Transformative lines: a mapping approach to explore urban imaginaries and opportunities for socially sustainable change in Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut, Lebanon, is a city shaped by complex socio-political histories, shifting socio-economic conditions, and continuous physical and institutional transformation. Within this context, persistent disconnections often exist between formal urban development initiatives and the lived realities and aspirations of local communities, particularly those who may be considered marginalised residents. This thesis develops and tests a place-based mapping methodology – Transformative Lines – to explore how residents’ spatial narratives and urban imaginaries can inform more socially sustainable urban development strategies. The research adopts a qualitative case study approach focused on two neighbourhoods in Beirut: Sabra and Karantina. Fieldwork was conducted in 2023, and comprised architectural surveys and participatory mapping workshops, including sessions with children aged 6–12, which contributed situated perspectives often absent from urban research and planning processes. These methods generated two complementary datasets: 1) the Architectural Data Collection (ADC), documenting spatial, topographical, and infrastructural conditions; 2) the Collaborative Data Collection (CDC), capturing everyday experiences, narratives, and spatial imaginaries articulated through participatory mapping. Together, these methods constitute a dual data collection approach for the methodology that integrates architectural analysis with participatory mapping. Through cross-analysis of these datasets, the research develops a mapping framework structured around two analytical categories: Physical Lines, representing material, spatial structures; Intangible Lines, representing social relations, movement patterns, and lived narratives embedded within the urban environment. The intersections of these two categories are defined as Transformative Junctions, which function as analytical devices to identify and analyse critical points where spatial conditions and lived experiences converge. These junctions provide a structured means of interpreting relationships between material and social dynamics, supporting the identification of potential sites and themes for socially responsive urban development. The outcome of the research is the Transformative Lines Toolkit, a methodological guide that integrates architectural analysis and participatory mapping to identify and interpret the Physical and Intangible Lines shaping a place. The toolkit is presented as a prototype developed within the specific socio-political context of Beirut, and the thesis critically reflects on its limitations, including questions of transferability, contextual sensitivity, and the ethical complexities of conducting participatory research with children in contexts characterised by political instability and social vulnerability.
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