operate for a period of 8–10 years. The aim behind the center is to establish activities that will generate new public destinations that connect to the planned central pedestrian spine, up to Beirut Souks and Rue Weygand. The center covers 8700 m2 serving up to 2000 members. A landscaped park is underway at a new reference level, 6 meters lower than the street level. Unlike conventional urban sports facilities and gyms, which are typically closed and contained within buildings, Beirut Fitness Center relies on its connection and exposure to outdoor spaces. The project develops around a 1260 m2 outdoor courtyard and 2 outdoor tennis courts of 1222 m2 located at the new reference level. Indoor activity spaces including fitness and aquatic zones, squash courts, reading rooms, and multipurpose spaces lie along the periphery of the outdoor courtyard and tennis courts separated only by clear glazed full-height operable panels. At this level, services including showers, lockers, treatment rooms and technical areas are inserted in a long narrow band along the north–south axis on the western side of the plot. The street level ground is highlighted by 5690 m2 of red epoxy finished concrete floor extending on the totality of the surface defining the open and permeable boundaries of the center, specifically in connection to the pedestrian spine on the eastern edge. There is no built mass on the ground level, only transparent planes 2.2 meters high that frame the courtyard and tennis courts below, allowing the public to overlook sports and related activities through the vertical open-air transparent facades. The automobiles’ elliptical track and parking spots around the courts and the open voids frame the project's activities. The entrance and drop-off to the fitness center are accessed from the western side of the site and highlighted with a 40 m long portico. References External links https://web.archive.org/web/20150213224944/http://www.solidere.com/solidere.html https://web.archive.org/web/20180105023903/http://www.downtownbeirut.com/ Neighbourhoods of Beirut Central business districts Financial districts Redeveloped ports and waterfronts Land reclamation Populated waterside places Shopping districts and streets in Lebanon Tourist attractions in Beirut