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The Beirut Souks

The Beirut Souks, eagerly awaited as the consecration of the city center’s character as a global retail district, were launched in 2005.

Designed in five separate commissions by international and Lebanese architects, the Souks offer 110,000 sq m of floor space, interspersed among 60,000 sq m of landscaped pedestrian areas that follow the ancient street grid implanted since pre-Roman times. Retail units will form shopping streets that offer a concentration of the finest local and international brands.

A 2500-space underground car park was earlier built with Dimitri Alatzas Asociados (Spain) as management system consultant.

The South Souks, scheduled for completion by summer 2009, comprise:

- The Souks core, designed by Rafael Moneo (Spain) and Samir Khairallah Partners, includes around 200 shops of various sizes and volumes, an office building with retail outlets on Weygand Street, and a regional food hall in Tawila Street.

- The jewelers' block, designed by Kevin Dash (UK) and Rafik Khoury, includes around 80 shops on ground floors and offices for the jewelers on upper floors.

- The underlying streets and other public spaces, for which Olivier Vidal (France) is space and landscaping consultant, incorporate the Mamluk Zawiyat Ibn Iraq shrine, Byzantine period shops, remnants of the medieval city wall, late Phoenico-Persian harborside settlement and other unearthed artifacts and mosaics.

The next phase of the Beirut Souks covers the North Souks consisting of:

- The entertainment complex, comprising 14 cinemas, multimedia store, restaurants, games arcades and retail, and the multiuse building, comprising retail at ground level, retail or offices on the first and second floors, both designed by Valode et Pistre (France) and Annabel Karim Kassar.

- The department store, and multiuse building with offices, restaurants and a commercial gallery, both designed by Nabil Tabbarah.