Narratives in urban environment : signatures of BDD

Abstract

Beirut is a collage of urban styles due to the influence of Memluki, Ottoman, and the French mandate on its urban development. Beirut Digital District (BDD) is a unique cluster of innovation and entrepreneurship dedicated to creating a hub for the digital and creative community in Lebanon. The purpose of this study is to unravel the identity of BDD through a detailed reading and analysis of its multi-layered built environment. Flânerie and military urbanism theories are used to investigate the urban dress of BDD. Using the qualitative research method, in-depth interviews with 27 authors, journalists, researchers, urban planners, architects and other experts were conducted to obtain more focused explanations and perspective about the urbanism of BDD, and observation theory to collect data from the buildings, colors, shapes, and all the visual cues throughout BDD. It is found that BDD is capitalism with goodwill where heritage, modernity and omnipresent securitization aim at serving innovation.