On 4th August 2020, the Lebanese capital city of Beirut was decimated by an explosion of 2 750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, an explosive substance that had been inappropriately stored in the cities port for the past 6 years. The explosion is considered one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. bordering the northern coast of the city. The explosion killed 204 people. A further 6 500 injured. At least 150 people left permanently disabled. Homes as far as 10 kilometers away were damaged. Up to 300 000 people left homeless.
The common phrases heard in the midst of COVID-19 no longer made sense. Hearing “stay home”, “save lives”, “wash your hands”, “wear your mask”, “social distancing”, and “stay safe”, was ironic. With the struggles the world has faced during COVID-19, Beirut had on a more horrific scale.
Mar Mikhael, is a historic neighbourhood in central Beirut. The area has heavily developed over the past 100 years. The only continuous feature is the Mar Mikhael train station to the East of the site, which was built to establish Beirut as a strategic trading city, providing access to the Mediterranean.
The church of St. Michel, of which Mar Mikhael is named, became the central point in the development of our site, providing a central point for its community. Massive urban development can be seen in Mar Mikhael from 1961, with the build-up of large urban cells, of which one, the projects site takes a corner of.
The site chosen is one that hasn’t changed throughout Beirut’s vast history. The fact that it has remained a constant amidst all this, and is located in a very central zone helps it act as a catalyst for change. The selected site, a car park, can be seen as a scar in the urban build up of Mar Mikhael. It appears to have once been the part of a larger urban block, but now is a void in the plan, with the car park acting more as a barrier than a space to foster activity in the centre of the area.
The building designed aims to house the displaced, elderly, young business owners, young families, creatives etc. in order to redefine housing in the gentrified Mar Mikhael to be one that is inclusive, and helps the people or Beirut rebuild their community together as one hand.
Tala-Carol Khouri
Jack Francis