We Share This Street (Assaad Maroun)

What is my Master Plan all about?

The proposal calls for an interaction of the existing with the new. It does so by attempting to surface activities and uses already existent on the site and bringing them into light in new form. It is based on altering the existing and supplementing the necessities through the new. The proposal works with two major streets from either communities that intersect on the Old Saida Road, it creates uniformity through inserting a series of "pavilions" that surface creative productive activities. Each of these pavilions shares a relationship with a public outdoor space. The Master Plan is anchored at the center where both communities are brought together through economic interest and/or entertainment. At its either edges facilities needed by the residents are provided, these include sporting, multimedia libraries and parking spaces. The two street are treated in a way that both ends complement each other. Along this path new functions are introduced which include cafes and restaurants, this diversifies the street to not only include retail but also encouraging outdoor activities. The plan is finally stitched together through 3 types of landscape treatments that correspond to the programs around them, at the center, edges and in between transitions. This turns the whole street into a sort of linear park were events change as we move along east to west and vice versa also forming a new identity that links these two major commercial streets. 

How does it answer issues raised in the analysis phase?

The two streets, Assaad Assaad and Maroun Maroun act as major arteries and gateways to either area, at first glance they appear to be one street however social barriers divide them, this presents an opportunity to be incorporated as a single major street. The Master Plan revolves around the breaking of social barriers. Introducing a program were economic interest is shared invites people of both communities to work together. Historically and currently study has shown that both communities are able to cooperate when economic interest is shared. The program also pays homage to two significant periods in Chiyah's history, the agricultural and industrial, as it encourages both activities to take place. The area around Maroun Maroun and Assaad Assaad streets has been industrial and striving on production, slowly now it turns into an area marked by numerous retail stores as the factories have been demolished, however some of this production still takes place in the form of small workshops, i am encouraging this in aim for social interdependence and creative production.  Morphologically open spaces have become scarce and the whole area is marked by high density, the masterplan attempts to salvage what little open space is left and use it as a breathing space midst this high density.