Enhancing walkability through urban connectivity :the case of Hamra, Beirut -

Abstract

Several factors discourage walkability in Beirut, increasing the reliance on the private car and contributing to a drastic decrease of urban livability. These factors include the excessive take-over of sidewalks by security devices and-or private usage,the mismanagement of the public domain leading to the deterioration of its design quality,as well asthe prioritization of physical infrastructure and traffic networks over pedestrian-centered urban developments. This thesis seeks to investigatewalkability in the neighborhood of Hamra, which is simultaneously busy with vehicular traffic and crowded with pedestrians. The thesis documents Hamra’s physical structure, spatial practices and patterns of movements. It demonstrates that Hamra incorporates a rich number of streets, alleys and open spaces that are not all in current use by pedestrians as they are blocked by various obstacles (infrastructure, walls, parking…). This network present a valuable potential for being developed into a pedestrian network designed according to urban design guidelines that seek to improve walkability and livability in the neighborhood. Building on the existing directives of the urbanism law, I develop an urban design strategy at three scales: city, neighborhood and block, in which I suggest how to control traffic into and within Hamra, link streets and alleys that are disconnected, after freeing them from obstacles, and design them in ways that make them secure and livable by people. I also provide a detailed design intervention along one of the main spines of the pedestrian network that illustrates how this strategy can specifically operate. My thesis shows that enhancing walkability in Hamra through simple urban design interventions is feasible and can lead to significant improvements in the everyday lives of people living in and visiting Hamra. It thus demonstrates that Beirut’s traffic problems can be much improved if the municipality invests in pedestrian infrastructure.