Zokak el Blat : Playful Grounds

Abstract

Zokak el Blat has Housed Schools for decades now. Most notably CIS, Hariri 2, Saint Joseph de l’apparition, Ecole Patriarchal, Lycée Abed el Kader, El Maanieh and more recently, a newly built Public School. The area is located in a strategic spot in Beirut: within walking distance to Downtown, Hamra and the Sanayeh Garden. Despite its surroundings and its educational potential, Zokak el Blat fails to satisfy the students there .The streets are deemed too crowded, narrow and not pedestrian friendly, and the schools themselves aren’t providing a suitable educational space for the students Playful Grounds examines the ways in which abandoned spaces- more specifically rooftops and abandoned open spaces can be utilised for the advantage of students. teachers and also the community at large. The analysis will look into the School District in Zokak el Blat, whereas the design focuses .on more specific areas: the schools themselves.