-Located on the east coast of the Mediterranean sea, Byblos, the Phoenician city is the oldest town currently inhabited and the home of the modern day alphabet.
-The city encountered several layers of history taking part in its actual urban tissue; the roman axis, the Byzantine churches, the ottoman souks, mosques but also the architecture of the French mandate dated 1945.
-The City Hall of Byblos determines the morphological characteristics of the city and with its expansion, it expresses the historical layers.
Morphology, typology, landmarks and urban structures were the keys aspects to generate the concept.
-The Decumanus Maximus is the prominent Roman axis towards which the site is oriented and where lies behind the archeological site.
-Surroundings: …..
-The typology of the existing Buildings generates proportions, visual connection with the surrounding. It allows the horizontal study of the city within its context.
-Diagrammatic Analysis of Volumes through the city skyline.
-City hall spatial organizational chart, function and program.
-The spatial study allows us to determine the space assigned for the function and circulation of the city hall that will be integrated into the organization of the plan.
-The model making phase he volumetric analysis has determined the following:
- to keep a direct visual connection from the Roman Axis across the old Phoenician castle use the proportions of the Golden Ratio as per the typology of surrounding buildings.
_ the analysis of the architectural layer of the city through time and geometry generated a building constituted from 2 blocks forming an L-shape and distributing the spaces of the city hall expressing layers of history and civilization. It permitted the integration of the building within its context.
Byblos City Hall contributed in the contemporary continuation of the City Skyline.
press here on the link to Byblos city hall
Arch M.O. Kabbara 