Celebrating Cities: Something Old, Something New
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The project was chosen for International Selection and published in the competition catalogue as well as presented at the UIA conference.
The competition brief called for identifying a problem in our city, whether social, environmental, architectural etc... and proposing a sustainable, architectural solution. In my research, I studied the area of Moussaitbeh in Beirut, and deduced the following issues:
Something Old, Something New is exactly what its name suggests. Two structures, the renovated old house and a new modern structure come together and work as one to make the neighbourhood a better place. Metaphorically it represents how two generations or two different communities can work together to resolve many problems and make the area a better place. The introduction of a new structure would also work to emphasize the old, and the contrast between the two would give each more presence. The program brings together what is now a scattered, unorganized sprawl of programs around the area and combines them in one arena to bring everyone together. The program included a gym, classes, arts and crafts, an internet cafe and library. |