Urban Acupuncture as Recovery Approach to Improving the Liveability of Neighbourhoods Affected by Beirut Port Explosion

Abstract

Abstract Following the port explosion in 2020, Beirut witnessed an unprecedented crisis, revealing the incompetence of its development plans and promoting the emergence of new approaches to improve liveability in damaged areas. Currently, urban planning has shifted from the traditional focus on large-scale interventions to the focus on flexible and adaptive small-scale interventions, especially in financially weak areas. Inspired by traditional Chinese medicine, urban acupuncture (UA) exemplifies this shift through localized interventions aimed at revitalizing cities by simulating their energy. This paper aims to investigate the potential of implementing UA as a recovery approach in Rmeil neighbourhood, heavily impacted by the explosion, to improve its liveability. By analysing and comparing two international examples, the paper highlights the interventions used to activate the urban context. It finally proposes six strategic interventions and ten key actions tailored to achieve social, economic, and environmental results in Rmeil with less effort. This paper represents the foundation for implementing urban acupuncture on a broader level in Beirut and other spots in Lebanon.