Submission: September 21, 2021
Registration: September 10, 2021
Language: English
Location: Beirut
Prizes: 1200 USD Total
Type: Open

The most important criteria of the competition is delivering a Green, sustainable, low energy, zero energy or nearly zero energy buildings, bio-climatic. A lot of terms used to define a generic way of seeing and interpreting architecture. As far as Dar[e] and this competition, the concern is summarized by providing maximum users’ comfort while using minimum energy and natural resources, thus having minimum impact onto the environment.

Other approach to sustainability take into account one, or more or all of the following points:

Embedded energy of construction materials
Energy consumed within the construction phase
Overall lifespan energy consumption or (running energy consumption)
End of life or the energy needed for demolition, decommissioning or recycling

The name Quarantina is derived from the historically secluded area far from both the city and its port where ships and traveler would be sent for a quarantine period, until declared fit and healthy to be allowed to enter the city. The area is limited from the east by the Beirut river, from the north and west by the port, and is separated from the nearest urban hub of Mar-Mikhael by a high speed 2×4 lanes highway. It is an exceptional area by the variety of function it contains: industries and factories, military barracks, offices and businesses, residential (local inhabitants and rentals), governmental hospital, it has a large public park. In addition to these, the Forum de Beyrouth is a major cultural and entertainment venue, along with the famous B-O18 underground nightclub. Yet with all this mixture, little interaction happens among the various user groups and more so with the rest of the city in particular Mar-Mikhael which is a vibrant spot for living, business and lively night entertainment.

SITE & PROPOSAL

The competition lot has these coordinates, (lat. 33.902298^o; lon. 35.530647^o). What we are proposing is a completely new way to look at the Beirut urban block, and the competition is about applying this new vision.

Our proposal is to divide the block into a continuous ring band of 15m width. This band starts at 3m setback from the initial block limit(a). Beyond the 15m is another 5m backyard (b) to the specific building, and beyond that is a common place (c) for the entire block that is at a difference in level than the backyard.

The new lots are small, they are adjacent and continuous, in a sense that they do not have side elevations. They share common underground parking accessed from two specific locations on the block only. Each lot has its own different height from the one adjacent to it.

ELIGIBILITY

Entries can be made individually or by teams not exceeding four (4) participants.
All team members should be younger than 33 years old born after June 21^st 1988. Winning teams failing to prove this for any team member will have their entry disqualified.
Teams or individuals can submit more than one entry, as long as the entries are duly registered during the allocated time period and submitted before the deadline September 21^st, 11:59pm Beirut Time (GMT +3:00).