtAjl7vmbBVEiZ2EI2Uk03W_z6VG6Bv1sCnEpBVVmIJPIWNuU/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq8qg_nvHicbAaEd8IXcFlho-fRhonNhfwE7VtfIr0GUdrwategpp6oblVq0lD-rvavxC0AiHCIGFAEBBHbHpslozbQhtAjl7vmbBVEiZ2EI2Uk03W_z6VG6Bv1sCnEpBVVmIJPIWNuU/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Beirut is compromised of 60% of the urban population of Lebanon and almost five times the population of the second largest city in Lebanon, Tripoli. Its estimated population has reached 2 million, however, only a century ago the population of the city was barely 6000.</span> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">“The scale and scope of urbanization has overcome the city's resources and ability to effectively supply the increasing demand for urban space “(macalester.edu, 2010).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMkKNOj-5Bljk9bWWidVMBD-A7MJRjvjehCtcmdSn2gIVJXoSkaRGFLsVbj61kJfNSOUWp6KJuTv5l_XGHXSDpOoSw5NsqeWgM00irY2y7Un4FBPT6aXSQ7zRSKddAg4Dh0jjI-U6dP0/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMkKNOj-5Bljk9bWWidVMBD-A7MJRjvjehCtcmdSn2gIVJXoSkaRGFLsVbj61kJfNSOUWp6KJuTv5l_XGHXSDpOoSw5NsqeWgM00irY2y7Un4FBPT6aXSQ7zRSKddAg4Dh0jjI-U6dP0/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"></span><b>The case of urban agriculture in the city:</b></span></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This unplanned expansion took over Beirut’s outer suburbs and informally urbanized them. The few urban agriculture plots are located in Chouifat and extend into hay al selloum , the Nahr Beirut area, the "Metropolitan" hotel area and Daychuniyyeh Valley. The largest of which is Hay al selloum/ chouifat edge. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Beiruts Southern suburbs</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hay El Selloum, a neighborhood in the southern suburbs of Beirut which is an informal settlement that grew from an olive grove to one of the densest neighborhoods in Lebanon. The area houses about 15 percent of the population of Beirut today. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Hay al Selloum: </b>evolution from a productive land to an ‘unhealthy’ dense urban fragment</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIM1bhb0glSmt3sdSFReFn3h02asd8HlFwKIFq-JAN9uWnCGvB4FWRC68LxdZ5wOxvmRvBzJdO_2kPqbosK6mvTb4SuHTUIYrx8174AT6mNa_xVM-rDGiU9I7umUpBRPvqhjnGYKfa-Q/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIM1bhb0glSmt3sdSFReFn3h02asd8HlFwKIFq-JAN9uWnCGvB4FWRC68LxdZ5wOxvmRvBzJdO_2kPqbosK6mvTb4SuHTUIYrx8174AT6mNa_xVM-rDGiU9I7umUpBRPvqhjnGYKfa-Q/s640/4.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Phase 1: INDEPENDENCE (1943) TO 1970</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lebanon:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hay al Selloum is located in Beirut the capital of Lebanon. Lebanon’s history is unique in that its independence from the French rule in 1943 did not introduce a process of nation building characterized by planning agencies and welfare state promises that most post colonial societies attempted on achieving. Instead, the state committed itself to ultimate liberalism with total disregard to the public sector (Gaspard 2004). The historical and blind faith in the “free market” has continually translated by the reluctance and weak interventions of the Lebanese government and the provision of services, including the provision of housing (Sadik 1996). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">During that 1970s, the olive groves and agriculture land of Hay al Selloum were being transformed into an area for low-income shelter for refugees. The area is between the airport and the industrial zone of Choueifat. A 15-minute car ride takes the residents into the central district of Beirut. The area was mostly controlled by Druze and Christian families that owned the land or inherited it. As <b>land value</b> in the area rose the agricultural land was transformed into one of the most congested residential areas in Beirut, with a density of 1400people\ha in 1999 (Fawaz, 2005) . </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilShA1PILRbwoZtxGlhnMblNjWwcPHHKtfYihH3YkCEdkY17BbJEzI1NYUUWqdhyLtBdXi0EGhexwe1LRdjW-vxyOoQqVqYfamUV3XZnkqRV8bECcDY7xKG0ZLhTitrpj1g41BNmYEL9E/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilShA1PILRbwoZtxGlhnMblNjWwcPHHKtfYihH3YkCEdkY17BbJEzI1NYUUWqdhyLtBdXi0EGhexwe1LRdjW-vxyOoQqVqYfamUV3XZnkqRV8bECcDY7xKG0ZLhTitrpj1g41BNmYEL9E/s640/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Phase2: informal markets (1975-1990)</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Lebanese civil war (1975-1990) divided the country and Beirut into two parts along religious lines. During that time, little planning interventions were conducted. This phase is characterized by greater violations of public regulations. As a result the area was unplanned and the market encourages a total disregard to agriculture and the economy it generated for the city, neighborhood and residents. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Skb_bZO_M2DVQkkXiGtUIfAwxqumAv5r2tZh4LOBwS1ox8RNnUCuXaBt-hK_c4SakS3GK174qK9nXQkXvf5DuupHKGJEsb8lPiqNFPZnwK5c4HPUXjw5b_iWHtlgYXNsvcKq8u_Xh0w/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Skb_bZO_M2DVQkkXiGtUIfAwxqumAv5r2tZh4LOBwS1ox8RNnUCuXaBt-hK_c4SakS3GK174qK9nXQkXvf5DuupHKGJEsb8lPiqNFPZnwK5c4HPUXjw5b_iWHtlgYXNsvcKq8u_Xh0w/s640/6.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Phase 3: post-war phase(1992) – legal developments</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lebanon:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since the end of the civil war, the devastation did not change the states historic faith in the market. Instead of recognizing the need to build a nation, by strengthening its institutions, in addition to housing interventions, that were much needed, the state limited itself to two reconstruction projects (Najem 2000).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first is the national emergency plan (NERP), which is a five-year plan and the second is the Plan Horizon 2005. These projects focused on only physical infrastructure that was limited to airport, highways, water and electricity systems and large-scale touristic projects, like renovating the city’s urban core into a high-end business district for the international elite.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The implications of this situation shaped the third face of urbanization in Hay al Selloum further. The developers who had taken control of the market in such a high-risk situation were after making money. They created large-scale multi story housing complexes that began as legal projects with formalized permits and increased by a system of informal land subdivision.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FS2z0duEx2SaAeLWEteVsrEJjBCuuwWoKkIoHoC_83naMJArgv1ULeVNW55JTteo7dDhhisBp4MgDOEvQalRTWZiSpl_EgtvCcQAD8UluJA9d9qukG-6G7M1y9m8NtuC6RsOES_MZPc/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FS2z0duEx2SaAeLWEteVsrEJjBCuuwWoKkIoHoC_83naMJArgv1ULeVNW55JTteo7dDhhisBp4MgDOEvQalRTWZiSpl_EgtvCcQAD8UluJA9d9qukG-6G7M1y9m8NtuC6RsOES_MZPc/s640/8.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">The disappearing of most urban agriculture in a 30 years’ time frame destroyed a healthy urban economic and ecological system. The lack of government institutions to recognize the cities potential in the organic system it had in the 1950s of embedding the urban agriculture with its urban ecosystem continues today.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Previously Beiruts urban agriculture included </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">1-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>the use of typical urban resources such as organic waste as compost </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">2-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>the use of urban waste water for irrigation as early as the 1960s</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">3-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>In addition urban residents especially women worked as laborers in the fields. </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">4-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>direct links with consumers and vibrant healthy food markets</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">5-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span> plus being part of the urban food systems created decreased urban poverty and increased urban food security</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">6-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span> solved problems with the disposal of urban wastes and waste water </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">7-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><span dir="LTR"></span>Maintained air and river qualities.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b>Past present and Future </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">The case shows how the lack of government initiatives and problems with land tenure and market land prices make urban agriculture rarer in cities like Beirut. Moreover hardly controlled imported crops and competition with them also make the agriculture sector in Lebanon weak. Several steps can be taken to encourage urban agriculture. These may include protection and promotion of urban agriculture by the government. In addition planners may also encourage that all empty plots including all municipal and ‘wakf’ land become productive fields. Crops planted in the city and sold in the city should also be subsidized which will increase demand and encourage other plot owners to plant crops. Finally, plant some parsley, mint, and tomatoes on your balcony. I just did …ill post a picture of my tomatoes plant next time </div><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><div><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">References</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Bou-akar H. 2005, ‘Displacement, Politics, and Governance: Access to Low-Income Housing in a Beirut Suburb’, Master in City Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Brown B. (ed) 2000, Sustainable Architecture White Papers, New York: Earth Pledge Foundation,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Calthorpe P., `993, The Next American Metropolis: Ecology, Community and the American Dream, New York: Princeton Architectural Press,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Castell, M., 1972. ‘Urban renewal and social conflict in Paris’, in Social Science Information, Vol.11, No 2, pp. 93-124. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">CDR, 1992, (council for development and reconstruction), ‘Horizon 2000: for reconstruction and development’, Beirut: CDR-Report- Republic of Lebanon</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">CDR 1995, ‘Evalution des Dommage :Habitat’, Beirut: CDR- Republics of Lebanon</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Chambers, R. 1995, ‘Poverty and livelihoods: whose reality counts?’, Environment and Urbanization 7(1), 173-204</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Chapter 5 GREEN COVERAGE AND PROTECTED AREAS, unknown, (n.d.), </span><a href="http://www.unep.org/sport_env/Activities/BeijingReport08/pdfs/chapter5.pdf"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.unep.org/sport_env/Activities/BeijingReport08/pdfs/chapter5.pdf</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote"> last accessed april 2010</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Daily star. 2009 </span><a href="http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?editionID=1&articleID=108474&categ_id=2#axzz0kyn1EDHf"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?editionID=1&articleID=108474&categ_id=2#axzz0kyn1EDHf</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Davis, M. 2004, “planet of slums: Urban Involution and the Informal Proletariat”, New Left Review, Vol 26, pp5-34</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Davis, M. (2007), Planet of slums: London, Verso</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Dramstad W., Olson J., 1996, Landscape Ecology Principles in Landscape Architecture and Land-Use Planning, Washington, D.C.: Island Press</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">El-Khazen 2000, ‘The Breakdown of the State in Lebanon, 1967-1976’. London: LB Tauris</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Franck K, 2005, Food + the city, Chichester: Wiley-Academy</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">ESCOBAR , A. 1995, ‘Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking of the Third World, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Fawaz, M. 2004, ‘Strategizing For Housing: An investigation of the Production and Regulation of Low-income Housing in the suburbs of Beirut’, MIT: Unpublished PHD dissertation.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Gili G., 1999, Ecourbanismo: entornos humnos sostenibles; 60 proyectos = Ecourbanism: sustainable human settlements: 60 case studies Barcelona</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Green thumb, (n.d.), last accessed april 2010, </span><a href="http://www.greenthumbnyc.org/"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.greenthumbnyc.org</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Harb, M. (2001). Urban Governance in Post-War Beirut: Resources, Negotiations, and Contestations in the Elyssar Project. In S. Shami, Capital Cities: Ethnographies of Urban Governance in the Middle East (pp. 111-133). Toronto: Toronto University Press.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Harb, M. (Ed.). (2003). The Lebanese National Master Plan. City Debates 2003 Proceedings. Beirut: American University of Beirut.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">HRC, Higher Relief Council, n.d, Lebanon Under Siege website, </span><a href="http://www.lebanonundersiege.gov.lb/english/f/Info/Page.asp?PageID=127"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.lebanonundersiege.gov.lb/english/f/Info/Page.asp?PageID=127</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote"> last accessed march 2008</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Juppenlatz, M. 197o, ‘Cities in Transformation: The Urban Squatter Problem of the Developing World’, St Lusia: Universityof Queensland Press</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Kassab, S. 1997. “On two conceptions of globalization: the debate around the reconstruction of Beirut” in Ayse oncu & weyland(ed) in space, culture and power: new identities in globalizing cities, zed books, London</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Lee H., 2009, Going organic in Beirut : A new organic grocery shop in Achrafieh reflects the growing popularity of organic food. Published in Now Lebanon(<a href="http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=120088"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=120088</span></a> ). last accessed april 2010 </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Lomborg B., 2001, The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Mendler S., Odell W., 2000, The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design,, New York: John Wiley & Sons</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Owen D., 2004, GREEN MANHATTAN Why New York is the greenest city in the U.S., published in new Yorker </span><a href="http://www.greenbelt.org/downloads/resources/newswire/newswire_11_04GreenManhattan.pdf"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.greenbelt.org/downloads/resources/newswire/newswire_11_04GreenManhattan.pdf</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote"> , last accessed april 2010</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Project for public space, (n.d.), <a href="http://www.pps.org/info/city_commentaries/new_york/nyc_opportunities"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.pps.org/info/city_commentaries/new_york/nyc_opportunities</span></a>, NYC , last accessed april 2010</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">RUAF FOUNDATION, (n.d.), </span><a href="http://www.ruaf.org/node/513"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.ruaf.org/node/513</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote"> last accessed april 2010 </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Ruano, M. 1999, Eco-Urbanism: Sustainable Human Settlements, 60 Case Studies, Editorial Gustavo Gili</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Steel C., 2009, Hungry City. How Food Shapes Our Lives, Vintage Books, London</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Slow food : Hamra Earth Market in Beirut, Lebanon A project bringing good, clean and fair producers together with local consumers, (n.d.), </span><a href="http://www.slowfoodfoundation.com/pdf/fotostorie/beirut_eng.pdf"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.slowfoodfoundation.com/pdf/fotostorie/beirut_eng.pdf</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote">, last accessed april 2010 </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Slow food NGO , (n.d.), </span><a href="http://slowfoodbeirutb.blogspot.com/"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://slowfoodbeirutb.blogspot.com/</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote"> last accessed april 2010</span> <span class="textfootnote"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Souk al tayeb , (n.d.), </span><a href="http://www.soukeltayeb.com/soukElTayebArticle.php?id=11"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.soukeltayeb.com/soukElTayebArticle.php?id=11</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote"> ) , last accessed april 2010</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">World Bank, 2003: Land Policies for Growth and Poverty Reduction. A World Bank Policy Research Paper</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (n.d.), </span><a href="http://www.euro.who.int/Healthy-cities"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.euro.who.int/Healthy-cities</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote">, last accessed april 2010</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Wines, J. , 1999, Green Architecture, Cologne: Taschen</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Van deer Linden, J.1994, ‘ Where Do We Go From Here?’, Third World Planning Review, Vol 16, No 3, PP223-228</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Van der Ryn, S. 1996, Ecological Design, Stuart Cowan, Washington, D.C.: Island Press</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Un habitat (2003), ‘the challenge of slums: global report on human settlements’, London: Earthscan</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 112.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -112.5pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textfootnote">Macalester.edu 2010, The Urbanization and City Plan of Beirut </span><a href="http://www.macalester.edu/courses/geog61/jmhamilton/cityplan.html"><span class="textfootnote"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">http://www.macalester.edu/courses/geog61/jmhamilton/cityplan.html</span></span></a><span class="textfootnote">, last accessed april 2010</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></div>srhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11922740967252084103noreply@blogger.com2