Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Instant download Towards A Post Traumatic Urban Design That Heals Cities Inhabitants Suffering From PTSD 1st Edition Ph.D. Candidate. Maria A. El Helou pdf all chapter
Instant download Towards A Post Traumatic Urban Design That Heals Cities Inhabitants Suffering From PTSD 1st Edition Ph.D. Candidate. Maria A. El Helou pdf all chapter
OR CLICK LINK
https://textbookfull.com/product/towards-a-post-
traumatic-urban-design-that-heals-cities-
inhabitants-suffering-from-ptsd-1st-edition-ph-d-
candidate-maria-a-el-helou/
Read with Our Free App Audiobook Free Format PFD EBook, Ebooks dowload PDF
with Andible trial, Real book, online, KINDLE , Download[PDF] and Read and Read
Read book Format PDF Ebook, Dowload online, Read book Format PDF Ebook,
[PDF] and Real ONLINE Dowload [PDF] and Real ONLINE
More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant
download maybe you interests ...
https://textbookfull.com/product/learning-from-resilience-cities-
towards-a-selforganizing-system-1st-edition-ph-d-candidate-
cemaliye-eken/
https://textbookfull.com/product/shaping-the-city-that-decreases-
overweight-and-obesity-through-healthy-built-environment-2nd-
edition-phd-candidate-maria-a-el-helou/
https://textbookfull.com/product/a-lesson-from-vernacular-
architecture-in-nigeria-1st-edition-ph-d-candidate-joyce-lodson/
https://textbookfull.com/product/urban-sprawl-negative-impact-
enkomi-return-phase-1st-edition-ph-d-candidate-kamyar-fuladlu/
The Socio cultural and ecological perspectives on
landscape and gardening in Urban Environment A
narrative review 2nd Edition Ph.D. Candidate Patrick
Chukwuemeke Uwajeh And Ph.D. Candidate Ikenna Stephen
Ezennia
https://textbookfull.com/product/the-socio-cultural-and-
ecological-perspectives-on-landscape-and-gardening-in-urban-
environment-a-narrative-review-2nd-edition-ph-d-candidate-
patrick-chukwuemeke-uwajeh-and-ph-d-candidate-ikenna-step/
https://textbookfull.com/product/from-zoning-based-area-to-a-
hybrid-space-the-transformation-strategies-1st-edition-ph-d-
candidate-farhan-abdullah-ali/
https://textbookfull.com/product/meaningless-suffering-traumatic-
marginalisation-and-ethical-responsibility-1st-edition-david-
goodman/
https://textbookfull.com/product/the-coordination-of-actors-in-
urban-regeneration-projects-fikirtepe-istanbul-turkey-2nd-
edition-ph-d-candidate-tuba-sari-haksever/
https://textbookfull.com/product/the-role-of-urban-density-and-
morphology-in-the-air-pollution-of-tehran-metropolitan-1st-
edition-ph-d-candidate-rouhollah-oshrieh/
Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs
2020, Volume 4, Number 1, pages 79– 90
A R T I C L E I N F O: ABSTRACT
Article history: Cities are generally in a state of constant modification. Some experience this
Received 10 April 2019
Accepted 13 July 2019 modification at a more rapid pace due to the technology available in the city; others
Available online 3 September experience this modification due to the city’s time of life, which requires many
2019 civilizations to imprint their architectural style and project their social image and
identity. In certain cases, these modifications are due to natural disasters, such as
Keywords: earthquakes or tsunamis, or man-made wars, or even both. The study revealed that
Phenomenography; the relationship found between the ability of “Beirutis” (how Beirut’s original
Urban Planning; PTSD; inhabitants call themselves) to perceive their identity through the built environment
Built Environment;
Neuro-Architecture.
and PTSD, will help urban planners and architects find the procedures based on
observation and scientific facts to build with the opportunity to heal disaster-torn
cities’ inhabitants from PTSD.
Moreover, throughout these evolving (how Beirut’s original inhabitants call themselves)
architectural processes, there were professionals will be analyzed; the results will be supported by
from the social, philosophical, medical, and past literature in the field of psychiatry and
architectural fields who proved the architecture, and as a final point will be expanded
interdependent relationship between the human the ways of healing cities’ inhabitants suffering
and the environment, on the one hand, and the from PTSD through architecture and urban
natural and built environment, on the other. At the planning.
present time, recent findings are leading Thereby, many questions can cover the study in its
professionals to support the environmental multiple facets. The judgment of the city’s
conservation or upkeep that leads to sustainable inhabitants as to whether they find their city
solutions healthily balancing the built environment disfigured or well renovated in its public spaces
and the inhabitants’ well-being (Kopec, 2012). and private spaces is to be taken into
Looking in-depth for the reasons of cities’ urban consideration in this case.
development, observations and scientific results
show that people have a cycle of creating needs 2. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and
for themselves and working hard to find suitable Memory
solutions (Kopec, 2012). As a result, there are series According to the National Institute of Mental
of emotions that become specific of the Health, PTSD occurs when people do not
inhabitants of a specific city (Roessler, 2012). overcome the fear they have felt during an event
To examine the relationship between architecture they were not prepared to live through (The
and the mental state of people, the referral to National Institute of Mental Health Information
findings related to neuroscience and mental Resource Center, n.d.) or that is life threatening
illnesses is incontestable. In effect, according to (American Museum of Natural History, 2011). These
the Lebanese psychiatrist Dr. Elie Karam, much events can be the experience of physical harm or
research was conducted to map out the brain emotional harm caused by nature (e.g., seism) or
and its specific activities during specific events, another person (e.g., war) for one time or on a
and genes and stressors were examined in-depth. repetitive basis that cumulates and causes
Dr. Karam added that “therapy is no longer an art complex trauma (Pavlakis, 2017; The Center for
but a solid science, subjected to the scrutiny of an Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders, 2017).
army of researchers” (Karam, n.d.). Therefore, people could suffer from remembering
Consequently, the focus of this study will be the the experience, which affects their quality of life
scientific findings of mental state and architecture and at times the life of their partners and families
related to man-made disasters, specifically wars. too. Some people recover, while PTSD can
The answers of a community regarding their become chronic for others if they are more
perception of their city’s prewar and postwar built vulnerable according to their character or their life
environment in this context help to show the defying conditions (The National Institute of Mental
mental process of archiving memories and Health Information Resource Center, n.d.).
interpreting events through individual and Generally, a longer period of exposure to the
collective memories of war. In effect, war can be traumatic event and its frequency affects the
described as a public event that can intrude severity of the PTSD (Kessler et. al, 2017). Therefore,
private aspects of life and where all the inhabitants in war zones, all categories of people who have to
of a city are concerned and touched in one way stay and watch the attacks or be attacked, or
or another. In other words, war can compose a people who have to leave all their belongings and
barrier forbidding people to go to the place of the escape, are subject to PTSD if adequate resources
work they would prefer or to see people close to are not available to help them heal, such as
them. It can destroy memories and build other mental therapy and a suitable urban plan to
memories or force the building of certain restore all the destruction.
memories through several ways. Furthermore, In the matters of the visual, the shapes that do not
another consequence of a city’s destruction is the refer to configurations easy to discern by the brain,
overattachment to or complete detachment from such as half-destroyed houses, require visual
the space. efforts, which can lead to a degree of disturbance
The process for the study, first, will be defining post- (Albright, 2012) that affects the memories that
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its effect on people’s brains process. In fact, memory can be
memory. Subsequently, its symptoms will be linked healthy or traumatized. The healthy memory
to the traumas of war. The specific case of Beirut in adapts according to circumstances and contexts
its architecture, urban development, and (Cyrulnik, 2012) and builds short-term and long-
traumatic events throughout history will be term evolutive memory (Finn, 2013; Cyrulnik, 2012).
developed. Then the concept of therapy through On the other hand, the traumatic memory is a
architecture supported by neuroscience findings “torn” memory recounting a trauma (an event not
will be expounded. A random sample from Beirutis expected and not prepared to experience)
(Cyrulnic, 2012). When any object or event reminds city, which leads in the long term to a major urban
the traumatized person of the memory that has transformation where people will find their city
occurred, the process of the present situation unrecognizable in terms of architecture, economy,
adaptability leads to a “fight or flight” response or and social life (Hanna, 2016). What happened in
to immobility, whereby the traumatized people reality is that the armed groups during war marked
observe without reacting because the brain is the battle lines that became the real ones still
convincing these people of their vulnerability for dividing Beirut’s area (Pascoe, n.d.; De Cauter,
survival purposes (Finn, 2013; Wellness & 2011) (Figure 1).
Performance, 2011). Thus, this process becomes a
dissociated memory in their brains that is used as
an implicit memory, linking the present situation to
the physical and emotional memories of the
traumatic situation (Finn, 2013).
and buildings ranged between renovated and cautious and focus on any detail, any sound, and
taken care of and abandoned with scars of any action (Cyrulnik, 2012), including the
destruction. As a result, the inhabitants of Beirut are architectural details around them. In general,
not in control of what surrounds them because the people worldwide, including Beirutis, were even
decision-makers in the city are the ones who are taught that PTSD fades away after an average of
deciding how the city must look like, and they are six months (Brainline, 2012) and consequently,
not looking in-depth into other aspects that might people convince themselves they are perfectly
affect negatively the inhabitants of the constant healthy and mask their state, considering it
lively city (Domeier & Sachse, 2015). For example, shameful if it persists. However, these people have
some Beirutis consider that in postwar Beirut was the underlying feeling of danger around the built
placed only an emphasis for economic profits environment, especially the one that resembles
(Pascoe, n.d.) leading to a neglect of the visual the scenes of danger they witnessed (Finn, 2013).
aspects of heritage. On the other hand, the This feeling of danger includes seeing certain roofs,
private sector owns more plots in the present time building entrances, and windows. Traumatized
than the municipality, which is increasing people can even be cautious of the floor and the
individual interventions and an aleatory horizontal sky or an opening through which bullets can pass
and vertical urban expansion without an overall (Finn, 2013). People who were directly involved in
long-term urban planning distributing the functions war (who participated in battles) are the ones to
needed and its amounts in each area. develop guilt and PTSD more than others and the
All of these components affect the one identity of tendency to commit suicide (Held et al., 2011,
the city that creates a secured sense of a Hendin & Haas, 1991) and MDD (Marx et al., 2010).
purposeful urban tissue and that leads to a Thus, man-made disasters can lead to a spectrum
genuine positive attachment linking the physical of disorders and problems—but not necessarily
space with its true emotional and affective illnesses in the way of thinking, speaking, feeling,
fulfillments, and not only a nostalgic attachment and behaving (Roe, 2016). Therefore, cases in
(Ujang, 2012; Scannell & Gifford, 2010). As a Beirut are not limited to illnesses, but are as well
consequence, Beirutis become vulnerable and try linked to problems.
to find healthy resilience (Surjan, Kudo, & Uitto,
2016). Hence, security and motivation are the 4. Neuro-architecture as a Solution for Therapy
dynamic agents that should be acting together to Through Architecture
preserve a defined and clear identity of trust 4.1 Definition and Role
based on the city’s structure (Pascoe, n.d.; Fawaz ‘Neuro-architecture’ is the discipline that
& Abou Akar, 2012). came as a solution to study human brain
processing of the built environment and human
3.2 PTSD Applied to the Case of Beirut behavior and to analyze urban and architectural
Even though PTSD affects a limited number of designs that improve people’s well-being and
people witnessing a traumatic event (McLaughlin productivity through brain neuroplasticity
et al., 2015) children and adolescents exposed to (Vecchiato et al., 2015, Edelstein, 2006).
war for only three weeks in their natal country can Nowadays, reducing mental problems and
develop PTSD and/or “major depressive disorder illnesses is being a part of the urban planning goals
(MDD), separation anxiety disorder (SAD), [or] (Dougherty, Aparicio, & Reames, 2014) through
overanxious disorder (OAD)” (Karam et al., 2014, observing people’s reactions and analyzing their
p.192). In the case of Lebanon, 15 years of war and brain imaging in different built environments or
exposure to life-threatening attacks were enough using images of real environment landscapes to
for Lebanon to become the third country in the examine how the human brain processes buildings
world with the number of people suffering from and spaces. Several technologies are used for
PTSD (Karam, n.d.) with an annual average of that purpose such as neurophysiology,
11.2% in anxiety disorders (of which PTSD is part) neuroanatomy, and functional brain imaging, and
(Karam, n.d.). In some severe cases, psychiatric mainly the functional magnetic resonance
comorbidity can occur, (McLaughlin et al., 2015) imaging (fMRI) and the electroencephalography
and traumatized people start predicting (EEG) (Albright, 2012; Vecchiato et al., 2015;
dangerous future events based on their past Dance, 2017). Such technologies help to get
memories (Kessler et al., 2017) instead of relying on objective results rather than relying solely on
the reality as it is. subjective interviews (Edelstein & Macagno, 2012).
Being hypervigilant during war is good to avoid These techniques help architects see how urban
injury or death. However, the problem is that this and architectural shapes affect people
state of hypervigilance and destructive memory psychologically because people perceive
does not go away for years, especially for configurations and not random shapes
predisposed people (Surjan et al., 2016; Brainline, (Gombrich, 1994). The brain is highly organized,
2012). As a result, people with PTSD are extremely and through the brain areas that are involved in
the built environment information process, satisfied in their lives, the more they develop social
measuring natural and built environment is trust and develop the abilities to overcome
possible (Albright, 2012). Consequently, a built illnesses and stressful events, which increases
environment stimulates specific emotions that productivity and economic profits of a city
define people’s conscious or unconscious (Charles, 2014). Thus, the same patterns adopted
behaviors (Edelstein & Macagno, 2012). when they for an architectural and urban planning design
identify themselves in a particular place according could serve as a common therapy for most PTSD
to the “biocultural memories” or the maps that sufferers (Finn, 2013) and collaborative work would
their brain nerves form (Zeisel, 2006; Robinson & serve as a scientific solid base for architects to
Pallasmaa, 2015) to help judge the beauty and create the spaces that adapt to the simplest ways
security of a place (Coburn, Vartanian, & the brain processes them and labels the healthy
Chatterjee, 2017) and give it a meaning to get ones (Albright, 2012).
individual and collective memories (Kellou-Djitli, The space that architects should create must
2013; Taylor-Hochberg, 2014). This human–place reflect both familiarity (for security) and discovery
interaction is similar to human–human interaction, (for motivation) through people’s fluid adaptability
which leads to a particular attachment of the of movement and communication, or, as art
person to the place. The person therefore gives this historian Gombrich said, “easy adjustment and
place an identity through the relational and easy arousal” (Gombrich, 1994). In fact, according
territorial dimensions of the community leading to to the environmental psychologists Pornin and
the sense of fulfillment and social acceptance (Al- Peeters, the fine line between motivational spaces
Hagla, 2009). and spaces of anxiety depend on: the intensity of
stimulation of the human senses (e.g., visual), the
4.2 The Case of Healing PTSD Through clarity to “read” the whole architectural frame of
Architecture a street or a city, the functionality of a space, and
The purpose of architecture in this case study is to the easiness for people to understand why this
heal from PTSD symptoms to return to a state of space has been built (Pornin & Peeters, 2009). This
safety and security. Therefore, studies are frame offers for people the sense of control over
conducted on the human brain and reaction to the spaces so that they can feel that the spaces
external stimuli to design the architecture that follow their freedom of action and their
prevents further mental problem and illness independence and that these are restorative
severity by measuring the degrees of arousal spaces that will calm people and decrease their
triggered in defined parts of the brain, although it fatigue and stress (Pornin & Peeters, 2009). The
is considered as complex as the complexity of interesting part of this work process is that the areas
modern architecture (Edelstein & Macagno, 2012). that are highlighted during brain imaging confirm
In fact, modern architecture and urban expansion the mental problem or illness to be worked on
concern all cities of the world, but the severity of even though the concerned people are not
the cases is where lies the difference. For example, conscious of the mental problem they have
Beirut must deal with traffic, pollution (as well as the (Figure 2).
“moral pollution” (Shaw, 2008) that the civil war In the case of PTSD, people categorize urban and
has left in Beirut), and (un)planned expansion; but architectural elements and spaces as safe or
most importantly, it deals with the preservation of dangerous. For example, they consider the
its architectural past that is becoming increasingly doorway and narrow passageways as highly stress
complicated (Karimi, 2013). Added to that is the stimulating because they link it to what they call
complexity of the war that occurred in Beirut “the fatal funnel” that is usually a place where
between 1975 and 1990 that was no longer limited sudden attacks can occur (Finn, 2013).
to the usual weapons, but instead focused on
destroying its interconnected urban fabric. By that,
destroying a city is an “urbicide” that resembles a
genocide (Shaw, 2008) where people could be
living dead without being killed and act through
unhealthy protective reactions (Wellness &
Performance, 2011); where people become a
figure of “inverse phantoms” whose bodies are still
alive but whose souls are just surviving (De Cauter,
2011). They are somehow forced to forget their
past and be invaded by new technologies that
destroy the urban tissue rich with heritage (Shaw, Figure 2. Brain imaging results of hypoactivation and
2008). The spectrum of symptoms and hyperactivation due to PTSD and other mental problems and
comportments are analogous (Finn, 2013). illnesses (Karam et al., 2008).
Moreover, the more the inhabitants of a city are
These are the brain areas to heal in people, highlighted to decrease taboos and untreated
conscious and not conscious of the mental cases of mental illnesses (Karam et al., 2008).
problem they have, through architecture with the
collaboration of neuroscientists. b. Questionnaires
A questionnaire in formal Arabic consisting of the
following five questions was distributed to the 40
5. Research Methods participants to have a current data sample of PTSD
The following methods were used in this study to symptoms:
find the correlation between the war in Beirut and 1. Have you experienced or do you still
the urban factors of Beirut as it is today and the experience nightmares and flashbacks of
relation with the severity of PTSD among its dangerous scenes? Are you still experiencing them
inhabitants. The participants are a stratified now?
random sampling of 40 Beirutis still living in Beirut: 10 2. Are you feeling disconnected from others?
were adults during war (ages 21 and up), 10 were Do you feel that others might harm you at any
adolescents then adults (ages 12 and up), 10 were time?
children then adolescents (ages 3 and up) and 10 3. Did you lose your interest in daily activities
were born after 1990. The ages are categorized in or things you liked to do? Do you see yourself
this way because the war lasted for 15 years and isolated?
people experienced different life stages (age- 4. Do you feel yourself reacting often with
wise) during war. anger? And/or hypervigilance?
5. Do you think that these symptoms are
a. PTSD in Beirut: Past Study Results related to the urban change of Beirut?
For this study, past results of research are important
to take into consideration to link after that PTSD, c. In-depth interviews
war, and the built environment based on the work Along with the questionnaires highlighting
of experts in the psychiatry field. The importance of symptoms of PTSD among Beirutis, in-depth
these results lies in the fact they are based on interviews in Lebanese Arabic language were
studies that a team of Lebanese psychiatrists has conducted with this sampling. The purpose of the
conducted on around 3,000 adults who lived in interview is to examine the effects of war on
Lebanon during the war (Karam et al., 2008). In people with different living circumstances and to
fact, after their investigation based on a “World examine in which conditions PTSD is developed the
Health Organization (WHO) interview tool to most. During the interviews, users answered the
diagnose mental health disorders” (Public Library following five questions:
of Science, 2008), these psychiatrists collected 1. How do you portray Beirut before the
results based on the interviews in which they asked Lebanese civil war for a friend who has never
each participant to recount their traumatic events visited it during that period and Beirut as it is today?
that occurred during war (Karam et al., 2008). 2. Are you attached to Beirut of the past or
Among the many results they unfolded, the most Beirut as it is today? Why?
important results that support the current study are 3. Do you feel guilty for an event that
the following: happened during war?
a. At least 25% of the participants who had 4. Do you feel danger around you in a certain
different life conditions during the war (38% built environment? If yes, in which one?
refugees, 55% civilians in war zones, and 18% 5. What do you feel is missing to have an
witnesses of death or injuries) carried a mental agreeable Beirut to stroll in?
disorder at a certain point in their lives, mainly due
to war (Karam et al., 2008). The percentage of d. Visual Study
people suffering from mental disorders can be During the interview, the participants were shown
higher; however, due to the taboos or the lack of the same five photos of different past and present
consciousness of having such illnesses, the architectural elements specific to Beirut that
participants could have answered that they are usually Beirutis find significant according to the
perfectly healthy (Karam et al., 2008). daily conversations with Beirutis and their
b. Half of the participants who had anxiety comments on social medias (Figures 3, 4, 5, 6)
disorders (PTSD included) received professional
treatment; moreover, they were treated after a
delay reaching 28 years (Karam et al., 2008).
c. Psychiatric healthcare in Lebanon is
developed and, therefore, the awareness is to be
6. Results
Portraying Beirut: All of the participants agreed were in denial during war “feel guilty for not trying
that Beirut was more beautiful before 1975. They all to help anyone during [the] war and not even
also agreed that Beirut today lacks public spaces. sympathizing with anyone.”
Even 20% of the participants answered that “Beirut Danger Feelings: Of the responses, 80% feel that
is a beauty queen that was forced to undergo they belong to certain neighborhoods but feel
unsuccessful plastic surgeries” and 10% answered that they are strangers in different ones,
that they “do not recognize the Beirut they have categorizing these spaces between east and west
known anymore.” They related this beauty to Beirut; 25% of the participants even agreed that
Beirut’s houses or buildings with gardens and they still exhibit anxiety signs such as sweating or
fountains. They also talked about the souks that shaking when they go to the “other region,”
had gathered people from all social and especially two of participants who were
economic backgrounds: 75% of the participants kidnapped, even after 28 years of peace. Lastly,
said that “before war, Beirut was for everyone, 20% of the participants say that they do not feel
especially the downtown souk” and 25% referred anything negative because Beirut is for everyone.
to the present souk as a “ghost town” available Missing elements in Beirut: All 40 participants
only for rich people and for tourists, mentioning the agreed on three elements: public squares,
downtown that witnessed severe battles and is sidewalks, and green spaces for rest or free
now missing the prewar crowd. Lastly, 80% activities. Of the responses, 80% mentioned the
admitted that they still call the areas of Beirut east possibility to reach the beach for free because in
and west; these names were given during the war Beirut, “the private beach resorts are considering
and represented geographic and religion the seashore adjacent to their plot limits as their
divisions. private property”. In addition, 50% of the
Attachment to Beirut: From the responses, 60% of participants mentioned that the old abandoned
the participants said that “Beirut is Beirut” and that houses that were affected during the war should
they are attached to it no matter how it is because be renovated through the support of the state
they “love Beirut”, while 20% said they are because “these houses are a constant reminder of
attached to Beirut of the past. Eight out of ten the frightening scenes of war”.
participants who were warriors during all the Other answers: Of the responses, 35% of the
period of the war (from 1975 to 1990) or for several participants considered that “this is not a civil war
years answered that they are “not attached to because many other countries were involved” as
anything” and that “life moves on.” they explained during the interview that they had
Guilt: Unexpectedly, all of the participants feel many friends from a different religion and they
guilty, except for the three businessmen who were were helping each other during “these difficult
bankrupted during war and said that the present times”. Furthermore, 30% of the participants said
circumstances are not helping them regain their they still live in their memories and “cannot see well
business success. The ten warriors feel guilty for the the future in Beirut.” Regarding the postwar
innocent people who were killed during the war by downtown Beirut, 30% supported it whereas 70%
them or by their fighting groups. The five were against this new place that “took the
participants who left during the war to study or memory of our balad.” (the Lebanese term for
work feel guilty for having left their parents and downtown is the term “balad” which means also
friends because when they returned they had a “country” because the Lebanese considered that
family member or a friend who died or got severely everything was found in the Beirut downtown as if
injured and had to go through recovery without the country’s power and image relied on it). In
their support. The 10 university students feel guilty fact, these people are in a state of “shock,” as
because they could not do anything to preserve they said, “why do the investors not see that the
for their parents and grandparents the old Beirut architecture of Beirut in its uniqueness can attract
they talk about with nostalgia. One of these tourists and raise our economy?”. Lastly, 15% of the
university students said that he feels guilty because participants added that ”international medias
“traditional houses pictures remind me of a story force us to believe that the situation is unstable,
that I will never live. These houses even know the even if it is.”
stories of my parents more than I do”. The five
participants who were kidnapped feel guilty for 7. Solutions
having caused their families “the trauma of having Based on the results, Beirutis are defining
been kidnapped” and for not being cautious themselves (identity, psychological state) the way
enough at the time. The three people who lost a they see their urban environment. Several urban
family member said that they feel guilty for not solutions could be applied to the case of Beirut to
protecting enough the people they loved the enhance security and motivation:
most and constantly ask themselves “what if these
innocent martyrs were not on the street at that 7.1 Create an inclusive restorative built
particular time?”. Even the four participants who environment: Besides spreading awareness and
having effective trauma therapy techniques, the Whether in urban, architectural, or interior designs,
creation of dynamic spaces helps the constructive capacious spaces with repetitive patterns are the
activity of the hippocampus, which is especially best to apply in this case because they provide
beneficial for adults who were children during war rest (Gombrich, 1994).
to form new memories. When urban design
facilitates mobility and positive functioning for 7.4 Create (or recreate) the urban design that
people with visible and invisible disabilities, people increases the sense of attachment and control: The
achieve a certain interior balance to get more people are more attached to a place, the
motivated and explore the outside world. These more the identity of that place is better defined
dynamic spaces are mentally restorative following (Ujang, 2012). Enhancing familiarity and
people’s constant dynamic change. respecting the meaning of attachment and
satisfaction of a community through architecture
7.2 Create a long-term healing built environment will make people see it as secure (Kopec, 2012).
that defines the meaning of freedom: The most important for people suffering from PTSD
Understanding the rights and limitations of is to create for them spaces where they can
freedom in Beirut in important to reflect moderate enhance the feeling of dominance of space
degrees of security measures in order to avoid because it was the way they acted to feel secure
dangerous incidents without feeling too during war (Finn, 2013). In the language of urban
surrounded with the safety procedures that could planning, these concepts can be translated to
remind the traumatized people of war. One of the defined public spaces for mutual protection and
urban solutions would be to build an urban trust - for communication and teamwork since
strategy where people participate in improving feeling alone is highly threatening (Finn, 2013) and
Beirut without falling into the individual initiatives low-rise buildings - for the feeling of dominance of
and promote more for the public collaboration to space.
gain collective trust.
8. Conclusion
7.3 Building on a human scale and promoting Beirut is a challenged city in term of urban health.
green mobility: Designing a pedestrian-friendly city In one century, Beirut rose to be one of the most
(Albright, 2012; Gehl, 2010) with sidewalks and desirable Levantine cities to visit and then fell in a
gardens and human-human and human-nature war that imprinted a facet of sectarianism, only to
live contacts helps people become more positive, rise again in a different aspect. Nowadays, the city
generous, and friendlier, especially when exposed must face the problem of the high-rise building
to green spaces (Coburn, Vartanian, & Chatterjee, that has nothing to do with its past architecture.
2017; Charles, 2014) in a world where towers could Beirutis are in a constant cycle of nostalgia and
lead. In fact, pedestrianism in places where small aim to move on, pulling up by that their sense of
shops can open the door to the sidewalk judgment on the day-by day changes that are
enhances visual contacts between the indoors occurring in their built environment to find
and outdoors in public places (Albright, 2012). This suddenly that the changes are enormous to
is where, according to Danish architect and urban digest. This state of confusion only increases their
design consultant Jan Gehl, people buffering loss during their search of emotional stability. The
against loneliness and alienation become more sectarian urban planning still exists and people are
positive, walk slower, and initiate social contacts still living a cold war. Therefore, PTSD caused by
(Charles, 2014; Gehl, 2010). Buildings should have war is still haunting Beirut as people are not be able
windows oriented to a green landscape and to forget war since they experience the emotions
allowing a view of the sea and mountain that is still of war on a daily basis. Moreover, guideline plans
somehow available in the case of Beirut in small mixed the urban heritage with the contemporary
plots. This urban approach is very important for architectural style, narrowing the opportunities to
PTSD cases because the pedestrian-friendly city get a solid root and defined single identity for the
involves the emotions and aesthetics interaction whole urban tissue of Beirut. Therefore, if people do
and encourages exploration (Vecchiato et al., not find themselves in the place they thought they
2015) a healthy activity that improves the knew, but now changed due to war, they will
hippocampus healthy functioning and memory remember the fear of its loss and the thought of
work (space processing and communication) losing the places where they have constructed
through brain plasticity (Vecchiato et al., 2015). beautiful and meaningful memories, especially
These spaces could be any elements of any scale with close people who died or are permanently
and their placement in urban spaces motivates disabled due to war. It is about endeavoring to get
people to walk for unexpected and spontaneous a whole interconnected system between
interactions such as passive communication (just architectural and emotional infrastructure, which
seeing that there is a form of life around them), means, the roads, the forms and functions of the
active conversations, and events (Albright, 2012). neighboring buildings, the shared public spaces,
Etkin, A. & and Wager, T. D. (2007). Functional mental disorders in Lebanon: First onset,
neuroimaging of anxiety: A meta-analysis of treatment, and exposure to war. PLOS Med
emotional processing in PTSD, social anxiety 5(4), 579-586. DOI:
disorder, and specific phobia. The American https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.00500
Journal of Psychiatry, 164(10), 1476–1488. 61
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504 Karimi, K. (2013). Urban challenges’ forum Beirut:
Fawaz, M., & Bou Akar, H. (2012). Practicing Normalities and abnormalities of a complex
(in)security in the city. City & Society, 24(2), city. Journal of Space Syntax, 4(1), 110-122.
105–109. DOI: 10.1111/j.1548- Available from:
744X.2012.01070.x http://joss.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/journal/index.p
Finn, M. (2013). Posttraumatic understanding: the hp/joss/issue/view/7
connections between posttraumatic stress Kellou-Djitli, F. (2013). Psychology of space
and architectural design. Innovation [Psychologie de l’espace]. Courrier Du
Incubator, 1-26. Available from: Savoir, 16, 37-41.
http://www.perkinswill.com/sites/default/file Kessler, R. C., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Alonso, J., Benjet,
s/PosttraumaticUnderstanding_2013.pdf C., Bromet, E. J., Cardoso, G., … Koenen,
Gehl, J. (2010). Cities for people. Washington, DC: K.C. (2017). Trauma and PTSD in the WHO
Island Press. world mental health surveys. European
Gombrich, E. H. (1994). The Sense of Order: A Study Journal of Psychotraumatology, 8(5),
in The Psychology of Decorative Art (2nd 1353383.
Ed.). New York, NY: Cornell University Press. DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2017.1353383
Habib, M., Haagenrud, S., Ludvigsen, B., Møystad, Kopec, D. (2012). Environmental psychology for
O., & Saad, R. (n.d.). Selected areas from the design. New York, NY: Fairchild Books.
Beirut Green Line, 1975 – 1990. Photographs McLaughlin, K.A., Koenen, K.C., Friedman,
and model, 1995-97. Available from: M.J., Ruscio, A.M., Karam E.G. Shahly, V., …
http://almashriq.hiof.no/lebanon/900/910/9 Kessler, R.C. (2015). Subthreshold
19.other_areas_and_worlds/beirut/greenline posttraumatic stress disorder in the World
/greenline.html Health Organization world mental health
Hanna, J. (2016). Changing realities: Traumatic surveys. Biological Psychiatry. 77(4), 375-84.
urbanism as a mode of resilience in intra-war DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.03.028.
Beirut. International Planning History Society Marx, B.P., Foley, K.M., Feinstein, B.A., Wolf,
Proceedings, 17th IPHS Conference, History- E.J., Kaloupek, D.G., & Keane, T.M. (2010).
Urbanism-Resilience, 17(3), 383-388. DOI: Combat-related guilt mediates the relations
http://dx.doi.org/10.7480/iphs.2016.3.1836 between exposure to combat-related
Held, P., Owens, G.P., Schumm, J.A., Chard, abusive violence and psychiatric diagnoses.
K.M., & Hansel, J.E. (2011). Disengagement Depression and Anxiety, 27(3), 287-293. DOI:
coping as a mediator between trauma- 10.1002/Da.20659
related guilt and PTSD severity. Journal of Pascoe, S. (n.d.). The Death and Life of Beirut.
Traumatic Stress, 24(6), 708-715. DOI: 10.1002 Available from:
/jts.20689 https://www.academia.edu/6961549/The_d
Hendin, H., & Haas, A.P. (1991). Suicide and guilt as eath_and_life_of_Beirut
manifestations of PTSD in Vietnam combat Pavlakis, P. [Paul Pavlakis]. (2017, December 15).
veterans. Regular Articles, The American The Maladaptive Self [Video file]. Retrieved
Journal of Psychiatry, 148(5), 586-591. DOI: from:
10.1176/ajp.148.5.586 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnoa
Karam, E. G. (n.d.). IDRAAC, Institute for W6Qp1Os
Development, Research, Advocacy and Pornin, S., & Peeters, C. (2009). Environmental
Applied Care, Editorial. Available from: psychology, Design and Wellbeing
http://www.idraac.org/contentfiles/1210PD [Psychologie environnementale, Design et
F.pdf Bien être]. Available from :
Karam, E.G., Fayyad, J., Karam, A.N., Melhem, https://www.millenaire3.com/ressources/ps
N., Mneimneh, Z., Dimassi, H., & Tabet, C.C. ychologie-environnementale-design-et-
(2014). Outcome of depression and anxiety bien-etre
after war: A prospective epidemiologic Public Library of Science (2008). Mental disorders
study of children and adolescents. Journal of and exposure to war in lebanon.
Traumatic Stress, 27(2):192-9. DOI: ScienceDaily. Available from:
10.1002/jts.21895. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200
Karam, E. G., Mneimneh, Z. N., Dimassi, H., Fayyad, 8/03/080331223834.htm
J. A., Karam, A. N., Nasser S. C., Chatterji, S., Robinson, S., & Pallasmaa, J. (2015). Mind in
& Kessler, R. (2008). Lifetime prevalence of Architecture: Neuroscience, Embodiment,
217. Pardon.
Back to puzzle
253. Because a hen lays only one egg a day, and a ship lays to.
Back to puzzle
268. A river.
Back to puzzle
270. Because it keeps its hands before its face; and, though full
of good works, it is wholly unconscious of them, and always running
itself down.
Back to puzzle
272. Monosyllable.
Back to puzzle
273. A bed.
Back to puzzle
274. (P)shaw!
Back to puzzle
275. The sons raise meat there. (The sun’s rays meet there.)
Back to puzzle
276. Innocence Abroad, by Mark Twain (In no sense, a broad).
Back to puzzle
277. Facetiously.
Back to puzzle
279. Bug-bear.
Back to puzzle
282. Clio.
Back to puzzle
285. Arrow-head.
Back to puzzle
286.
A man of deceit
Can best counterfeit;
So, as everything goes,
He can best count ’er toes.
Back to puzzle
288. A kiss.
Back to puzzle
290. Dotage.
Back to puzzle
291. Seaward.
Back to puzzle
292. Mimic.
Back to puzzle
293. Disgraceful.
Back to puzzle
294. The first made musical instruments; the second was a
baggage-man; the third was employed in a gas-factory; and the
fourth made candles.
Back to puzzle
295. Cod.
Back to puzzle
297. Cowslip.
Back to puzzle
298. Love.
Back to puzzle
302. Pearlash.
Back to puzzle
LION
INTO
304.
OTTO
NOON.
Back to puzzle
305. A cock.
Back to puzzle
306. Enigma.
Back to puzzle
311. BLIND.
Back to puzzle
312. Young, Gay, Hood, Lamb, Field, Gray, Fox, Hunt, Horne,
Lingard, Wordsworth, Steele.
Back to puzzle
314. Aërial.
Back to puzzle
316. Fire-fly.
Back to puzzle
318. Walnut.
Back to puzzle
319. Pea-nut.
Back to puzzle
320. Butternut.
Back to puzzle
321. Beechnut.
Back to puzzle
322. Chestnut.
Back to puzzle
323. Cocoanut.
Back to puzzle
326. Spinach.
Back to puzzle
331. Heart-ache.
Back to puzzle
332. Cashmere.
Back to puzzle
333. Season.
Back to puzzle
334. A drum.
Back to puzzle
342. I, ire.
Back to puzzle
346. The 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 16th, 18th, 19th, 22nd, 23rd,
24th, 26th, 27th, 30th, in the circle, were Jews.
Back to puzzle
348.
Back to puzzle
353. (1) D-ranged; (2) C-girt; (3) D-lighted; (4) N-hammered; (5)
D-tested; (6) R-gone-out: (7) G-owed; (8) K-dense; (9) O-void; (10)
S-pied; (11) B-held; (12) C-bored; (13) X-pensive; (14) D-famed.
St. Nicholas.
Back to puzzle
356. Lily.
Back to puzzle
359. Tissue.
Back to puzzle
366. Fill the blanks with plover, lover, over, ver; glowing, lowing,
owing, wing.
Back to puzzle
371. Dogmatic.
Back to puzzle
372. Cambyses.
Back to puzzle
373. About 117.7 feet. (Find the radius of a circle whose area is
43,560 square feet.).— Prof. Eaton, of Packer Institute.
Back to puzzle
374. Informal.
Back to puzzle