From the Souks to the Sea - Beirut Coastal Pavilion

A response to concurrent issues in Beirut, Lebanon. Pairing the lack of neutral public space and the exploitation of public maritime property on Beirut's coast with the August 4th, 2020 Blast at the Port of Beirut creates a network of relationships that reconnects the inhabitants of Beirut with the sea. The blast reveals an openness between the city and the sea where the former port disconnected the two. Coastal reclamation reinforces the people’s connection to their coastal identity and provides a common meeting ground for all sects. An urban scale intervention acts to connect the city and the sea through a public beach that lines the perimeter of the former coast. A new typology consisting of an open air souk, a pavilion, a beach facility and a sea bath creates a linear precession from the city to the sea.