RAS BEIRUT COLLECTIVEDensification towards affordability
Ras Beirut is gentrifying. Also due to a rise in the land value, old buildings (20%) in Ras Beirut are under pressure of demolition. Developers aim to build high-rise skyscrapers that are exclusive to the high-end price range. A high demand for student housing due to the presence of university campuses reflects as high occupancy of students in small scale hotels. The strategy is to reverse this challenge from privatization by forming a co-operative;by the students’ association, universities, hotel owners and old tenants. In order to cope up with the F.A.R. of the lots, introducing modular pre-fabricated units for students with effective floor area will act as a plug-in solution against high land value of the lots. The evictions of old tenants with a strategy of Retrofitting the old apartments into new smaller areas and introducing new student housing units in the apartments will allow for affordability and fair rent. The modular student housing can be adjusted as per various site contexts of old buildings that face similar threats. Eventually it will densify the urbanscape of Ras Beirut with more inclusivity.
Ras Beirut Collective
The student tower connects old buildings with effective density
A Co-operative model
Dry construction technique for stacked floors and minimal service modules.
Horizontal connectors
Student tower - tool for density
Modularunits
Repetitionin series
0 1.5 5
Verticalconnectors
Service module
AUB/ LAUuniversities
Currentoccupants
Smaller apartments
Building A12 apartments250 sq m each
Building B7 apartments
300 sq m eachexisting situation
intervention
7 new apartments (180 sq m)
Common areas +90 student pre-fabricated cells
gym + cafe
12 new apartments (125 sq m)Common areas +30 renovated student roomsshops + market
ApartmentsStudent housingService cores
Students’association
Affordability
Hotel owners’association
Module for density
Neighborhoodintegration
CD9192
Inter-connections Site connections
Ras Beirut Collective
1 - Affordable housing unit 125 sq m2 - Affordable housing unit 125 sq m3 - Renovated student units 4 - Pre-fabricated student housing units 100sq m5 - Affordable housing unit 180 sq m
CD9192
0 2.5 10 25
Reconfiguration of bigger apartments to smaller areasAddition of student units for low rent with high density
Typical floor plan
1
2
3
4
5