CNN ︎
WIRED ︎
COURRIER INTERNATIONAL ︎
ARCHELLO ︎
“Beirut Wonder Forest” is an urban environmental proposal that deals with the problems resulting from the lack of green spaces and vegetation in the city, and respectively with the decreasing quality of air.
It is a pragmatic and realistic answer to the multiple factors and constraints at hand, as it allows a large increase in the amount of trees without really interfering with the geographical/physical restrictions as well as the socio-political ones.
Illustration by Kevin Lucbert
To implement this solution, we as a non-profit foundation called react, requested a municipal decree that requires each building to grow its simple rooftop garden. Nothing fancy, just a couple of trees in large fixed pots on each rooftop. This solution will entice the residents of Beirut to be more responsible towards their environment, as they will be taking care and maintaining the trees above their heads, and therefore they will be contributing to the well being of the city.
The government reacted, and through international media exposure, we managed to plant the rooftops of fourty public schools, most of which are still present and maintained to date.
Unfortuantely, the project got ceased at that point.
Full Project elaborated by : Wassim Melki, Rana Rmeily