Venice, Italy (14 September, 2021) – On the occasion of the 17th Venice Architecture Biennale, leading architects come together to discuss and plan the future rebuilding of Beirut. The one year anniversary of the blast in Beirut, the city is closed to due a civil war, and faces major challenges. With a desperate need of infrastructure to determine what strategies should be adopted to reinvent a Metropolis on the Mediterranean.
With UNESCO, and key organizations, urgent action has taken place in Beirut to help rebuild the city. There is a larger question – to address city and port planning and create a Master plan. This conference will address the challenges and present solutions. It will look at how to use tactical urbanism, new tech tools to achieve a coherent masterplan design. Job creation, how to improve the situation of local communities concerning their immediate environment and community enhancement are topics to be discussed.
Over millennia, human beings have evolved within and in response to the natural environment. Today, over half the world’s population lives in urban environments, increasing at a rate of 65 million a year (UN) – a little over 100 years ago that figure was 20% and by 2050 it is set to rise to 68% (UN). Of the 108 billion people that have ever lived, according to the Population Reference Bureau, only 4% have ever lived in cities (Takooshian, 2005). Humans are a highly adaptive species, but even we are struggling to adjust to such a rapid shift. Cities can feel bewildering and overwhelming, causing people to long for contemplative, natural spaces.
Cities are exciting, tolerant places, where ideas and culture thrive. However, many inhabitants also suffer. Social inequalities, obesity, stress and anxiety, isolation, air pollution and little access to green or blue space are just some of the aspects of city life that negatively impact human wellbeing. Over the last months, the coronavirus pandemic has brought widespread attention to these pressing and multilayered problems.
“Currently all NGO’s are concerned on a daily basis about feeding people and providing shelter. Reconstruction is ongoing. Lebanon was by far the richest country in the Middle East, but years of political crisis and exodus of the skilled craftsman brought Lebanon in this precarious situation. The port of Beirut is a theme that will be of crucial importance in the upcoming weeks and our conference will present the first time the new masterplan to a greater public.” — said Thomas Schinko, CEO, Vasconi Architectes
Main themes of the conference:
- Action on ONG, and tactical urbanism (overnight bike-lane implementation, pop-up stores
- Port and the city: development of the littoral (cargo, tourism, city port relation)
- Health in the City (hospital without walls, healthier city development, good will development)
The forum and the Gala is held at the San Clemente Island Palace Kempinski Hotel, Venice.
Key individuals in attendance include:
UNESCO
Mrs. Hedva Ser Goodwill Ambassador for Culture Diplomacy the UNESCO headquarter in Paris
Mrs. Anne Ajoux The Director of the UNESCO office in Venice
Union of International Architects ( UIA)
French Ministry of Culture
Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture
Federation of Lebanese Engineers and Architects
President of the Lebanese Federation of Engineers and Architects Mr. Jad Tabet
Renzo Piano (Architecture)
Lina Ghotmeh (Architecture)
Vasconi Architectes by Thomas Schinko
Tabanlioglu Architecture- Melkan Gursel
SY architects Beirut- Sylvia Yammine
CSPE Architecture – Giulio Felli
Marc Fiszer Architectural Studio
Head of Ancient Port of Genoa- Mr. Alberto Cappato
Ariella Masboungi General Director of Urbanism , France
Marlène GHORAYEB –(PHD, Dean) – à l’Ecole spéciale d’architecture
Olivier Boyer, Director of Hospital Cebter Regional D’ Orleans , France
The Super World (Key Sponsor),NFT Co- founder Hrish Lotlikar ( USA)
Krista Kim star NFT artist ( The Mars House) Canada
Zouhair Mourad – Designer
Yara Lapidus- French Lebanese Singer
Etibar Asadly – a star Jazz Pionist
Digital Twin ( USA)
Maurizio Rossi, founder of –H Farm
Özge Gunaydin UNESCO Artist( Sponsor )
The Water Fall Gallery, New York
Berenge Studio, Venice, Italy
TTC Timmler Technology and ADO Lights , Germany
MIT University
The Euroasian Center- Charles F. Sills (President)
ALBA University of Beirut City
Moneta Global
Mana Connect
