Finding the Underground
Charles Helou Bus Station

Finding the Underground was an urban design studio project.

While walking through the streets and alleys of Beirut, we stumbled upon a hidden site, concealed under the highway. Upon this discovery, we set out to design a new ground floor level, an urban park above the highway, which, through stepping downwards into, leads you to the underground.
These underground levels host a Farmer’s market, a cultural center, an exhibition area, and communal office spaces. These functions aim at protecting the natural and cultural heritage of the region, at offering culinary adventures that celebrate food traditions, and at supporting small-scale farmers and producers. The cultural center focuses on reviving the bus station through planned day trips.