HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION - Reimagining Horsh Beirut OPEN COMPETITION - nahnoo
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HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION
Reimagining Horsh Beirut
OPEN COMPETITION
رابطة المهندسين األخصائيين في التنظيم المديني
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION
Reimagining Horsh Beirut
Open Competition
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. COMPETITION BRIEF
I. Framing the competition
II. Objectives
III. Competition’s action zone
IV. Historical overview
1. from the pine woods to the public garden
2. Post-war reconstruction challenges
3. The Hippodrome and the Pine Residence
V. Socio-cultural dimension of Horsh Beirut
VI. Current situation of the park
a. Horsh Beirut: Landscape features
b. Rules and restrictions inside Horsh Beirut
VII. Existing legal framework
a. National regulations and directives
b. Local regulations and masterplan
VIII. Appendices
Appendix 1: Surrounding areas
Appendix 2: Violations, threats and regularizations
Appendix 3: Photographic survey
Appendix 4: Maps and aerial views
Appendix 5: Law no. 131 dated 30/4/2019: Protection of Horsh Beirut
Appendix 6: Horsh Beirut in the “City Greening Plan” (Plan Vert) and the “Soft Mobility Plan”
(Liaison Douce)
Appendix 7: The “Horsh Beirut for All” Campaign
Appendix 8: Relevant sources and web links.
2. COMPETITION GUIDELINES
I. Competition type
II. Eligibility
III. Awards
IV. Competition schedule and milestones
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 2
a. Competition’s site visit
b. Question and answer period
c. Submission of entries
d. Jury
e. Jury deliberations
f. Announcement of finalists and press release
g. Exhibition and awards ceremony
V. Deliverables
a. Concept note
b. Report
c. Drawings
d. CD-ROM
e. Other
VI. Official language
VII. Exhibition, Publication and promotion
VIII. Ownership of entries
IX. Handing of deliverables
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 3
“HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION”
Reimagining Horsh Beirut
COMPETITION BRIEF
This design competition is organized by NAHNOO (referred to herewith as the
“Organizer”), in conjunction with POMED (Project on Middle-East Democracy) and
BEIRUTIYAT, and under the patronage of the Order of Engineers and Architects (OEA)
in Beirut, in collaboration with the Urban Planners’ Association UPA.
I. FRAMING THE COMPETITION
“Cultures and climates differ all over the world, but people are the same. They’ll gather in public
if you give them a good place to do it.”
Jan Gehl
What is commonly known as Horsh Beirut is a fenced green triangle measuring 330,000 sqm located at
the southern administrative limit of Beirut. It is the largest green public space remaining in the city and it
is continuously threatened by the construction of illegal buildings, cutting down large green areas and
limiting access to the park. Because of its geographical location, Horsh Beirut has been perceived for a
long time as a space at the limit of the city: It was a pine forest outside the walls of the medieval city
(Beirut intramuros), then it became part of the demarcation line during the civil war and today it is the
limit between Municipal Beirut and the suburbs.
A historical overview of the site (section IV) reveals a slightly different story. Beirut’s pine forest, also
known as “Horsh Al Sanawbar”, used to cover 1,250,000 sqm. General maps dating from 1876 (map No.1)
and 1921 (map No.2) show the extents of the forest before urbanization and the creation of the roads. A
comparison between these maps and recent ones (map No.3) reveals that the surrounding areas of the
Hippodrome, Badaro, Furn El Chebbak, Mazraa, Tariq el Jdideh, Ghobeiry and Chiah were all once part of
“Horsh Beirut”. Even though an accurate detailed limit of the initial forest’s boundaries couldn’t be found
in records, officially recognized parts of Horsh Beirut can be found in cadastral maps, proving that the
official borders of Horsh Beirut extend significantly beyond the triangle’s limit. The land registry delineates
“Horsh Beirut” as plot no. 1925 – Mazraa, with a total area of 506,199 sqm as well as plot No. 2639,
measuring 24,620 sqm. According to the cadastral map (maps No.4 & 5), the limits of plot 1925 are defined
beyond the high-speed roads, including lands across 22 November street and Jamal Abdel Nasser street.
Presently, these residual lands that emerged from the creation of the high-speed roads are legally part of
Horsh Beirut; however, they are occupied by illegal buildings, cemeteries and religious institutions, some
of which benefited from regularization. (Appendix 2 and Map No.4). Reminiscences of Horsh Beirut are
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 4
also found in 9 other plots that are adjacent to plot no. 1925, as detailed in table 1 here below (refer to
section III – Competition’s action zone).
Today, Horsh Beirut is a segregated entity as a result of historical, socioeconomic, political, and urban
developments. The massive and unplanned urbanization of the area, in addition to years of civil war and
consequent political instabilities, resulted in the gradual loss of Horsh Beirut’s role as a public space that
connects different urban entities, both socially and spatially. Instead of functioning as a link between
mixed and socially diverse neighborhoods, Horsh Beirut became a neglected, green island; poorly
maintained and with most of its parts inaccessible to the public (Section VIII).
Furthermore, Horsh Beirut is protected as a national natural landscape since 1942 and is part of the zone
9, Non aedificandi, in the Beirut Masterplan, meaning unbuildable. Consequently, constructions built on
Horsh Beirut are illegal (Section IX).
Map No. 1: Map of Beirut in 1876 by the Danish vice-consul Julius Loytveld.
North is directed towards the bottom of the Map. Horsh Beirut can be seen on the top left corner
of the map. (Source : Bibliothèque Orientale, USJ, Beirut in BORDES, A., ASSAF, R., (2004)).
N
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 5
Map No. 2: Map of Beirut in 1921.
(Source : Bibliothèque Orientale, USJ, Beirut in BORDES, A., ASSAF, R., (2004)).
Map No. 3: Map of Beirut in 2001.
(Source: Ministry of National Defense, Directorate of Geographic Affairs).
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 6
Map No. 4: Cadastral map of lots 1925, 1924 and 1906 – Mazraa. HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 7
Map No. 5: Lots No. 1925, 1924 and 1906 – Mazraa in their context
(Cadastral map of the lots overlaid on the 1:2000 zoning map).
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 8
As part of its efforts to reclaim public access to Horsh Beirut’s entire area, and in line with its advocacy
campaign to protect the site from all types of infringements, NAHNOO is launching a design competition
to solicit alternative visions for re-activating and re-vitalizing Horsh Beirut as a vital urban park. The aim
is to propose context-sensitive design and planning interventions that connect the surrounding, socially
segregated neighborhoods to the park, and benefit the community at large.
This is an open call for students and professionals (architects, landscape and urban designers, planners,
sociologists, anthropologists, lawyers, environmentalists, and any other related fields specialists) to
submit proposals for research, design ideas along with related planning and regulations tools that unlock
the potential of Horsh Beirut as an inclusive public space. The aim is to promote socio cultural inclusivity,
stimulate soft mobility, create more accessible, resourceful public spaces that strengthen the voice of
neighboring communities, encourage the interaction between different social groups and reconnect them
to Horsh Beirut.
The competition calls on participants to tackle two scales of design intervention:
1. At the city scale, considering Horsh Beirut as the area officially delineated by plot no. 1925. The
intervention should bring solutions to reconnect the park to the city from different sides, in order
to open up the entire focus area delimited in map No. 6 (Section III – Competition’s action zone)
and make it pedestrian-friendly. Candidates should propose a master plan to that end, along with
the regulatory tools that would serve their concept, whether within the existing legislative
framework (zoning, regulations, etc.) or through recommendations to modify it.
2. The scale of the current park itself: The triangle of 330 000sqm. Candidates should propose urban
design interventions within the park that complement their proposed master plans (pathways,
landscaping, urban furniture, and equipment where relevant etc…). These interventions should
fall in line with the main goal of opening up Horsh Beirut and strengthening the relationship
between the focus area and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Candidates are requested to suggest programs and scenarios to achieve a new vision to the park sector
for both project scales (as defined in section III). These can include the rehabilitation of existing functions,
the creation of new functions related to the park that serve as urban anchor points (such as piazzas,
community spaces, pocket gardens, etc.), and/or interventions that facilitate accessibility and
placemaking in the area. Candidates should submit a design proposal that tackles and includes all sections
of Horsh Beirut as defined by plot No.1925 (i.e. the cemeteries, the hippodrome, cafés areas, residual
green pockets, etc.), studying their relationship to the main park and the surrounding neighborhoods.
II. OBJECTIVES
- Improve accessibility: Ensure easy and pedestrian-friendly access to the park.
- Enhance interaction and connectivity: Transform Horsh Beirut into a central space connecting the
various, surrounding neighborhoods.
- Reclaim a network of connected, public community spaces leading to the park: opening up the
entire area of Horsh Beirut – Hippodrome – Qasqas within the boundaries defined by map No.6.
- Create a design solution that can generate an active, physical and functional dialogue with the
hippodrome, the green spaces used as cemeteries, and the adjacent neighborhoods.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 9
- Claim and develop atypical community spaces (i.e. privately owned, unused, or rarely used
spaces) into community assets (for example: the cemeteries).
- Identify and propose innovative functions and roles, create “Changeover spaces”
- Propose a solution on how to tackle existing violations and regularized infringements, towards
reclaiming these areas as shared community spaces. Propose measures to protect the park from
any kind of future violations (i.e. proposing new regulations, restrictions, etc.)
- Make the park more user-friendly, responding to the needs of all social groups (different age,
special needs, etc.)
III. COMPETITION’S ACTION ZONE
Horsh Beirut is found in lot 1925, corresponding to the park inscribed within Omar Beyhum street,
22 November avenue and Jamal Abdel Nasser avenue, and expanding across these streets to
include the cemeteries, the mosque and Al Maqased institutions, the cafes and other structures
within the boundaries of lot 1925 as shown on the map below. Lot No. 2639 located on the
southern edge of lot 1925 is also part of Horsh Beirut. Additionally, Horsh Beirut is delimited by
the Hippodrome (lot No. 1924) and Pine Residence (lot No. 1906), green pockets (lots No. 5985),
and by many adjacent cemeteries (lots No. 2638 – 2636 – 2635 – 2634 – 2633 – 4899), all of which
were part of Beirut’s historical pine forest.
The competition’s action zone includes all these parcels as shown on maps No. 6 and No. 7.
Participants should submit a proposal for the entire Horsh Beirut perimeter as defined by this
competition brief. Proposals should focus on the relationship of the park to surrounding
neighborhoods, in relation to mobility and accessibility.
Table 1: Parcel Details
Parcel Description Area Ownership
(sqm)
1925 Horsh Beirut 506,199 Municipality of Beirut
2639 Horsh Beirut 24,620 Municipality of Beirut
1924 Hippodrome 206,972 Municipality of Beirut
1906 Pine Residence 35,770 France (Exchange contract)
2633 Foreign cemeteries 5213 France – Ministry of Foreign affairs
2634 Al Maqased cemetery 518 Al Maqased
2635 Foreign cemeteries 2,420 The Commonwealth War Graves
Commission (United Kingdom)
2636 Foreign cemeteries 1,063 France – Ministry of Foreign affairs
2638 Martyrs’ cemeteries & Al Khachekji Mosque 69,153 Municipality of Beirut
4899 Foreign cemeteries 5,264 The Commonwealth War Graves
Commission (United Kingdom)
5985 French property 4,901 France – Ministry of Foreign affairs
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 10Map No.6: Competition’s action zone HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 11
Map No.7: Competition’s action zone aerial view HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 12
Map No.8: Aerial view of the official limits of Horsh Beirut in the land registry. HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 13
IV. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
1. From the pine woods to the public garden
The imagery of Mediterranean pine trees has been historically associated with Beirut and its
geography, as the city was surrounded by a continuous stretch of pinewoods outside its walled
limits. This perception also permeated linguistic representations of the city. In fact, the
“Amarna Letters” (14th Century B.C.), a body of correspondence exchanged between rulers of
the Ancient Near East and Egypt, mentioned the Canaanite city of “Beeruta”, which translates to
“The Pine City” in ancient Semitic languages. (Bordes & Assaf, 2004). Additionally, according to
Lebanese author Anis Freiha, Beirut gets its name from the Phoenician word “Beriet” or Egyptian
word “Barût”, which translates to Sanawabar (pine) in Arabic (Shayya, 2010).
In the early 17th century, Emir Fakhreddin II Maan envisioned and implemented the making of
the Pine Woods, Horsh Beirut, through the reforestation of the southern entrance of the city.
The location of his intervention was selected for environmental and health reasons; first, to
protect the city from the dusty southern winds coming from the Libyan desert and second, to
fight against yellow fever, as pine trees helped dry the wetlands located outside the city walls,
reducing the spread of the disease. By 1696, Horsh Beirut measured approximately 1,250,000
sqm, with trees extending over the Southern and Eastern suburbs of the city (Map No. 1) (Al-
Wali, 1993).
During the 19th century, Beirut expanded outside its original walls and in the 1840s, the Ottoman
ruler at the time proclaimed Horsh Beirut as a legal public entity that physically bounds the urban
sprawl of the city. The Horsh became municipal property in 1878, after Beirut residents and local
authorities (the municipality), claimed ownership of the Pine Woods (Al-Wali, 1993; Shayya,
2010).
Throughout history, Horsh Beirut suffered frequent abuse especially by armies (Crusaders,
Mamlouks, Ottomans and WWII allies) who built their ships and weapons from its timber.
Between 1920 and 1980, large parts of the woods were urbanized: in 1915, a casino was built,
which is known today as the Pine Residence belonging to the French embassy; in 1921 the horse
racetrack was constructed (Map No.2); in 1958, the Al Shohadaa (Martyrs) Cemetery was
established; and in the late 1970s, Rawdat Al Shaheedayn Cemetery was built. Additionally,
during the 1950s, the Lebanese state planned new roads that took out large parts of the woods,
leading to its current configuration as a triangle of 330,000 sqm.
These urban interventions reflected the beginning of Horsh Beirut’s transformation from a
“woods” configuration to a “park”, signaling an abruptly changing relation between the people
and the landscape of their city. In 1960, then Prime Minister Sami Solh issued a decree
proclaiming Horsh Beirut a “public park” to be fenced for protection against harm. Following the
construction of the walls, entrance became planned and controlled, bound by schedules and
rules. This remained the case until the start of the Civil War in 1975.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 142. Post-war reconstruction challenges
During the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), Horsh Beirut suffered from a significant attack that
led to its subsequent closure for 30 years. In 1982, the Israeli Air Force firebombed all of Horsh
Beirut, claiming that Palestinian military groups were taking shelter under the pine trees. Only
320 trees survived1 and the park was closed for restoration until June 2015.(Shayya, 2010).
Following the end of the war and in the context of post-war reconstruction, Lebanon’s Council for
Development and Reconstruction (CDR) and the French Institute for Urbanism and Planning
(IAURIF) organized a competition for a “Peace Park”, which was funded by the Conseil Régional
d’Ile-de-France. The aim of the competition was to restore Horsh Beirut, that was part of the
demarcation line, as a place of reconciliation, reuniting the city and the people. The winning
design (by Jacques Sgard and Pierre Neema) introduced hilly topography inside the park and 3
entrances – one from each side of the triangle – that open into a spacious interior, conceptualized
as ten major zones including walkways, fountains, birds’ cages, a children’s play area, an
amphitheater, an oasis adorned with pergolas, botanical gardens, rose gardens, picnic areas and
green lawns. However, the winning design was partially implemented: the oasis was landscaped
at the center of the park in the axis of the main entrance, and features a wooden structure called
“the Green House”, used as a meeting point for guided walks inside the park; it also hosts
educational sessions - “green classes” - about Horsh Beirut and other related environmental
subjects addressed to grade school students. Walkways were also landscaped around the artificial
hills and are being used as jogging tracks. Unfortunately, the reforestation of the park was also
partially completed: 90% of the area was replanted by IAURIF, and the remaining 10% (spatially
located on Qasqas side where the playgrounds and parkings take place) were to be replanted
under the responsibility of the Municipality of Beirut. The Municipality justified failure in
continuing the landscaping of that area by insufficient funds and alternatively organized a parking
area, meant to be temporary.
After being closed for 30 years with a restricted entrance for only a privileged few who were
granted permissions by the governor, the park opened again in 2015 following a massive 5 years
civil campaign led by NAHNOO.
However, there remain many challenges that hinder Horsh Beirut’s transformation into a fully-
functioning, easily accessible, and inclusive public park. Of the three entrances, only one gives
full access to the park (the main gate on Omar Beyhum street). In 1999, the Municipality of Beirut
decided to divide the park into two parts using a mesh and barbed wire fence, forming two
separate areas: a small section where the parking areas are located, commonly known as Qasqas
garden; and a much bigger part that only became accessible in 2015. Only the former, smaller
section can be accessed from 22 November Street, and people coming from the facing
neighborhoods of Tariq el Jdideh, Ghobeiry, and Qasqas need to go around the park in order to
access it from the main entrance. In general, pedestrian access to Horsh Beirut remains difficult
1
From the intervention of Zahra Wahid, in charge of the green school inside Horsh Beirut,
during the panel called “Horsh Beirut: Where people from different backgrounds can come together” at the
Lebanese American University in August 2010.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 15from all three sides due to the bordering high-speed roads, and the absence of safe pedestrian
links/passages.
Furthermore, in 2016, the Governor of Beirut authorized the construction of an Egyptian Military
Hospital on the parking premises inside the park, against existing urban regulations that forbid
occupation of this area, and despite the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Public Health’s
rejection of the hospital proposal. This infringement adds a new barrier to the accessibility of the
entire park area and negatively impacts residents’ customary use of the space. In fact, the hospital
is located in an area where the Horsh el Eid event, a holiday celebration for families, traditionally
took place. (Appendix 2).
Furthermore, the Hippodrome, which is a natural continuity of Horsh Beirut, is not always
accessible to the public. Managed by the private sector – the Society for the Protection and
Improvement of the Arabian Horse (SPARCA) – it is open once per week on race day, all year long,
and whenever it is hosting a public event such as the spring festival, the Garden Show, etc.
The Hippodrome and Horsh Beirut are the most important green areas in the city, providing
residents with much-needed breathing spaces. In this light, candidates are requested to propose
measures and functions that would connect the Hippodrome to Horsh Beirut in a natural,
continuous manner and allow the latter to remain open as a public space all year round, as well
as increase the surface of the Horsh Beirut park and transform it into a flexible, multifunctional
community space.
Map No. 9: Existing features and physical segregation in Horsh Beirut.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 16Figure 1: Evolution of Horsh Beirut
(Source: SHAYYA, F., At the edge of the city, 2010).
3. The Hippodrome and the Pine Residence
Occupying a vast area of 206,972 sqm, the Hippodrome is originally part of Horsh Beirut and, even
though it is closed to the public, it still constitutes a natural continuity to the park with respect to
space and landscape features.
Under the Ottoman rule in 1915 and driven by the impulse of Wali Beirut “Azmi Bey” to modernize
the city, Lebanese aristocrat Alfred Sursock obtained a lease agreement from the Municipality
authorizing him to exploit a part of Horsh Beirut in Mazraa sector for a period of 40 years, in order
to build a casino (“le Cercle du Parc”), sports fields and a modern hippodrome mirroring those of
Europe. When construction works were finished towards the end of 1917, the Ottomans had lost
the war, the French army had landed in Beirut and High Commissioner Picot requisitioned the
Casino for his receptions. On the 1st of September 1920, General Gouraud declared the Republic
of Greater Lebanon with its present borders from the unopened casino, and a year later, Alfred
Sursock conceded to the French authorities the entirety of his rights to use this section of the park
that were granted to him by the Municipality of Beirut. Ever since, the building was taken as the
seat of the French Mandate and remains as the residence of the French ambassador until today.
In 1972, under Prime Minister Saeb Salam, the Lebanese government transferred the ownership
of the Pine Residence to France in exchange for two other parcels.
The Hippodrome became one of the busiest race tracks in the world in the 1960s, with races taking
place twice per week. It attracted politicians and presidents, such as the Shah of Iran and King
Paul of Greece, who would set their meetings there on a weekend in order to see the horses. The
Hippodrome remained open throughout most of the Lebanese civil war given its location on the
Green Line, a no man’s land between both sides of the divided city, until it was destroyed and
completely turned to rubble by an Israeli tank in 1982.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 17After its renovation and the construction of a new, concrete stadium, Beirut Hippodrome is now
run by a non-profit organization, the Society for the Protection and Improvement of the Arabian
Horse (SPARCA), on behalf of the Municipality of Beirut who owns the land and all the racing set-
ups. According to SPARCA’s president, “the Hippodrome today is a shadow of its former self”, with
the number of races cut down to once per week and the number of horses and bets diminishing
every year. Today, the Hippodrome is closed to the public the entire week and opens only on race
day or when a special event takes place such as Vinifest (a yearly wine festival) or the Garden
Show and Spring festival, and annual event that has been taking place on the first week of June
since 17 consecutive years . The four-days event features markets and exhibitions related to
gardens and outdoor spaces: Farmers’ market, flowers, outdoor furniture, landscaping tendencies
and technologies, etc. The Event attracts people from all backgrounds, not only garden
enthusiasts and specialists, as it hosts various activities that brings people together: a kids' village,
a flowers competition, a large food and beverages area with a selection of well-known restaurants
and cafes, food masterclasses and a stage for live music and entertainment. The success of such
events proves and justifies the need for animated green public spaces in Beirut. Additionally, their
success is intricately related to the location they are taking place in: People are enthusiastic about
it because it opens up the hippodrome that constitutes another closed park inside the city.
In fact, Beirut hippodrome has always been and remains an important icon in the capital, and a
symbol of continuity of an old Lebanese tradition dating back many centuries of horse breeding
and racing. It is also the only Hippodrome in the Middle East where betting is allowed. In
perpetuation of this tradition, the managing organization, SPARCA, has plans of “expanding the
stables and opening a public green space inside the park”.
V. SOCIO-CULTURAL DIMENSION OF HORSH BEIRUT
Horsh Beirut has always been an anchor point of the city, reflective of various, traditional social
practices of Beirutis. For example, the Muslim community celebrated religious holidays in the
park, particularly “Eid Al Adha”2, which gave the park its popular pseudonym of “Horsh Al Eid”.
In fact, the reason behind this celebration is intimately tied to Beirut’s urban expansion. Before
the demolition of the city’s medieval walls in 1916 and its extension to the nearby hills, the Eid
celebrations would take place in Assour Square, known today as Riad Al Solh Square. After the
opening up of the city, the celebration relocated to Horsh Beirut, where the tradition was to head
to the pine forest early in the morning, have a picnic, and spend the entire day enjoying the
surroundings and children’s activities, such as races on donkeys and playing on swings. According
to Taha Al Wali (1993), the words “Horsh” (forest / park) and “Eid” (celebration) were intertwined
in the collective memory of that time; the park meaning a celebration and vice versa. A child
would say “I am going to Eid” meaning he was going to the park. Horsh Beirut attracted people of
all ages for the occasion: young Beirutis and elders would celebrate by dancing the traditional
dabke, playing sword and cogs (sayf wa teres), and gathering around wrestling arenas temporarily
installed for the occasion. This habit continued until the beginning of the Civil War in 1975, after
2
This holiday is celebrated by Muslims worldwide and honors the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim/Abraham to
sacrifice his son in obedience to God’s command.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 18which these joyous celebrations halted. The park became part of Beirut’s Green Line, a
demarcation line that segregated the city based on political-religious sects.
Following the war and the park’s reconstruction, there were several attempts to revive traditional
cultural practices. In 1996, Beirut People’s league (Rabitat Abna’ Beirut) revived the “Horsh El Eid”
tradition by organizing the celebration on the Qasqas section of the park. More recently, Assabil
organization held another festival, the “Horsh Festival”, which has been taking place in the main
park section since 2014. These two celebrations, while similar, are divided across different
sections of the park, reflecting and anchoring the spatial segregation inside the space itself. This,
in turn, is a reflection and product of severe socio-spatial divides at the city level. As described by
the president of Beirut People’s league, “Horsh el Eid” became for the poor and the vulnerable
and “Horsh Festival” for the middle classes (Wehbe, 2018).
Aside from the annual celebrations of public holidays, the pine forest was not generally perceived
as an urban park for daily encounters and leisure, as the very dense trees would block sunlight
and make some parts of the forest dim and rather unsafe to walk in. However, the center of the
forest had a glade, an open area without trees, called the “Midan” or “Al Marmah” (the spear
area) where boys used to gather on their horses and practice Arabic equestrian games (Al Wali,
1993).
Horsh Beirut was also the stage of national public ceremonies such as the annual parades
commemorating Independence Day that used to take place in front of the park.
Today Horsh Beirut attracts both Beirutis and people coming from the suburbs, as it is the largest
park in the metropolitan area and, along with the corniche, constitutes the largest public space of
the capital. It is a destination for joggers and the park sometimes witnesses privately-organized
yoga events. It becomes quite busy with kids and families on weekends. Right before the
establishment of the hospital, people used to gather every night in the area of the park where the
hospital is built; there were several kiosks and it served also as a small commercial hub. These
habits were lost with the construction of the hospital, a direct consequence of the loss of public
space and gathering spots. (Refer to Appendix 3 – Photographical survey).
VI. ACTUAL SITUATION OF THE PARK
a. Horsh Beirut: Landscape features
Horsh Beirut, the Hippodrome and Qasqas cemeteries constitute the largest green area in Beirut.
Horsh Beirut is conceived in the style of Anglo-Saxon gardens and through an organic approach,
comprising large meandering alleys within the pine forest and featuring a children’s’ playground.
However, the park is currently spatially segregated: despite having several gates, it is only
accessible from two of them: Omar Beyhum or 22 November streets. The two doors on the
southern side of the park are closed and the park is segregated inside with a wire fence that
forbids people from crossing from one side of the park to another, and in turn, from one
surrounding neighborhood to the next. Additionally, the main, green area of the park
(corresponding to approximately 3/4 of the park’s area) is only accessible from one side, through
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 19the official gate located on Omar Beyhum street. The second gate located on 22 November street
gives access to almost 1/4th of the park, an area that is rather minimal in comparison to the rest
of the park, which includes the parking premises, seven playgrounds – known as Qasqas sports
fields – and a small green section called “Qasqas garden”. In 2016, an Egyptian military field
hospital was built on the parking premises against all existing regulations, constituting an
additional violation to the Master Plan of Beirut (Maps No. 8 and 9) and to the legal status of
Horsh Beirut as a protected natural landscape (Refer to appendix 2: Violations, threats and
regularizations).
Besides physical divisions, Horsh Beirut is neglected and lacks proper maintenance: in 2017, the
trees were affected by a parasitic disease that fed on their needles, dried them out, and slowly
killed them. Hundreds of trees had to be cut down during the treatment period to stop the disease
from spreading. Furthermore, urban furniture is insufficient and the reason behind its spatial
disposition isn’t very clear. For example, shaded areas under the trees as well as the wide green
lawns do not have any bench, whereas some benches are distributed along the walkways, in
unprotected areas under direct sunlight. Urban furniture was recently upgraded by the private
initiative of the Rotary Club. In fact, in 2017, Rotary Lebanon allocated a fund of $262,000 to add
several benches and recycle bins, and to upgrade the 2km running track with track signage, 100-
meter markers, and an all-weather running/jogging surface.
According to Frederic Francis, the landscape architect who worked on the Park’s renovation
project, the design’s aim was to create a landscape in motion and to trigger an element of
discovery; an objective that was materialized into organic forms with an interplay of levels and
heights. These organic shapes transformed into artificial hills/mounds reminiscent of the sand
dune landscape that once defined Beirut, resulting in a playful ambiance. In order to create those
dunes that rise up to twenty meters in height, the designers used the rubble of the city following
the events of the civil war, that was all gathered inside the park. This dune-like landscape was
created to give visitors a glimpse of what the landscape language was before urbanism took over.
The intent of the design was to build on what once was and re-generate the forgotten landscape.
(Francis landscapes, 1995).
In terms of vegetation, Horsh Beirut is home to various indigenous species of the area including:
Arbutus unedo, Albizzia julibrissin, Acalypha wilkesiana, Acacia retinoide, Papaver, Plumbago
capensis, Acacia selloviana, Delonix regia, Plumeria rubera, Lagestromia indica, Parkensonia sp,
Russelia equestifolia, Agave Americana, Ceratonia siliqua, Hibiscus rosa sinsis, Thevitia peruviana,
Ficus elastica, Gramine species, Nerium oleander, Schinus molle, Cupressus sempervirens,
Eucalyptus, Bougainvillea, Cistus, Stenotapgrum secundatum and Pinus pinea (Francis
landscapes, 1995).
The neighborhoods around Horsh Beirut and the Hippodrome are characterized by abundant
vegetation, giving them a unique atmosphere vis-à-vis their surrounding urban contexts. The
predominant tree varieties are as follows:
1) Trees: Pinus Pinea (Pine trees), Erithrina Crista Galli, Ficus Nitida (Ficus trees), Tipuana Tipu,
Accacia Retinoide, Parkinsonia Acculeata.
2) Bushes: Pittosporum Tobira, Nerium Oleander, Plumbago Capensis, Bougainvillea Glabra.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 20In contrast to this abundant vegetation, the adjacent and dense areas surrounding Horsh Beirut
from the West and Southern ends have little access and, in turn, relationships to greenery. In the
neighborhoods around Chatila, the only green space available to residents is that of the
cemeteries, characterized by the abundant pine trees canopy –legally part of Horsh Beirut –and a
few, evergreen cypress trees (Cupressus Sempervirens). Additionally, the areas of Malaab and
Tariq el Jdideh lack of large public green areas, with the exception of the Beirut Arab University
campus and the Municipal Stadium. Furthermore, the Municipal Stadium is threatened by a
controversial development project as the Municipality of Beirut plans to replace it by a multi-
purpose civic center and playground, and in turn, transform the existing football playground
located on the north corner inside Horsh Beirut into a municipal stadium with an underground
parking. Even though the project is contested and its future is uncertain to date, it was approved
by the Lebanese government in 2014 (Decision No.62 on 18-12-2014). If implemented, it will
affect negatively both Tariq El Jdideh and Horsh Beirut: it would deprive Tariq el Jdideh of its iconic
public space and it would cut down more green areas, nibbling large parts of Horsh Beirut, and
reducing once again accessibility to public spaces in the city.
b. Rules and restrictions inside Horsh Beirut
Since 2016, and as a result of NAHNOO’s advocacy campaign to reopen the park, Horsh Beirut is
open to the public daily under specific conditions. Many of the restrictions inside Horsh Beirut
are contradictory to the idea and function of an urban park. In fact, at the official gate, people are
examined and prevented from bringing a number of items such as footballs, cameras, picnic
blankets etc… (Chemali & Makki, 2018). Restrictions are also imposed on people’s conduct, with
warning signs distributed across the park: They are not allowed to bring their pets, to sit on the
grass, to climb on the hill, to ride a bicycle, etc.
VII. EXISTING LEGAL FRAMEWORK
a. National regulations and directives.
- Horsh Beirut is protected by law no. 131 dated 30/4/2019 (Protection of Horsh Beirut – refer to
Appendix 5). The law forbids any kind of building or installation on lot no. 1925 – Mazraa, whether
underground or above ground. It also considers all current structures built on the lot illegal and
temporary, hence it forbids any regularization. The law places responsibility on the Municipality
of Beirut to put an action plan with timely milestones leading to the removal of all encroachments.
Educational and environmental activities that are sustainable and eco-friendly as well as artisanal
production that respect the natural environment are allowed within the perimeter of the park.
- Horsh Beirut is classified as a protected natural landscape by decree no. 434 dated 28 March 1942.
According to this decree, Horsh Beirut is protected under the Law On The Protection Of Natural
Sites dated 8 July 1939. Decree no. 434 features a map delimiting the perimeter of the protected
area.
- Horsh Beirut is protected by law no. 558/1996 (Protection of forests).
- The National Physical Masterplan of the Lebanese Territory (NPMPLT or SDATL), approved by
decree no. 2366/2009, gives recommendations for the protection of classified natural sites and
enlarges the perimeter of protection to its surrounding up to 500 m. Construction is strictly
prohibited as well as any kind of landscape disfiguration by concrete works.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 21- Horsh Beirut is municipal public property since 1878. It is classified as public property as stated in
Chapter 1 of the Law of Real Estate Ownership, issued upon Resolution 3339 (12 November 1930).
Resolution no. 144 (10 June 1925) defines Public property and states that “Public property in the
State of Greater Lebanon and the State of the Alaouites includes everything that has been
originally set up for everybody’s use or public good. It is non-transferable over time” (Shayya,
2010).
b. Local regulations and masterplan.
Horsh Beirut and the hippodrome areas are classified Zone 9 (Non Aedificandi) in the master plan
of Beirut, which means that construction is strictly prohibited. A small section of the park’s
southern edge was subject to a zoning change and now falls under Zone 4. This measure was
undertaken to regularize illegal construction built on the park’s premises. The park is surrounded
by dense areas (zones 3, 4, 5 and 8) reaching a floor-to-area ratio (FAR) of 60% and a Total
exploitation ratio (TER) of 4 (Refer to zoning table).
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 22Map No. 10: Master Plan of Beirut.
Source: SHAYYA, F., At the edge of the city (2010).
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 23Map No. 11: Park area zoning map.
Source : Municipality of Beirut (2004).
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION BRIEF 24“HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION”
Reimagining Horsh Beirut
COMPETITION GUIDELINES
I. COMPETITION TYPE
This is a single-stage design and ideation competition open to interdisciplinary professionals, teams,
firms, academic institutions and students from national and international backgrounds. It is an open
call competition for design proposals that will be curated in a public exhibition at the Order of
Engineer and Architects in Beirut (OEA), and included in a publication developed by NAHNOO NGO, in
collaboration with the Urban Planners’ Association (UPA).
The competition entries will be reviewed by a panel of local experts, who will select projects to be
included in the publication and exhibition.
II. ELIGIBILITY
This is an open call for students and professionals with backgrounds in urban design, landscaping, and
environmental and social sciences, or other related disciplines (e.g. architects, landscape and urban
designers, planners, sociologists, anthropologists, lawyers, environmentalists, and any other related
fields specialists). Participants can apply as individuals or groups.
Members of the Competition steering committee, associates and/or relatives of jury members are not
eligible to enter the competition.
III. AWARDS
First prize: 3000$
Second prize: 2000$
Third prize: 1000$
Entries selected by the jury will be part of an open exhibition at the Order of Engineers and Architects
in Beirut (OEA). These shortlisted entries will also be featured in a publication and posted on
NAHNOO’s website: www.nahnoo.org.
IV. COMPETITION’S SCHEDULE AND MILESTONES
The table below details the competition schedule and expected project milestones. During the time
period outlined (October 9, 2019 – February 7, 2020), participants will have the opportunity
to participate in scheduled visits to the Horsh Beirut site. The timeframe also includes a
designated “question and answer” period, in which participants can ask for clarifications
and/or further information.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION GUIDELINES 1Launching and start of registration period Wednesday 9 October 2019 Guided site visit with NAHNOO (optional)* Saturday 14 December 2020 End of registration period Monday 9 December 2019 End of Questions period Monday 16 December 2019 Reply to questions Monday 23 December 2019 Deadline for submissions of proposals Monday 7 February 2020 Jury deliberations February 2019 Exhibition and Awards ceremony * Tuesday 25 February 2020 * The exact date and time is to be confirmed and will be communicated to participants at a later stage. IV.a. Competition’s site visit One site visit will be organized by NAHNOO on 14/12/2019 , which will familiarize participants with the site’s particularities and context, and introduce them to the competition organizers, NAHNOO’s Horsh Beirut campaign, and other participants. These visits are optional; however, participants are highly encouraged to join. Participants are requested to confirm their attendance on the following email address: competition@nahnoo.org. For institutional and team applicants, there is no limitation to the number of respective group members who can join the visit. IV.b. Question and answer period Participants may send any queries concerning the competition brief to the organizer starting Thursday 10 October 2019. The closing date to receive questions is Monday 16 December 2019 at 23:59. Questions received after this date will not be taken into consideration. All communication between participants and the organizer with regard to the competition must be submitted in writing (in either English or Arabic) to the following email address: competition@nahnoo.org. Queries addressing specific clauses of the competition brief must contain reference to the clause in question. The organizer will respond to all queries sent by email in a timely manner. Additionally, all questions and answers will be compiled in a summary document (FAQ list), which will be disseminated to participants through the competition website ( www.horshbeirut.org ) and via email by Monday, December 23, 2019. The FAQ list will be considered an addendum to the competition brief, thus an integral and officially binding part of the competition. IV.c. Submission of entries The deadline to submit entries is Monday January 16, 2020 at 4:00pm. Submissions must be delivered by hand in a sealed envelope, stamped with the participant’s name across the seal. Entries can also be delivered by mail using fast courier service. Entries sent by mail must be received by the fast courier service and postmarked no later than Monday, February 7, 2020. The tracking number of mailed entries should be emailed to the following address: competition@nahnoo.org All deliverables, including drawings, must be submitted together as one package by the above deadline. Submissions must be clearly labeled and sent to the following address: HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION GUIDELINES 2
Horsh Beirut Competition
c/o NAHNOO organization
Salim Khoury st,
Awwad building, 1st floor,
Furn Al Shubbak,
Lebanon
Contact: +961.1.280474
Participants are responsible for all postage, shipping, and insurance charges, as well as ensuring timely
delivery. The organizer will not be responsible for delays due to mailing service or for any damage or loss
to the package during shipping and handling.
IV.d. Jury
- Jad Tabet, Architect and urban planner, president of the Order of the Engineers and Architects in
Beirut.
- Habib Debs, Architect and urban planner.
- Makhzoumi Jala, Professor of Landscape Architecture at the American University of Beirut, co-
founder and president of the Lebanese Landscape Association
- Habib Sadek, President of Chadirji Association for Architecture & Society, Professor of Architecture
and Urban Planning at the Lebanese University.
- Khaled Ziadeh, Professor of Social Sciences and Director of the Beirut office of the Arab Center for
Research and Policy Studies.
- Micheline Wehbe, Agricultural engineer, Professor of Horticulture at the faculty of Agriculture –
landscaping department – at the Lebanese University.
- Maha Kayal, Professor of Anthropology and head of the research center at the Institute of Social
Science at the Lebanese University.
- Firas Mourtada, Architect and urban planner, President of the Urban Planners Association (UPA)
at the Order of Engineers and Architects (OEA), lecturer of architecture and urban planning at the
FFAA at the Lebanese University.
- Nina Zeidan, Architect and Urban Planner, member of the executive committee of the Urban
Planners Association (UPA) at OEA, Head of the Landscape and Territory Planning department at
the faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University.
IV.e. Jury deliberations
The Jury members will convene in December to analyze submissions and shortlist up to 20 participants.
Jury members will then select 3 winners and 5 honorable mentions from the shortlisted proposals. The
Jury deliberations will be held at the Order of the Engineers and Architects in Beirut. Following
deliberations, the Jury will produce a report detailing their decision and rationale behind it. Details about
Jury deliberations and selection will be communicated at a later stage.
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION GUIDELINES 3IV.f. Announcement of finalists and press release
The organizer will notify registered participants of the results of the competition, and send them a copy
of the jury’s report. This information will be simultaneously announced in a press release and posted on
the competition website.
IV.g. Exhibition and awards ceremony
Following the announcement of the results, the winning entries will be exhibited for public viewing at the
Order of Engineers and Architects in Beirut, together with a copy of the signed jury report. The aim is to
involve the broader community (including but not limited to site users, concerned public officials,
professional, etc.) in the visioning design process of Horsh Beirut, and to solicit their feedback on the
designs, in order to help guide future development of this landmark site. The award ceremony will take
place on Tuesday, February 25th 2020 during which the winners will receive their respective prizes.
Details of the ceremony and exhibition will be communicated at a later stage.
The organizer will prepare a publication about the competition, which will include a comprehensive
overview of winning submissions.
V. DELIVERABLES
Participants are required to submit the following documents, in both hard and soft copy:
- Concept note (500 Words max.)
- Project report (A3 format)
- Drawings (3 A1)
- CD-Rom
V.a. Concept note (Text up to 500 words)
The concept note includes an executive summary of the concept design (up to 500 words text) and
illustrations, presented on two A3 sheets of paper. The participants are requested to have seven
separate copies of the executive summary in their submission, which will be handed out to each of the
jury members.
The concept note should highlight the main design principles and proposed solutions to the competition
goals, detailed in Section I and Section II of the competition brief. It should also include the proposed
intervention scenario, developing a clear institutional framework in which the project can be
implemented. The framework should ideally be able to address the following:
i. Property concerns:
- The private ownership and/or usage of the site by religious institutions like mosques and
cemeteries
- The public ownership of the site by various institutions e.g. the Pine Residence and the
Hippodrome
- The buildings infringing on the Horsh Beirut site
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION GUIDELINES 4ii. Regulatory and building framework, adapted to the surrounding lots.
This intervention scenario can include the following:
- A list of the actors to be involved in the intervention (e.g. which public, private, or non-profit actors?)
- Planning tools and mechanisms that can be used to implement the project, whether these tools already
exist in the Lebanese law, have been proposed, and/or used in other countries/contexts, with an
explanation of how such tools could be adapted to the Horsh Beirut context.
- Building and landscape regulations that would need to be implemented in nearby sites, in order to
guide any future development.
The participants must provide one soft copy of the concept note with the submissions.
V.b. Report (A3 document)
Participants are expected to submit a written report that clearly presents and explains the design
proposal and design scheme, including all relevant illustrative materials. Each participant is required to
submit seven separate copies of the report in A3 format.
The report must include a detailed narrative, concept, approach, and comprehensive drawings in color
(plans, sections, perspectives, sketches, etc... The drawings and text should be legible, and the former
should include a graphic scale reference showing north pointing upwards.
The participants must provide one soft copy of the report with the submissions.
V.c. Drawings (3 A1)
Design schemes must be presented on three A1 panels (594mm x 841 mm each). All drawings should
be mounted on lightweight foam boards or on comparable solid-backing panels, clearly showing the
participant’s name. All plans should be oriented with North pointing upwards. All scaled drawings must
follow the metric scale and include a graphic scale. All plans and sections must be clearly labeled and
referenced.
The following list identifies the basic requirements for drawings:
1. Rendered general master plan (scale: 1/5000) showing the site area with its context.
2. Sketches and diagrams showing the design concept
3. Partial plans and detailed sections showing the connections between the park and the following
sectors (scale 1/2000 or 1/1000). These partial plans and detailed sections will help the Jury
understand the design solution within the context, along with the project’s special features:
- Tariq el Jdideh and Qasqas (West edge)
- Badaro and Furn el Chebbak (East edge)
- Mazraa sector (North edge)
- Southern suburb (South edge)
4. One or Two general sections (scale not less than 1/2000)
5. Perspectives showing the masterplan and interesting focus areas (general perspective and zoomed
in views)
HORSH BEIRUT COMPETITION GUIDELINES 5Candidates are also expected to include:
6. A list of activities that are proposed in their design proposal for the entire park’s site, including areas
(sqm) and supporting functions.
7. A new program proposal for the hippodrome including areas and schematic design
V.d. CD-ROM
Participants are asked to include a softcopy of all above listed items (V.a to V.c) in a CD-ROM.
V.e. Other
Participants are welcome to present, together with the required drawings and documents, any other
materials that can help illustrate their proposal scheme. Slides, computer simulations, videos, or any
other media may be used in conjunction with the requested material. Note that copies of additional
presentation material will remain with the organizer.
Participants must note that the organizer reserves the right to disqualify any incomplete submission.
VI. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
Participants may choose to submit their entries using either English or Arabic languages.
VII. EXHIBITION, PUBLICATION AND PROMOTION
By submitting their projects to the competition, Participants automatically grant the Organizer the right
to exhibit, reproduce and publish their entries, in full or in part, in reports, books, promotional materials,
advocacy campaigns and exhibitions. All newspaper, magazine or other media articles, announcements,
statements, exhibitions, and advertising issued or published by the Organizer or any of their
representatives in connection with the submitted schemes will accurately credit the corresponding
Participant. If publicity is issued or published by parties other than and of which the Organizer has prior
knowledge, then the Organizer shall make reasonable efforts to have such parties include such credit.
VIII. OWNERSHIP OF ENTRIES
Following submission of entries, all drawings, executive summaries/concept notes, specifications and
other documents produced by the participants (including but not limited to reports, summaries,
drawings, charts and graphs) will be the property of the Organizer and will not be returned to
participants. The Organizer guarantees the right of authorship.
IX. HANDING OF DELIVERABLES
The Organizer will exercise due care with respect to drawings submitted by the participants. The
Organizer will not be responsible for any damage to submissions caused by mailing or handling
processes.
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