The “Shelter in the city” is a living apparatus located in the heart of Mar Mkhayel, and incorporates various instances familiar to the neighborhood. It responds to an urgent need of housing due to the rising cost of life, the housing crisis that resulted from the August 4 explosion and a new way of designing according to Covid-19 regulations. The Shelter also nurtures the social and cultural fabric of Mar Mkhayel, accommodating painting studios, an exhibition space and a public internal courtyard on the ground floor. Various moments can be found in the project; places that are physically accessible and places that can only be visually accessed. This leads to the constitution of an interconnected web.
The user’s experience is also affected by the skin & envelope of the project; the materials stimulate one’s sense and draw him/her closer to the project, until he/she is funneled into the apparatus/shelter.