Urbhang is an urban intervention aiming to activate a public space and transform it into a lively experience, by creating an outdoor public living room where people are invited to sit, read, rest, play, work, meet and interact.

Urbhang is a series of hanging urban installations for hanging out.

It can move to different spaces in the city, evolve, adapt and reassemble its elements in new configurations.

Following the grid on Fakhry Bey pedestrian street, a scaffolding modular structure is installed forming a three-dimensional extrusion of the public space and creating frames that can host different installations.

Scaffoldings: Modular items, easy transportation, fast assemblage, small storage, reusable/recyclable.

Each week, new modules are added inviting people to visit frequently the space and discover new installations.

Week 1 | Hammocks
Place to rest

Week 2 | Outdoor public library
Place to read

The library invites people to share and exchange books.
Moreover, weekly outdoor storytelling events are organized where kids are initiated to use more the public space while enjoying the outdoor environment.

Week 3 | Swing tables
Place to eat, work, meet

Urbhang swing tables are places where people can work, enjoy outdoor lunch breaks, meet friends and new people.
By initiating interaction between people in the city - gathered around a shared swing table - we create a greater sense of community.

Week 4 | Swings
Place to play

Week 5 | Graffiti
Place to express

Reconciling a banned street art with the city, local artists were invited to a graffiti event day where a unique interaction was created between the artists and people.

#urbhang
Gathering data and tracking people’s activities through social media

LOCATION
Fakhry Bey Street | Beirut | Lebanon
33°53’58”N 35°30’16”E

YEAR
2019

TYPE
Tactical urbanism | Urban installations

AREA
1,000sqm

DESIGN
Elias Kateb

In collaboration with
Beirut Municipality, Solidere and Beirut Souks.