Re-envisioning Beirut. Bottom-up mobilizations towards a liveable city

In this thesis, I attempt to interpret the bottom-up initiatives as an alternative for dysfunctional top-down planning systems in Lebanon. This is done through a thorough analysis of the main planning practices after Independence and the post-war reconstruction projects, highlighting the characteristics of each in terms of implementation, extensiveness, social inclusion, and other facts shaping the plans and its effects on the current situation. This led to the rise of urban activism and mobilizations claiming back the right to the city and a series of urban cases proving a successful trend in Beirut. Therefore, the interpretation and break-down of 3 success stories: Horsh Beirut, Fouad Boutros highway, and Dalieh of Raoucheh through a 6Ws model investigating the processes and strategies of each one. Lastly, studying how the bottom-up local scale initiatives took a transformative course becoming an urban-political movement aiming to take over the decision-making in order to reverberate the successes on a wider scale affecting the city as a whole. This thesis aims at shedding light on the importance of the engagement of the citizens in planning processes avoiding the mishaps of top-down planning especially in divided cities. It also contributes in forming a general framework and strategy toolbox for bottom-up initiatives specifically in Beirut. Finally, through this research i aim to highlight the urge for change in planning practices in Lebanon and the engagement of the professionals in the planning discipline for a comprehensive far-sighted vision for the city ensuring livibality and integration.