Defensible urbanism as a response to targeted air strikes Haret Hreik (South Beirut- Dahyeh) as case study -

Abstract

Cities have been always exposed to war and designed according to the logic of defense. Each period's urban form is related to the available technologies of destruction (Misselwitz and Weizman, 2003). Since the middle of the twentieth century, the shift towards asymmetric warfare has radically changed the relation between war and the city, as warfare entered the sphere of the complex and densely populated environments. Yet, urban designers and planners rarely reflect on how this shift should impact the process of shaping and designing cities. This thesis proposes to address the gap in contemporary urban design reflections in relation to “defensible urbanism” by investigating the possible strategies that urban designers can use to improve the capability of urban neighborhoods to provide a defensible environment for unconventional groups and guerrilla fighters in the event of targeted airstrikes, while maintaining a minimal level of livability and protection for city dwellers. Taking Haret Hreik (South Beirut) as a case study for a possible post-war reconstruction that combines principles of defense and livability, the thesis explores alternatives to the current and proposed urban design strategies for the reconstruction of this neighborhood following its severe demolition during the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon. The thesis demonstrates the possibility to reconstruct the contemporary city and fortify it against the dominance of targeted air strikes, the most effective technology of destruction in the foreseeable future according to Israeli strategists. In order to reach its proposal, the thesis first derived possible defensible forms from contemporary urban design approaches, or principles that support the ability of the city to act as a defensible environment in asymmetric warfare. The thesis then moved to balance those principles in relation to standards of livability as they are generically identified by planners and designers, selecting those five principles of “defensible urbanism” tha