Rethinking Design Priorities: Towards Human Scale and Sustaining Culture in Disadvantage Neighbourhoods – A Case Study from Beirut

This paper examines disadvantaged neighbourhoods, which are precariously built environments that serve as homes for vulnerable communities that hold significant cultural values. This study focuses on Sabra, a neighbourhood located south of Beirut’s municipal borders as a case study exemplifying these conditions. A key objective of this study is to achieve the best set of Possible Spatial Improvements (PSIs) to serve as a design guideline based on the competence of architectural, urban, and eco-friendly solutions as a catalyst for positive transformation. This study adapts qualitative methods that emphasize engaging, reflective, and knowledge-rich approaches. It employs field and ethnographic observation, along with unstructured one-to-one interviews, to analyse the existing urban structure, housing conditions, and cultural identity of the Sabra neighbourhood, aiming to uncover its social and cultural significance. Recognizing the importance of development that preserves these specific values, the authors present three groups of PSIs at both architectural and urban scales. These initiates build upon prior research findings, with a focus on enhancing housing environments and improving the quality of open spaces. This approach is further reinforced by a participatory decision-making process, incorporating a survey to assess residents’ acceptance of the proposed PSIs. Ultimately, this research can direct efforts towards an ethical approach that emphasizes democratizing the power of spatial development in disadvantaged neighbourhoods by rethinking design priorities and addressing housing environments through a culture-based lens.