hi everyone
we went to a public space intervention in sassine square in east beirut. It is a very busy intersection in a highly congested area. The intervention was to put grass patches on some areas of the concrete where people can sit, eat, drink, play, like a park! It was a very interesting experience because it was a very small piece of land that was turned into an area where the public can interact and communicate for a day. Also, it was surrounded by passing cars, shops like starbucks that are private and lots of big franchises. People who did not know what was going on would pass by and get flyers and information about the cause for public green space. Word spread about it mostly through facebook and everyone was asked to bring something green with them to make it more like a park - potted flowers and plants, dogs, picnic baskets, games, music...etc. But I think that it is also interesting to see in the pictures the reaction of some people who may have found this idea foreign and were not so comfortable, for example just standing on the side and watching. Also you can see that the authorities were watching to make sure no boundaries were crossed. Here are some pictures, as well as a reading about 'horch beirut' the only big park in beirut that could be turned into public space but isn't. (sorry the reading is messy, its actually a thesis by a student in aub - i had to scan it in!)
okay im trying to post the pdf im not sure how to do it! please let me know if it works!
file:///Users/MacBookPro/Desktop/horch%20beirut%20reading%20-%20public%20green%20space.pdf
we went to a public space intervention in sassine square in east beirut. It is a very busy intersection in a highly congested area. The intervention was to put grass patches on some areas of the concrete where people can sit, eat, drink, play, like a park! It was a very interesting experience because it was a very small piece of land that was turned into an area where the public can interact and communicate for a day. Also, it was surrounded by passing cars, shops like starbucks that are private and lots of big franchises. People who did not know what was going on would pass by and get flyers and information about the cause for public green space. Word spread about it mostly through facebook and everyone was asked to bring something green with them to make it more like a park - potted flowers and plants, dogs, picnic baskets, games, music...etc. But I think that it is also interesting to see in the pictures the reaction of some people who may have found this idea foreign and were not so comfortable, for example just standing on the side and watching. Also you can see that the authorities were watching to make sure no boundaries were crossed. Here are some pictures, as well as a reading about 'horch beirut' the only big park in beirut that could be turned into public space but isn't. (sorry the reading is messy, its actually a thesis by a student in aub - i had to scan it in!)
file:///Users/MacBookPro/Desktop/horch%20beirut%20reading%20-%20public%20green%20space.pdf
also, these are previous interventions done by the same group to promote green space....
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