The Sustainable Micro-Landscape Urban Building Gardens: Case of Factory 4376, Sama Beirut and Tamlis–Tarik Jdideh

Abstract

This paper tackles the sustainable micro-landscape urban building gardens, and aims to explore innovative planning and green design approaches, thus finding solutions to the depletion of green spaces in Beirut. This study is conducted on three buildings located within Beirut city, each having a different architectural typology. The first is Factory 4376 located in Sin EL Fil, the second is Sama Beirut located in Achrafieh, and the third Al Tamlis – Tarik Jdideh. Each building is either residential, commercial or both; and each is surrounded by different socio-economic neighborhoods. This study adopts a comparative methodology; it relies on detailed analysis of maps and aerial photographs, obtained from one of the local municipalities, as well as interviews with residents in the investigated areas, surveys, pictures, and similar case studies. Three solutions were suggested for the locations stated above:  First solution: the implantation of a metallic structure on an old building that forms an extension to preexisting balconies.  Second solution: the integration of the green sliding balconies on buildings with glass façades.  Third solution: the integration of prefabricated modules to buildings with no balconies. The paper concludes that green technologies, if integrated in the context of sustainability, can make a great difference, even if space is limited; hence overcoming the risk of losing greenery.