A mixed use artery of Amman’s new downtown. It includes hotels, offices, residences, retail uses and was designed to attract a flow of pedestrians intrigued by its programmatic variety. The project is currently one of the most successful public spaces in Amman, and is adopted by local communities as a focal point for commercial and civic activities.
<p>Scope: Terraced hillside campus for 3,900 students overlooking Byblos historical port. Three faculties: Law and Political Sciences, Literature and Human Sciences, and Institute of Sociology. Upper section: academic buildings, sports complex, parking, technical support. Mid-section: central administration, cafeteria, library connected by landscaped pedestrian spine. Lower section: student lodging facilities and open-air amphitheater.<br>Challenge: Design complete university campus on green hillside site with significant topography while preserving views to historic Byblos port. Organize 3,900-student campus with three distinct faculties, complete support facilities, and student housing into cohesive, accessible environment on sloped terrain. Create efficient pedestrian circulation connecting terraced sections without excessive vertical movement.<br>Approach: Three-terrace strategy leverages hillside topography - programmatic distribution follows natural grade changes. Upper terrace consolidates primary academic functions (classrooms, labs, sports, parking, technical support). Mid-terrace centralizes shared facilities (administration, cafeteria, library) - accessible via landscaped pedestrian spine that serves as campus organizing element and social space. Lower terrace accommodates student housing and open-air amphitheater - leveraging dramatic views toward historic port.<br>Status: Completed</p>
Cost
USD 64 million
Area
42,000 m2 built-up
Services provided
Urban planning and design Architecture design Landscape design
Location
Jbeil, Lebanon
Client
Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR)
Project Description
The Boulevard is the mixed use artery of Amman’s new downtown. It includes hotels, offices, residences, retail uses and was designed to attract a flow of pedestrians intrigued by its programmatic variety. The project is currently one of the most successful public spaces in Amman, and is adopted by local communities as a focal point for commercial and civic activities.
The Brief
Abdali Boulevard Company aimed to achieve two objectives: • Creating a prime pedestrian experience in Amman • Developing a district that is economically attractive to investors coming from multiple industries (hospitality, corporations, retail, etc.)
Our Response
Laceco responded to the above objectives by: • Designing a consistent urban framework that nevertheless provided a diversity in the individual architectural character of buildings • Curating a seamless pedestrian experience in a site that had a challenging topography and was exposed to dominant winds • Anchoring the site along three platforms linked to each other by a continuous game of terraces, stairs, suspended bridges and esplanades that gently slope down the length of the development • Conducting value engineering and cost optimization studies to preserve economic viability of the development
City
Amman, Jordan
Cost
USD 350 Million
Year
2011
Client
Abdali Investment & Development PSC
Area
237,000 m2 built-up - 26,000 m2 land
Services Provided
Conceptual design Preliminary design Interior design Final design of architecture and urban furniture Supervision and construction management
Our Response
Laceco responded to the above objectives by: Designing a consistent urban framework that nevertheless provided a diversity in the individual architectural character of buildings. Curating a seamless pedestrian experience in a site that had a challenging topography and was exposed to dominant winds. Anchoring the site along three platforms linked to each other by a continuous game of terraces, stairs, suspended bridges and esplanades that gently slope down the length of the development. Conducting value engineering and cost optimization studies to preserve economic viability of the development.