Problem:
This project focuses on the reconstruction of Martyr’s Square and the clearing around it in downtown Beirut. The vacant swath of land marks the historic Green Line that divided the city between Muslims and Christians during the civil war (1975 - 1990). Within this context, the question of what public space in the city is today and will be in the future was elemental.
Solution:
The design approach seeks to marry the metropolitan scale of The Green Line to its adjacent context by means of a series of towers that march along and memorialize this urban scar. On the ground, the bases of the towers bookend
four new public spaces including a beach front Tidal Lounge, an archaeological park, Matyr’s Square as an urban plaza, and a commercial strip called Schwarma Lane. These spaces bring the activity of everyday life back to the Green Line and create connections across previously segregated neighborhoods.