The idea of a walk on the municipal limits of the capital city Beirut stemmed from a relentless “arpenteur”, the artist-pedagogue, Jean-François Pirson.
To this initial endeavour, the idea of finalizing the walk with a picnic at the Bois des Pins came as a natural ending. The Bois des Pins comprises 300.000 m2 of green public space in Beirut city and was restored in 2001 but never opened to the public. Access is restricted to a small part, while a special authorization is needed to access the rest of the park.
The idea of the picnic at the closed public park is a claim to its reopening and reintegration in the daily life and activities of Beirut’s citizen. During the civil war, the park came to be located along the green line dividing the city in two: west and east Beirut. Reclaiming the park is an invitation for citizens of all religious and political communities to share a common space and come together. Opening up this enclave in the city, is much more than reclaiming a much needed green space, but a desire to live together in a fragmented city.
Before starting the walk an authorization was obtained by the city’s administrator to realize a public picnic in the Bois des pins.
This event consisted of three days:
A walk in the city for two days and communication of the picnic with a door-to-door invitation. Also, a visit to the whole park, accompanied by the municipal guardians and location of the spot where the picnic would be held. Some activities with children were taken place within selected areas.
In the morning on the third day; last preparations for the picnic were made, and apples brought to share among the participants. But in the morning, cancellation of the event came from Beirut’s municipality who also withdrew the authorization to access the whole park limiting once again the access to the delimited area and prohibiting media at the same time. This wasn’t an auspicious beginning; later that morning, heavy rains soaked the city, making it difficult for people to attend.
The “walkers” joined: Giulia Fiocca from Rome, Lama Sfeir from Lebanon & Darine Choueiri from Barcelona. The meeting point was Beirut.
Darine Choueiri, Lebanese Architect, holder of a Master in Architecture and Urban Culture.
Jean-François Pirson, Belgium artist, Professor at the Institut Supérieur d’Architecture Lambert Lombard (Liège).
Lama Sfeir, Lebanese Architect holder of an advanced Master in Architecture on Architecture and Power.
Giulia Fiocca, Italian Architect, holder of a Master in Architecture and Urban Culture, and a collaborator of Satlker-Osservatorio Nomade.
The walk in Beirut
The visit of the Bois des Pins
The picnic invitation flyer
The picnic day
Publications
The walk and Picnic are published in:
“Cahiers de Beyrouth”, Jean-François Pirson, La lettre volée, 2009
“At the edge of the city”, Fadi Shayya, Discursive Formations, 2010