Community architecture in Tyre (Lebanon)

Within the project Mare Nostrum, Paralleli – Euromediterranean Institute managed a pilot experience of participatory planning in Tyre (Lebanon). This experience aimed – in line with the overall objectives of the Mare Nostrum project – on one side at contributing to the promotion and awareness-raising of the heritage value of historic Mediterranean port-cities along the Phoenician routes, on the other side at suggesting guidelines for new tourist itineraries in the cities of reference.

The participatory planning experience was developed through seven main steps during two mission in Tyre, Lebanon (February 2010 and April 2010): mapping the needs: interviews with local stakeholders; two technical meetings and a 1 survey with the Municipality; two technical meetings with project team and partners; on-site interviews with selected local actors and long time inhabitants of the neighbourhood; two Focus Groups (Themes: a-Community active role in touristic development and heritage preservation; b-enhancing the touristic offer of Tyre); Three neighbourhood walks; Six guide lines for the definition of new sustainable tourist itineraries.

A preliminary mapping of the area provided a detailed albeit concise picture of the situation in Tyre in relation to tourism, highlighting difficulties but also strengths of the sector.
The following participatory planning experience - initially focused on the old town of Tyre, extend subsequently to the whole touristic system in the city urban agglomeration and related inland and coastline territory, including the sea and undersea - involved the local stakeholders (local actors, stakeholders, community leaders and local administration) into active discussions and participated activities, aimed at raising awareness, enhancing the knowledge and the value given to the tangible and intangible heritage, and to foster the suggestion of alternative/sustainable tourist routes linking the sea front, the city core to the most important archaeological, historical and naturalistic sites (in line with the overall objectives of the Mare Nostrum project).

The Tyre community proved – in our opinion – to be rich in cultural, civic, technical and professional resources that might broadly contribute to the project’s development in all phases (concept, communication, technical solutions, construction, maintenance and long-term management).
The participatory planning process led us to define six guidelines to be taken into account to define new touristic itineraries: 1) A right place for the Mare Nostrum info point; 2) Connecting the waterfront; 3) See the undersea; 4) enlarge Tyre; 5) Arts & crafts for the shopping Tourist; 6) Multicultural and multiconfessional.

Download here the two reports: Mapping the needs Tyre / Participatory planning in Tyre