PA R T I C I PA C T I O N
We(B)eirut Design Frameworks For Collective Urban Healing & Recovery HUITING QIAN Master of Urban Design
YUE XU Master of Urban Design
ABSTRACT A cycle of trauma and recovery shaped modern Beirut. Years of destruction and reconstruction in Beirut have evolved into growing gentrification. In 2020, the explosion at the Port of Beirut shook the northeastern side of the capital, generating unprecedented losses of life and destroying large sections of the city. In the aftermath of the explosion, it became integral to the city’s recovery that post-trauma efforts address the remarkable pain and ongoing gentrification. This design proposal introduces a viable and inclusive space by connecting existing community assets through a web system to strengthen geographical, spatial, and social solidarity. Thus, the project’s name of We(B)eirut can be interpreted as “Web Beirut,” as well as “We Beirut.” The integration of multiple groups is intended to create a united community capable of resisting ongoing gentrification.
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