CHILD FRIENDLY COMMUNITY CENTRE
Partners: Terre des Hommes Italy in Lebanon
Funding: Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (2022) – Otto per Mille of the Waldensian Church of Italy (2024)
Throughout our work in the neighbourhood of Karantina, Beirut on co-designed public spaces – as a response to the Beirut port explosion – the community highlighted the need for an indoor community centre that could host a wide range of activities. The project rehabilitated and transformed an unused public building that was heavily damaged into a child friendly, playful and safe space.
Almost two years after the catastrophic event, many buildings in the neighbourhood remained destroyed with no clear plans for rehabilitation. Reusing existing buildings is one of the key elements in the implementation of built interventions with a low environmental impact. In close collaboration with the community and the municipality, we were able to identify the site of intervention: a derelict storage space.
The design followed a participatory approach ensuring input from children, caregivers, partners and the local authorities around their needs and aspirations. We rehabilitated the building’s structure and services to address the evident need for maintenance.
Additionally, we adapted the existing layout of the building to create new spatial configurations that enable a variety of activities. The result of this project is a child-friendly multipurpose space, where children, youth and the wider community can meet and engage in activities, contributing to both improved resilience and mental health.
“The place is inspiring. I love the sunlight and vibrant colours. It brings hope to see a building that was destroyed become an attractive and useful space for the community."
In 2023, through the participatory process of the ‘Safe Spaces for Girls’ project, we recognised the vital role this indoor space plays in the community. It serves as the only large public indoor space in Karantina available for community activities. For the girls, this is more than just a physical space; it is a safe environment where they can gather, learn, and grow. Given its significance, we allocated funds to enhance the quality of the space, particularly for the summer months. Due to the ongoing crisis in the country, electricity availability is neither frequent nor predictable, rendering fans ineffective for cooling the space throughout a full day of activities.
To address this, we collaborated with Ecolytik, who provided pro-bono consultancy to conduct a climate analysis of the space. Based on their recommendations, we implemented solutions to improve thermal comfort, with a design focused on maximizing natural ventilation. The adaptation works were completed in summer 2024, ensuring the space is now better equipped to serve the community during the warmer months.
