Tripoli's interface station : (tourists and residents)

Abstract

Although being the second largest city, after Cairo, consisting Mamluk architectural inheritance, Tripoli the “Neglected” city of Lebanon is losing its places, people and Architectural heritage. Its Urban heritage is one of the most essential factors that identify Tripoli’s history and progress. Moreover, it is a city that endured major changes in its traditional urban fabric. This urban change is a result of local and regional conflicts, erroneous govermental planning and community ignorance to their own town. The city suffers from sectarianism which resulted in identity and socio-economic crisis; dividing the society into different categories which triggered conflicts between them; consequently, destroying what was once their pride and reputation. This severed the city’s social and economic fabric with relation to its tourism. These undesirable events accumulated deteriorated and destructive spaces scattered through the Tripoli speacially arround its old settlement. This research will discuss and analyze the bond between individual, society and architecture by linking this bond into the case of Tripoli, specifically its old area; by giving examples of its changes in its urban heritage touristic value with relation to its community. After, this paper will focus in highlighting the great social and economic potentials that can shift Tripoli’s old town from the poorest city of the Mediterranean to the district pole of international attraction emphasizing its hidden beauty. Yet, neither authorities nor the community is aware of this capability. My proposed project will aim to rediscover the hidden inner identity, by “peeling off the dead crusts accumulated over time around the kernel” (Krstic and Dib, 2020) of Tripoli. “Reviving” deteriorated spaces, “Inspiring” a sense of value and co-existence of Tripoli exhausted society and “Integrating” tourism into their daily lives, will be the pillars of the construction of the Gate of Tripoli Interface Station (Café Tall Al-Oulya).