The Future of Public Spaces in Beirut, Lebanon

Architectural Association, School of Architecture History and Theory Studies Tutor: Dena Ziari 2020

The Future of Public Spaces in Beirut, Lebanon Aya Meskawi

Before the 2019 October Revolution in Lebanon, public spaces were both inaccessible and scarce because of the general privatization of the country.

Lebanon experienced a drastic civil war in 1975-1990 that divided the country based on religion and sects. This prolonged war destroyed the city of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. leaving behind war-torn buildings and deserted city strips. Rather than healing the result of this war, the Lebanese government fed on these religious and sectarian divisions and exacerbated the situation especially when the Hariri government introduced Solidere, a Lebanese development and urban planning company (Pinxteren,2019).

Solidere erased the history of Beirut. It destroyed more buildings than the civil war, demolished the old ruins left by the several civilizations that preceded us, and transformed the central district into an unrecognizable city.

An unrecognizable city that had lost its alleyways that were filled with elderly smoking shisha while playing cards, had lost its squares that were overflowing with carts selling shawarma and cotton candy, and had lost its public life. And the only few public spaces that Solidere included in its urban planning are currently besieged with armed forces, because it is bounded by a ghost-town of political institutions and parties.

The essay will first elaborate on how the Lebanese people reclaimed some of Beirut’s public spaces through abandoned buildings such as the Egg, the Opera house, and Hotel Saint George. In the successive stage, the paper will critique the end-result of this transformation to assess the safety and efficiency of the spaces which are currently used for political talks, open lectures held by civil-society groups, and much more.

3

Gabriele Basilico, Beirut After the War, 1991

4

Gabriele Basilico, Beirut After the War, 1991

5

The National , Beirut , 2020

6

The National, Beirut, 2020

7

The Importance of Public Spaces

Public space as a term has diversified meanings along different societies, countries, and time periods. However, constructing an accurate definition for the term is bound up by the delineation of contrasting features between ‘public’ and ‘private’ space. The core differences between the two spaces reside in the following: rules of access, rule of use, the nature of control over entry to this space (Low, 2008). Both public and private spaces are protected by state regulation; however, each one falls under different laws regarding access and entry. Private spaces are associated with far more restriction governed by the law when compared to public spaces. To be specific, a public space, whether indoors or outdoors, is accessible to a greater degree of public participation, and that participation is independent of the consent of a person or group of people, in contrast to private spaces (Low, 2008).

The public space has several vital roles in our society whether in shaping the community socially and economically, or in building an arena of political participations (Hoidn, Barabara, et al, 2016). Therefore, it is important to defend the right to public spaces, or else democracy wouldn’t exist. A democratic society is inconceivable and unviable without public spaces. Public spaces are a guarantee of freedom and privacy.

They capture the essence of individual liberty and autonomy in the contemporary physical world (Hoidn, Barabara, et al, 2016). City squares have always been the strategic place to be protest such as Zuccotti Park in New York City, Gezi Park/Taksim Square in Istanbul, and Place de la Republique in Paris. In Lebanon, such squares exist such as Martyrs square and Nejmeh square in Downtown Beirut but have been repurposed by the government as parking spaces to control gathering of citizens and protests, but they have been reclaimed by the citizens through the 2019 October Revolution in Lebanon.

Thierry Chestnut, Protestors Following the Attack on Charlie Hebdo, Place de la Republique, Paris, 2015

8

Reduction of Public Spaces in Lebanon

Numerous reasons limited the amount of public spaces in Lebanon such as the redevelopment of these spaces through changes of political eras, uncontrolled and unregulated privately own developments, civil war that divided the city and destroyed public spaces, and lack of zoning regulations. As stated by the UN, Beirut has only 0.8 square meter of green spaces per capita, whereas, the World Health Organization stated that a minimum of 9 square meter per capita is required (Sinno, 2020).

Before the civil war, Beirut was filled with street markets, accessible and popular public spaces that attracted people with different religion, backgrounds and socio-economic statuses (Sinno, 2020). However, Beirut’s public spaces suffered with time. especially after the civil war and after the emergence of the green line, a line of demarcation that divided the city. It separated Muslim West Beirut and Christian East Beirut reaching full segregation and homogeneity in each sector as the civil war continued (Sinno, 2020).

The green line was named after the green belt that emerged in the geographical spot separating the two sectors. Trees and grass grew in this spot, covering the streets underneath it creating a border of the city resembling the borders that of China and Berlin, only difference was these borders were man-made and that of Beirut was all natural (.A, 2016). Ironically, the green spaces in Beirut reached its highest percentage per capita during the war which is 12 percent of the city’s area. In 2010, the percentage of green spaces decreased to 0.8 percent per capita (Sinno, 2020).

After the civil war, development and reconstruction of Beirut took place by Solidere, a Lebanese development and urban planning company (Sinno, 2020). The challenge of this development was to re-integrate and re-unify the city of Beirut. Beirut Central District, designed by Solidere, supposedly consists of wide paved streets, large public squares, and ruins that date back to the Ottoman, Roman, and French periods. In reality, the wide paved streets are loaded with heavy security that limit the access of the public to protect political parties and institutions. The large public squares such as Martyrs’ square and Nejmeh square are transformed by the government into parking spaces. Most of the heritage and ruins were destroyed and replaced by new developments rather than being renovated and restored by Solidere. Nonetheless, the new high-rise developments lead to a process of urban densification which contribute to the reduction of public spaces through privatization (Sinno, 2020).

Marc Deville, The Verdant Demarcation Line, Downtown Beirut, 1990. https://timeline.com/daily-life-continued-in-beirut-during-civil-war-37ad777d9ea8

9

The October Revolution in Lebanon

On October 17, 2019, protests in Lebanon ignited when the government announced a tax fee on several internet services such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger (Naamani, 2019). However, that wasn’t the main reason people hit the streets. Citizens of Lebanon were frustrated by the magnitude of corruption of the government which has been continuously stealing its citizens money, leaving the country in economic debt and crisis (Naamani, 2019). Having no dedicated public spaces for protest, people were forced to find alternative ways to demand for their rights and voice their needs. Other than using the internet, protestors were able to claim abandoned buildings, public squares and streets. Civil society groups such as Beirut Madinati “Beirut My City”, engaged people to participate in public lectures and debates regarding the future of the country. Those abandoned buildings were the residual of the Lebanese Civil War and were left in their torn-after-war states such as the Egg and Beirut Opera House. They became the used public space of the protestors especially when the streets can no longer be closed to protest. They even became more than a political space, they hosted parties and non-political screenings. People came together in that space. People treated this as their own public space. However, being destroyed and bombed in the war, these buildings don’t function structurally as they were supposed to. They have lost their structural properties and have not been restored or renovated to accommodate many protestors. Therefore, it is important to question the efficiency of the abandoned buildings as the new public spaces in Lebanon, not only in terms of structure but also in terms of typology, accessibility, and maintenance.

Unkown Photographer, Protestors of the October Revolution , Martyrs’ Square, Beirut, 2019

10

...Sitting alongside Martyrs’ Square in Beirut, a domed brutalist structure rests vacant. Weathered by war and time, its bullet filled façade is exposed, alongside reinforced steel rods protruding out of it. A sketchy staircase leads to its roof, as if it leads to nowhere. An open void is punctured with light casting shadows inside a hollowed spaced theatre commonly known as the Egg...

11

The Iconic Egg

The Egg was designed in 1965 by a Lebanese modernist architect named Joseph Phillipe Karam (Khoury, 2017). It functioned as a cinema part of a Beirut City Center Complex for a few years before the civil war (Barrington, 2019). This complex was supposed to host the biggest mall in the Middle East alongside office spaces in one of its two towers, but only the dome and one of the towers were built leaving the complex uncompleted (Khoury, 2017). However, the Egg ended up losing its spectators only for it to become a spectator of the civil war. During the 15 years of conflict, its walls witnessed a lot of rape, massacre and violence leaving the Egg damaged (Pivot, 2016). The Egg have seen atrocities in a no man’s land and then was left vacant.

After the civil war, the Egg became an iconic figure after surviving the conflict and still standing in the heart of the cosmopolitan city. Threatened to be demolished, the Egg is surrounded by buildings destroyed more by Solidere than by the war. This area has been rebuilt by Solidere leaving it unrecognizable. This iconic Egg reminded the people of a Beirut before the civil war, of a Beirut they knew. “... it reminded the people of a pre-war heritage …” mentioned Dania Bdeir, founder of “Save The Egg” page on FaceBook, in an interview with Aimee Merheb (Merheb, 2010). This page started when Dania Bdeir found an article written in 2006 by Raafat Majzoub that the Egg was going to be demolished and the land was sold to foreign Arab investors (Merheb, 2010). By the help of Indyact, a league of independent activists, a peaceful demonstration took place inside of the Egg in form of a concert, viewing also certain art works by talented artists, that helped save the Egg from demolition (Merheb, 2010). Later, the Egg hosted several events and parties such as the opening of a new Louis Vuitton store in Beirut to exhibiting the work of Saint Hoax, a pseudonymous artist and activist, and Plastik magazine, and then it was also left vacant.

Eli Rezkallah, The Egg, Beirut, 2018 https://www.plastikmagazine.com/shop/beiruttheegg

12

The Egg during the 2019 October Revoluton

After being left vacant for years, the Egg was revived by Lebanese protestors during the October Revolution in 2019. The Egg along several other landmarks were reclaimed by the citizens. Professors held classes and lectures inside of the Egg discussing democracy, youth movements, and protests (Sinno, 2020). Activists held screenings of Lebanese films and iconic documentaries (Sinno, 2020). Even at night, protestors organized techno parties that were open to everyone (Sawaya, 2019).

Artists used the exterior and interior surfaces as a canvas for their works. They have been tattooing its surfaces with graffiti expressing anger about the current situation in Lebanon. Citizens used the space as a resting area where they held sit-ins (Sawaya, 2019). Protestors were seen even climbing up the stairs to reach the roof of the Egg overlooking the entire protest. Even the exterior surfaces were used for projections such as in Independence Day, the surfaces became a slideshow of various patterns of the Lebanese flag (Sinno, 2020). Just in a few days, the Egg transformed to become a house for the public, a house for the cultural and artistic events. It became an extension of the city, and a public space.

However, even if these spaces have been revived as public spaces rather than being abandoned and dormant ones, is it efficient for these spaces to be the future of public spaces in Lebanon? Is it enough to have these spaces only in the future with their current physical state? Are they safe enough after being destroyed and left unrenovated for more than 30 years now?

During the revolution, I took part of the public lectures, events and all sorts of activities that happened inside of the Egg. And like all other protestors, I thrived to revive the abandoned landmark, claiming it as a public space. We revived it because we felt that we have some form of ownership over it. It was empty standing in the center of the privatized Downtown Beirut. Alleyways are besieged, Squares became parking spaces, and even our seashores are being taken away in private. This abandoned building along many others such as Beirut Opera house, gave hope for the people, but these spaces are not being took care of enough to become the future of public spaces in Lebanon because of their structure, typology, accessibility, and maintenance.

Nader Bahsoun, The interior of the Egg Filled with Protestors Attending a Lecture, Beirut, 2019 https://www.picuki.com/media/2161804485845310861

13

Structure, Typology, Accessibility, and Maintenance of the Egg

The Egg, built in 1974, is made out a thick concrete shell surface placed on a grid of beams and columns. If properly taken care of and constantly maintained, concrete shells can last up to 70 years and even more (Davis, 2017). However, when looking at the Egg’s history, it can be deduced that it has survived 46 years without maintenance till now, but in poor condition due to the destructions from the war. Even though it could last for an average of 24 more years, the lack of initial repair reduced its life span and durability. Not to mention that the reinforced steel rods that give structural support to the concrete shell are protruding out of it and visibly corroded.

This corrosion, left untreated, creates an expansion of the concrete causing it to crack (PCA, 2002). Therefore, the Egg is not structurally safe to access and attend and especially in a large amount such as during the 2019 October Revolution.

Most public spaces are known as vast and wide outdoors spaces such as parks, plazas, alleyways, and seashores. However, the Egg’s typology can be defined as one single domed indoor space that can fit based on its dimensions up to 300 people only (Merheb, 2010). Moreover, outdoors unsupervised spaces can give a higher level of safety and security than indoor unsupervised spaces. For example, several rape incidents took place in the structure because of its concealed and closed exterior that puts its users in visual isolation from the public (Pivot, 2016). Although it can house users and provide them with an enclosed space protected from army interventions, its physical state and dangerous reputation do not make it a safe place for leisure.

Public spaces should be accessible to the public unconditionally, to the elderly and to the youth, to the handicapped and to the healthy. However, the Egg’s only way to access is through a sequence of sketchy stairs that are not only inaccessible to handicapped and elderly but also inaccessible to those that fear heights. “… People just go and climb out these sketchy stairs, … I got to climb it, but it was much scarier than I imagined.” Zak Wright mentioned in his YouTube video (Wright, 2020). Moreover, these stairs along other elements are unmaintained. There are no safety measures such as railings for the roof or fences for the large open cavities. In addition, no hygienic interventions ever took place inside the Egg, one could smell the several scents inside ranging from the scent of the decay of food to the scent of human urine. Therefore, the Egg is not a safe place to access or to attend based on the factors of accessibility and maintenance.

Montasser Othman, The Egg, Beirut, 2019 https://blogbaladi.com/awesome-shots-from-the-egg-beirut/

14

To conclude, Lebanon lost its public spaces after the end of the civil war and after the redevelopment of Beirut Central District by Solidere. However, circumstances have changed in 2019, the October Revolution shed light on the importance of public spaces and the right to access them. Moreover, this revolution connected and healed the damages that resulted from the green line because people collaborated, and different sectors united in a common public space. Lebanese citizens demonstrated passion towards these inclusive and accessible spaces. They have shown that Beirut is capable of being a city of such spaces.

Even though abandoned buildings are not the sustainable future of public spaces, they reunited people, and gave them a hope for a future including one. A hope that might inspire decision makers, urban planners, and social practitioners to focus on creating a future that promotes accessibility, safety, and inclusivity of existing or new public spaces, where these spaces are an integral part of the city’s development. And these neglected buildings can be a part of the urban life only if they have been prioritized to be renovated, rehabilitated and redesigned to serve the community well. To create a better social life for the residents where opportunities are created, social cohesion can be facilitated, and freedom of speech and expression is achieved.

15

16

Bibliography 1. .A, Alex. “Green Line in Beirut-The Green Foliage That Marked the No Man’s Land during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990).” The Vintage News, 20 Apr. 2016, www.thevintagenews.com/2016/04/20/beirut-green-line/.

2. Barrington, L. (2019). Protests bring Beirut’s abandoned egg back to life. ProQuest. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.aub.edu.lb/docview/2310946385?pq-origsite=summon 3. Davis, Eric. “The Average Lifespan of Concrete.” Davis Concrete Correctors, 3 Feb. 2017, www.davisconcretecorrectors.com/2017/02/the-average-lifespan-of-concrete/.

4. Hoidn, Barbara, et al. Demo Polis: the Right to Public Space. Park Books, 2016.

5. Khoury, Melissa Plourde. “The Egg: Memory and Visual Structures Within Representations of an Iconic Lebanese Ruin.” Visual Communication Quarterly, 2017, www.tandfonline.com/loi/hvcq20.

6. Low, Setha M. The Politics of Public Space: Routledge, 2008.

7. Merheb, Aimee, director. Saving The Egg Documentary . Saving The Egg Documentary , 18 Jan. 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaYVIrFafBM&t=320s.

8. Naamani, Aseel. “Lebanese Youth Are Reclaiming Public Spaces with Arts and Dialogue.”

International Alert, 2019, www.international-alert.org/blogs/lebanese-youth-are-reclaiming-public-spaces-arts-and-dial ogue?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpLfzBRCRARIsAHuj6qVJzp-z36LCRihqIWFIsZ-QqwnvNN783KZm44XsTH01j19_etmW00aAtfNEALw_wcB. 9. PCA. “Corrosion of Embedded Metals.” Corrosion of Embedded Materials, 2002, www.cement.org/learn/concrete-technology/durability/corrosion-of-embedded-materials.

10. Pinxteren, Elsien van, and Harvard University. “BEIRUT’S MAKE OVER - The Meaning of ‘Solidere’ 15 Years Later.” Asfar, 15 Feb. 2019, www.asfar.org.uk/beiruts-make-over-the-meaning-of-solidere-15-years-later/.

11. Pivot. Exploring The Egg (‘Resilient Cities’: Beirut Episode 1 Clip). Exploring The Egg (‘Resilient Cities’: Beirut Episode 1 Clip), 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT_iNs70rxc.

12. Sawaya, Gioia. “In Photos: Beirut’s The Egg Revived as Architectural Symbol amid Lebanese Protests.” Architectural Digest Middle East, 31 Oct. 2019, www.admiddleeast.com/in-pictures-beiruts-the-egg-becomes-an-architectural-symbol-oflebanese-protests.

13. Sinno, Wael. “How People Reclaimed Public Spaces in Beirut during the 2019 Lebanese Uprising.” View of Vol. 5 n. 1 | 2020 | FULL ISSUE, 2020, www.journalpublicspace.org/index.php/jps/article/view/1264/776.

14. Wright, Zak, director. The Egg of BEIRUT, LEBANON. Youtube, 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7LQdEReR9A.

17