THIRD PLACE
rim obeid
Ouzai is a heterotopia defined by socio-religious codes due to the political groups in power. In an attempt at liberation, an ecological self-sustained path is established so as to create a neutral ground for conversation: a third place. As a communal social structure takes control, a series of workshops are created around a central assembly space and an open lot where the strategy focuses on increasing chances of interaction, between the regulars and the visitors, exploring endless potentials of adaptability and accommodation. The new neighborly body in control revisits abandoned structures with self-sufficiency in mind, transforming an old concrete factory into a library, compost space for organic waste, and agriculture, and a garbage dump into a recycling center for solid waste. The urban experience is also rehabilitated through the addition of green buffer zones, proper parking, and lighting along with wider pedestrian passages shaded with a playful canopy while the sea is utilized not only for reclaimed public activity and reconnected shore but also for energy creation.