Garden of Forgiveness

Hadiqat As-Samah

Beirut Central District - Beirut, Lebanon



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Architect: Kathryn Gustafson (www.gustafson-porter.com)

Client: Solidere s.a.l.

Area: 5.7 acres (2.3 hectares)

Status: Under Construction

Official Website: www.solidere.com/garden/



The Garden of Forgiveness, also known as Hadiqat As-Samah (in Arabic), is a garden under development in the ancient heart of Beirut, Lebanon, where it straddles the Green Line, once the battle line where much of the heaviest fighting took place during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990).

The Garden of Forgiveness/Hadiqat As-Samah is designed to be a place of contemplation and reflection. It is inspired by the great human struggle to forgive, particularly in light of historic cycles of violence and the realization that forgiveness perhaps represents our only way out.

The garden concept was initiated by Alexandra Asseily, following a vision she had in l997 concerning the inter-generational cycles of pain and violence present in individuals, families, tribes and nations. As a witness of the pain of the civil war in Lebanon, she decided to explore her own responsibility for peace and became a psychotherapist. She came to realize that lasting peace in Lebanon, or anywhere else, would not be achieved until people were able instill forgiveness at a deep level of memory.

The garden, which is currently under construction, was designed following an international design competition which was won by renowned landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson. Gustafson also designed the Diana Memorial Fountain in London's Hyde Park and has won many other international competitions.

From Alexandra Asseily:

The Vision

Whilst talking with a very good friend and healer, the idea came of translating my experience into creating a Garden of Forgiveness. I wrote down the vision as follows.


The Garden of Forgiveness

A garden in which people can gather strength and inspiration
A garden with running water from a powerful source
An archetypal garden, including seats, shade, jasmine bowers
A sanctuary, a place of calm for reflection
A garden of healing
A garden of blessings
A place to trigger the concept of forgiveness, innocent and purifying–without which the rebuilding of Beirut is but temporary and fragile. Witness the past.

The intention of forgiveness will go into the very roots of the garden.

The energy which is put into the design will carry through to the people–who are touched by it.

Blossoming through all forms of ancestral progress.

Inscriptions from the Prophets, the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Koran on rocks, on walls.



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The Garden of Forgiveness Project has many interesting aspects, some of which include:

1. Members of many different religious communities within Beirut and Lebanon have participated in the planning and development of the Hadiqat As-Samah. This includes Lebanon’s main confessional groups: (in alphabetical order) Druze, Greek Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Maronite Catholic, Shiite Muslim, and Sunni Muslim.

2. The garden is located in a site of tremendous historic richness. According to the site archaeologist, at least fifteen different civilizations have lived on the site. Most were destroyed by wars and invasions, though also by a tsunami in 551. A partial listing of civilizations include: Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Persian, Abbasid, Mamluk, Ottoman, French Colonial and Lebanese.
The Garden is located directly over the ancient heart of the Graeco/Roman city of Berytus. The middle intersection of the ancient Roman cardo (running north and south) and the decamanus (running east and west) intersect within the garden.

3. The garden is surrounded by three cathedrals (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic) and three mosques, including the magnificent, newly built Mohammad al-Amin mosque and another which had once been a Crusader church.

4. Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri took his last steps near the garden, before being tragically assassinated on Feb. 14th, 2005. He is buried in a tomb which lies, together with the tombs of the guards who died with him, at the edge of the Garden and near the Al Amin mosque.

5. The area surrounding the Garden and the Garden itself are being developed by Solidere, (the company responsible for developing the Beirut Central District). Solidere is responsible for creating one of the largest and most beautiful city restorations in the world today, making Beirut a sought after destination for business and tourism.

6. Near the middle of the garden, the ancient shrine to the Virgin Mary, (who is also known in Arabic as the Nourieh, the Light, and as Mariam) was destroyed in the Civil War. Both Muslim and Christian women had prayed at this location for centuries to bring miraculous healings, healthy childbirths, etc. In 2005 this shrine was reconstructed as a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

7. An ancient heart shaped well, thought to be 3,000 to 5,000 years old, is also located in the garden and is believed to be related to Astarte – the goddess of love and fertility.

8. On November 10, 2005, three women who lost their husbands and sons in the 9/11 attacks in New York City, planted an olive tree in the Garden of Forgiveness in remembrance of their loved ones. They also visited a number of citizens who had suffered loss through violence including Bahia Hariri, the sister of the assassinated Ex-Prime Minister, Giselle Khoury whose husband (a journalist) was assassinated in June of 2005 and Rabab Sadr, whose famous brother disappeared during the civil war.

9. The Garden of Forgiveness in Beirut has inspired a group of 9/11 families and others to promote the idea of a sister Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero in New York City. This project is lead by eminent researcher on Forgiveness Dr. Fred Luskin from Stanford University and Reverend Lyndon Harris, who was Priest at St. Paul’s chapel at Ground Zero when on 9/11. He helped turn the church a relief center for firemen and policemen and others doing recovery and clearing at the site. Together they are leading the Sacred City organization, which has a project entitled "The Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero."

10. While there are perhaps hundreds, or maybe thousands, of "peace" gardens in the world, Beirut is the first place offering a garden of forgiveness. Peace is the goal, but forgiveness is a means to reaching that goal. The Garden reminds us that we must all do the challenging work of considering those things, and those people, we feel that we have been unable to forgive for good reason and to contemplate taking healing steps toward forgiveness which is the bridge to peace. It is because violence is so traumatic that forgiveness often seems impossible. Yet, its power to transform violence and hatred into peace is what makes this Garden of Forgiveness in Beirut a beacon of hope which can touch the World. Hence the tremendous power of including such a concept in the heart of beautiful Beirut, and also at Ground Zero in New York City. Some people are now considering initiating Gardens of Forgiveness in other locations around the World as well.

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Some archeological discoveries...

From the Daily Star:
Extraordinary findings were unearthed during the latest phase of excavation * including a site below the Amin Mosque that is now under construction * that was carried out by a core team of 10 students led by Muntaha Saghieh Beydoun, a professor at the Lebanese University.

Recent discoveries include elaborate Byzantine mosaics made of tiny green, yellow and red stones. Even more exciting for the senior archaeologist was the discovery last year of the Decumanus Maximus, the Roman main street that ran east to west that was unearthed below the mosque.

The street was removed from its original site after it was discovered, but plans have been made to reinstate it in the basement of the Amin Mosque. The other main Roman road that ran north to south, the Cardus Maximus, was partially uncovered in 1995, and has already been preserved and will be part of the garden.

The Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero, NYC

Inspired by the garden in Beirut


Why a Garden of Forgiveness?

Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in his most recent book, declared, "There can be no future without forgiveness." It is vital that, as we rebuild Lower Manhattan, we acknowledge the sanctity of this hallowed ground and the need for forgiveness as one of the first steps toward healing which will lead to a peaceful future. The Sacred City Project is honored to present the Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero, modeled on the Garden of Forgiveness in Beirut, Lebanon. September 11 has international importance: individuals from 67 countries, and nearly half that many faiths, were killed in the terrorist attacks. It is essential that all nations and all faiths be a part of the future at Ground Zero, and a future that replaces religious violence with understanding, cooperation and lasting peace.

The birth of a multi-faith spirit of healing

The religious nature of the acts of September 11, combined with the coming together of so many faiths and nationalities in the relief effort, laid the groundwork for us to create the Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero. The diverse multi-faith communities of New York united after 9/11 to help, to serve together, and to work for healing. We seek to transform this vital energy into a living memorial to those lost on 9/11, but also to provide a focal point for the unprecedented spirit of peace and healing born at Ground Zero, the very site of devastation.

^^ copy cats.. i have to admit i cringed when i first read the name, but after reading about the project, im definetly looking forward to it! when will it b finished?

^^ Which one, the one in NYC or in Beirut? Beirut's GOF is planned to be complete by this year...

Oh and I wouldn't really consider them copying us... especially because ours is so historic and unique. I mean we should be flattered that the most important site in NYC (WTC ground zero) is going to be forever linked to Beirut.

what a weird name! Looks cool to see a small park in the middle of the city next to "nejmeh sqaure"....Beirut looks very urbanized are there many other parks in the middle of the city?

^^ I wouldnt call it a "weird name" really because it has extreme symbolic value... if you read most of the text you will see what is meant by "forgiveness" - what is most interesting is this is the first forgiveness (not peace) garden in the world.

And yes, there are several parks in the city, there is also a major golf course and a horse racing track. The largest park in the city is planned in the reclamation area of the BCD along the marina.

oncerning the one in NY, here is info from wiki

The Garden of Forgiveness in Beirut has inspired a group of 9/11 families and others to promote the idea of a sister Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero in New York City. This project is lead by eminent researcher on Forgiveness Dr. Fred Luskin from Stanford University and Reverend Lyndon Harris, who was Priest at St. Paul’s chapel at Ground Zero when on 9/11. He helped turn the church a relief center for firemen and policemen and others doing recovery and clearing at the site. Together they are leading the Sacred City organization, which has a project entitled "The Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero."

ok im a little confused,.....will the bringing of this park in anyway affect the archelogical spaces? bcz im all for rebuilding. but when it comes to old ruins...im fixed on leave them, dont touch them..even if they look ugly..leave it alone..so help me understand how all this will be blended together without affecting these ancient sites?

^^ The whole point is to preserve the archaeological monuments while giving the area a special meaning as well. There are making every effort to take care of the site and arrange the park so it can be a useful and enjoyable space.

I like the idea of the garden. I also like the NY garden because 9/11 was very sad and it was a bad thing and yes because NY will be connected to Beirut!

They would be very different because the garden here is gonna be historical because of the ancient civilizations, the new testament, old testament, and Quran writings on the walls and rocks, because it's an improtant war scene, mosques and churches are init and much more. I'm going to visit this garden whenI go to Lebanon

Some pics . . .

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^^ All of those are quite recent (within the last year), only the 3rd pic is from a few years ago.

Here are some recent pics of Garden of Forgiveness taken in June/2006.

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:eek2: WOW they are making some progress! Thanks so much Nareg these pics are awesome!

i don't see the progress!! it was the same last summer (august 2005)
but the project seems interesting, hope there will be more parks soon

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/1423/dscn08616id.jpg



Does anyone know of any plans to renovate this old building behind the columns in this pic? And are there any pics of this building with a view of the front?

i don't see the progress!! it was the same last summer (august 2005)
but the project seems interesting, hope there will be more parks soon


Look closely Ramazzotti, the walls surrounding the garden are almost complete, if you look as the pics I posted on the previous page (they are only from last winter maybe) and the walls were still in the early phase...

ah yes the walls, i didn't notice it lol

i really wish they'd move the ruins for the duration of the construction so they dont accidently damage them

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/6421/931003860a295c8415b7cu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

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I just can't wait to stroll around the first landscaped public park in Beirut city!

Beirut's Forgiveness Garden, Slated for 2008, on Wartime Hold
Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Now that Hezbollah rockets and Israeli bombs have momentarily stopped falling, I thought again of the 3.5-acre pit that zigzags between three churches and three mosques in central Beirut. It had been in the process of becoming Hadiqat As-Samah: the Garden of Forgiveness. It might now be seen as the landscape of a shattered ideal.

I was touched by the design for the garden, unveiled in 2000. The visitor would enter a walled, lushly planted outdoor vestibule -- with a reflecting pool like a traditional paradise garden -- and then move down a ramp through a series of planted terraces. The ramp would descend among columns, walls and fragments of paving that remain from the 3,000 years the site has been occupied, surviving through Christian and Islamic historic periods from the Phoenician to the French Mandate.

Landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson and architect Neil Porter had intended to install planted areas in the rooms traced by ruined walls. The shrubs and trees would not disturb the remains, but their colors and scents would evoke the shared memories of people intermingled over millennia -- as in the nearby shrine to Nourieh, Mary the mother of Jesus, prayed to by both Christians and Muslims.

The garden was the inspiration of Alexandra Asseily, 69. Her father grew up during World War I and lost a brother; her mother was a refugee of the Russian Revolution. She was born in Malta and moved around with her father, a British naval officer, while World War II raged.

Vengeance and Violence

With her husband, she lived through the Lebanese civil war. In her work with refugees and international aid organizations, she questioned how Lebanon -- ``a land of milk and honey and of kind, warm, hospitable people'' she wrote -- could be transformed ``into a jungle of dozens of militias.'' She became a psychotherapist and focused on the way vengeance drives cycles of violence.

Forgiveness, she has concluded, is an individual act essential to ending age-old enmities. Central to religions the world over, forgiveness releases the ``sting'' in grievances that results in violence, she claims.

Asseily has left Beirut, and I reached her in London.

``The garden came out of the pain of the last war,'' she explained over the phone. ``It evolved as an attempt to break these cycles of war. There are a lot of peace gardens, but you don't get to peace without forgiveness.'' She regards the garden as akin to ``an acupuncture point in the psyche of the nation, something to make people think.''

Planting Peace

Can a garden do what endless fighting and diplomacy have failed to accomplish? ``There's still a reason to build it even if people are not now in a mood to forgive,'' she replied. ``The emphasis will now have to change from internal forgiveness to external forgiveness.''

I spoke by telephone with Gustafson at her home on Vashon Island, Washington. (Her firm, Gustafson Porter -- famous for a memorial to Princess Diana -- is based in Seattle and London.) Solidere, the Beirut redevelopment agency, had begun the painstaking construction in 2003, she said, and many of the enclosing walls are now done. ``But now, everything's stopped. It hurts. This is one of the most moving projects I have ever worked on.''

Can a designed project like this actually affect those caught in the enormity of such violence? ``People of every religion have been very supportive,'' she said. ``One park will not change the world, but you might change a nanosecond of someone's thinking, and that accumulates.''

Indefinite Delay

So far, bombing has spared the garden site. But Gustafson worries that reconstruction throughout Lebanon will put it on the back burner. (It had been scheduled for a 2008 opening.) Still, she says, once hostilities cease, ``I'll be back there as soon as possible.''

Asseily sees the need for the garden as ``more urgent than ever.'' Research is beginning to show, she says, that we keep old wounds not just in memory but in our genes: ``We don't have much time -- that's my feeling.''

For more information about the Garden of Forgiveness, see http://www.solidere.com/garden . For more information about Gustafson Porter: http://www.gustafson-porter.com .

(James S. Russell is Bloomberg's U.S. architecture critic. The opinions expressed are his own.)



To contact the writer of this story:
James S. Russell at jamesrussell@earthlink.net.
Last Updated: August 17, 2006 00:09 EDT

source:http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=avtxiuhusuVs

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I think I'll like this project once I see it finished because I still don't really get it from the renders

Wait a minute ,,, They Resumed the work on the garden of forgiveness ??????? ^^

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/461/forgivenessvr5.jpg

U can also see the works on the foundation of the project between Mohammed Al Amin mosque and the Virgin megastore,,Forgot its name :D

^^ Good news.. that building foundation is for "Beirut Gardens" I guess

Wait a minute ,,, They Resumed the work on the garden of forgiveness ??????? ^^



They never put it on hold I think, they were just thinking about it because the whole meaning of this garden is for different communities to co-exist peacefully...and after the summer war and last weeks rioting, the meaning changed completely

Well, if I'm not mistaken they put it on hold 2 or 3 years ago (Now I don't know)
But the work I'm seeing in that pic is not part of Garden of Forgiveness (this is my opinion). I guess they are just working on the pavement to give access to the church from behind and maybe to Virgin Megastore.

I thought it would be good to add this pic here. Thanks Hassoun!

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Thanks for this pic Sevag!

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^^ Notice the major progress on the back wall!

I dont know when this pic was taken, but something is going on...

http://inlinethumb23.webshots.com/5654/2545635970065171967S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2545635970065171967ynpIZj)

Here are some older pictures I found...

(Courtesy of Philippe Saad)

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Anyone notice any works going on recently on the site (not Beirut Gardens, Bab el Saray)?

Here is a rendering for Beirut Gardens that shows what the GOF might look like:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/rhmud/1-7.jpg

Does anyone know of any plans to renovate this old building behind the columns in this pic? And are there any pics of this building with a view of the front?

But when I went by in September 08 the building had recently been knocked down.
I don't know if it is to make room for somethng else.

^^ Yes, I saw that as well and I was really happy to see it demolished since it was an eyesore. I am sure it was removed for this project so it seems there is some activity at least going forward with this.


Here is a pic of the garden now that the building is gone:

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courtesy of Jerome
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what's going on there ?

thats the demolition right? plus look at the rebar sticking out..looks like maybe a pthway being added

They are removing the foundation of the old building that was demolished - and it appears that they have uncovered some more ruins! This is not new construction but rather what looks like a team of archaeologists excavating.

^^ yes wasnt that the location of the ruined building? looks like more roman pillars were found

^^

This was back in 2006:

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/6421/931003860a295c8415b7cu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

^^ they're not uncovering new ruins, theyre adding a new huge bell tower to the cathedral , i saw its renderings inside . seems like they want to compete with the mosque if u ask me . the new bell tower will be at least twice the height of the cathedral

By looking at the above pics, clearly they are removing the foundations of the old building that use to stand there. It is very likely that there would be ruins underneath. The people in the pics look like archaeologists.

I wonder why a project so important like this one , no press coverage at all ? we need to know what's going on? is it even halted?

This actually did have a lot of press coverage. The people planning the new project at "ground zero" in new york were actually inspired by this project and wanted to create something similar at the site. I remember somebody saying that the project has been moving so slowly because of many people who think the conflicts in beirut are not over, to create something symbolic of conflict being over and no more prejudice, etc, would not carry as strong of a message if it were to be completed already. (this is not necessarily my opinion, it's just what i've heard), plus, it seems that solidere does not always care to finish social projects like this one, as fast as they would with towers that bring in money.

^^ I don't agree with you,it's in Solidere's best interests to get this done ASAP,simply because it will grab more eye balls to DT area,even more press coverage.there has to be something going on,but i can't really figure it out.

By the same landscape architects (moderators, please move this if you think it ore approprate elsewhere). So many projects of this sort on the drawing board for the BCD. But like the Citadel Square and the Garden of Forgiveness, no sign of anything being done...

Shoreline Walk, Beirut

http://www.gustafson-porter.com/intro.htm
(look under projects)



The Shoreline Walk, Beirut
A line between the old city and a new reclaimed area of Beirut will reconnect the city centre with the shorefront and link together four new urban spaces. The line recalls the former shoreline and the spaces evoke memories of the city that were forgotten and destroyed through the fifteen-year civil war.



The city of Beirut in Lebanon is the site of a new landscape project where a lost city coastline has become the inspiration for the creation of a series of new urban spaces. The Shoreline Walk links four squares and gardens, which are part of the domain of Solidere, the Lebanese Company for the Development and Reconstruction of Beirut Central District. Beirut faces the challenge of bringing a new population back to the heart of the city. The buildings and population of the city centre suffered extensive physical and emotional damage during the fifteen-year civil war, which began in 1975 and although Beirut is a melting pot of cultures and religions co-habiting in relative harmony, the war created the “Green Line”, a physical barrier splitting Beirut into the Christian East and the Muslim West. It was a physical and mental division that could have been hard to remove. However with the city centre devastated and empty by the end of the war, its rebuilding is an expression of the Beiruti people ’s resourceful character and resolve to share their city in a harmonious way.



The city had once prided itself on its rocky shoreline Corniche lined with avenues of palms and cafes with views towards distant horizons, but during the war a vast rubbish mountain emerged from the daily tipping of waste into the Mediterranean. Guided by a new master plan, areas of the city have been preserved, others demolished, while the remediated landfill is set to become a vast new district projecting out into the sea.

The old coastline now runs through the centre of the city. Rather than leaving it land-locked and redundant, it was decided to create a leisurely pedestrian route that straddles the boundary and differences between the old and new cities. The Shoreline Walk is placed between the natural topography of the rationalised medieval street layout of the old city and the engineered grid of the new landfill. It is located between memories of the past and hopes for the future ; between activities that made a connection to the rhythms of a natural coastline, to a new contemporary landscape that alludes to and reveals (those) past memories and events, whil st helping shape the new character and dynamism of a city shared by (a) people of different faiths and cultural influences.



Research revealed that the shoreline of Beirut has continuously evolved throughout history. The first Phoenician settlers arrived in 1220 BC and were followed by the Romans in 64 BC, the Mamluks in 1291 (AD), the Crusaders in 1110, the Ottomans in 1516, the French in 1918, the landfill of the war in 1975 and finally the Solidere reconstruction works of today. Each successive culture has shaped and expanded the coastline to create harbours that brought wealth to the city.



Within the historic context of the evolving shoreline, Gustafson Porter has suggested a new line. The new line acts as a guide, revealing elements of the changing historical coastline and acting as a connective spine. On the ground it is marked by a continuous line of white limestone that is accompanied by a wide pedestrian promenade lined by an avenue of distinctive Palms (Roystonia regia). This organic line of movement runs along the length of the Shoreline Walk, linking the four spaces (All Saints Square, Shoreline Gardens, Zeytoune Square, Santiyeh Garden) and re-establis es an east – west connection between places that would not have been linked by the new city grid. Physical and visual links extend beyond the spaces to re-establish and create more distant connections to the key monuments and spaces of the city.



The promenade is inspired by the historic Corniche *– a wide palm-lined sidewalk which followed the Beirut coastline from the city centre to the public beach, two kilometres to the west. In a city with few parks and squares, it is the Beiruti people ’s favourite public open space. It has a constant flow of walkers, joggers, cyclists, bread sellers and wedding parties all watched by (the) stationary coffee drinkers and fishermen. At present the Corniche stops when it reaches the edge of the city centre. The Shoreline Walk will reconnect and enliven the city centre with the dynamism of the Corniche.



Arriving at any point along the line, visitors will recognise the Shoreline Walk. Each element, whether paved or planted, airy or aquatic , combine to enhance the perception of the route‘s existence within an otherwise uniform urban context. To the south of the promenade, light coloured paving and trees signify “dry land” as it would have existed before the war. To the north of the promenade, open areas of dark granite, boardwalks and timber pergolas mark the previous position of the sea. The reflective quality of the dark surface is enhanced by water, either through new water features or rainfall, creating the illusion that the sea has returned.



The four spaces of the Shoreline Walk will provide areas to pause and for occupation. Research into each space revealed remnants of the character of the pre-war city that had been forgotten or destroyed. These remnants provided the inspiration for the four diverse spaces, each of which reveal elements of memory from the past. Each “memory” generates the development of an atmosphere, aligned with the facilities and functions required by a contemporary city to create a network of spaces and an evolving promenade.



All Saints Square

All Saints Square makes a connection with the new Corniche and Marina. Before the war All Saints Church occupied a headland surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. Historic photos reveal a space on the edge with a sense of calm and exposure, a promontory from which a swimming club dived into the sea. Gustafson Porter’s design for the square re-interprets these qualities in a new context, creating an intimate, self-contained space lowered down to the original ground level adjacent to the church. Views are channelled upwards toward the sky and the space is enclosed by soft green textured walls, sheltered from the bustling traffic above. The enclosed space becomes a haven of textures and concentrates the summer aroma of (the)Jasminum officinale. At street level , a raised route provides direct passage through the space, connecting the Shoreline Walk with the Corniche while allowing views into the garden below.



Shoreline Gardens

The Shoreline Gardens are on the site of the historic Avenue des Français, Beirut’s first coastal promenade or Corniche. Graced by an elegantly curved sea wall and wide palm-lined sidewalk , it was a popular seaside promenade. (with Beirut citizens and tourists alike). During the war years, the Avenue des Français became deserted and buried by the landfill ; the place was lost. Inspired by the elegance of the original promenade, the design for the Shoreline Gardens, creates a contemporary interpretation of the sea wall, that will now define the edge of a linear water feature. The water feature will unite the space creating water movement over an undulating surface, whilst a timber pergola will cast dappled shade where one can sit and relax. This area can once again become a meeting point in Beirut.

Zeytoune Square

Situated to the south of the Shoreline Walk, Zeytoune Square is a key link to the surrounding city. The square will become a celebration of modern Beirut and a place for cultural events. Terraces utilise the existing slope to provide an informal amphitheatre space from which concerts, festivals and films can be viewed. The surface of the square extends across the roads to the surrounding buildings, unifying the square as one large space. The bold paving patterns are inspired by the black and white patterning found in traditional Lebanese architecture. The paving stripes change like contours with the sites topography, creating a fractal landscape as the contrasting colours interact with the terraces. Throughout the square, WIFI wireless internet access with specially designed benches placed under the branching shade of Albizia trees, provides an ideal location for lap top users to log on and find out “What’s on in Beirut”.

Santiyeh Garden

The Santiyeh Garden is separated from the pattern of surrounding streets by buildings on its four sides, provid ing the perfect setting for a green oasis. Inspired by the Arabic Paradise Garden, it will be a sensory refuge. The site occupies the position of an ancient cemetery and as a consequence required a calm, quiet, contemplative atmosphere. The theme of “Welling Up” describes a release of emotion that will be expressed in the design of the garden’s water features and benches. Divided into three distinct spaces, the garden includes an entry space, lower entry square, and (the) upper garden. The entry space is a continuation of the Old Shoreline Walk promenade emphasised by a line of Royal Cuban Palms. The lower entry square to the south connects to the new souks (market area). It is inhabited by a grove of trees that provide shade for seating, adjacent to a long cascade. Stepping up the cascade, visitors are lead to the upper garden, a mosaic of sensuous planting and water features. A three-tiered hierarchy of paths based on a grid configuration invites visitors to choose their space as they are led from the formal edge of water tables into intimate groves of aromatic planting. The garden is enclosed by a wall of woven mesh pergolas that create a green wall of seating niches provided for contemplation.



The four squares are currently being developed by Gustafson Porter. The construction programme allows for the gardens to be developed in sequence with the phases for construction of the adjacent building fabric. The work is programmed to be complete by 2008.

most of those have been started and worked on..

is the activity on the plot seen on this video related to the project at all?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmurto/4920641342/

^^ I hope so, but it might just be regular maintenance.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/5450053335_3b08c6af78_b.jpg
Courtesy of DavidJessop

So has any sort of progress been made on this project at all?

I'm not sure i understand it.. Is the plan to remove all the ruins on the site?

^^ I dont think the design has been finalized yet, but there will be a pedestrian bridge over the ruins and trees will be planted throughout. I'm sure much of the ruins will be moved around.

only scattered rocks would be moved around, anything permanent will probably remain intact. I am assuming Trees will be planted in areas that will not disturb the ruins. they'll probably be spaced far enough so the roots won't cause any damage. The whole purpose of this park is to create a garden/archaeological park/ healing center. so the ruins not only will be preserved, but they will be viewed in an organized more comprehensive way making it easier to enjoy without all the weeds and the over growth.

^^ Dont forget that the ruins that were discovered that are now being kept in storage will also be placed.

But dont the ruins cover a large part of the site? more than half maybe?

They'll be covering some of the ruins back up. Others, like the remains of the Cardo, will be prominently featured.

That, of course, is if they ever move forward. This thing's been stuck since they finished the retaining walls.

But dont the ruins cover a large part of the site? more than half maybe?

I believe most of the scattered ruins are simply columns, capitals, stone blocks etc, that were part of a larger structure and are now scattered all over the place. My assumption is that they would reassemble some of the stones thus clearing some of the debris!

and as ainmreisiot said cover some of the insignificant stones.

http://www.gardenofforgiveness.com/

^^ This website hasn't been updated in several years.