Architectural Cases

Sepide Elmi's innovative design has transformed a neglected factory kitchen in Kermanshah, Iran, into the 'Wall-Less Gallery,' a dynamic cultural center. This project thoughtfully addresses the scarcity of artistic venues in the region and provides a much-needed outlet for both factory employees and the wider community to engage with art and culture. Through adaptive reuse, a disused industrial space has been reimagined as a vibrant area that fosters creativity and social interaction.

The Biston factory, located roughly forty kilometers from Kermanshah, previously housed a kitchen that had fallen into disuse for many years. Recognizing the limited opportunities for factory workers to participate in cultural events, the architectural team undertook the challenge of converting this dormant area. The transformation into the Wall-Less Gallery not only revitalizes a forgotten space but also serves a critical social purpose by offering cultural enrichment to an underserved population, promoting community engagement and artistic expression.

This project stands as a testament to the power of architecture to breathe new life into existing structures and meet societal needs. By providing a dedicated cultural space, the Wall-Less Gallery cultivates a sense of belonging and offers inspiration, demonstrating how thoughtful design can contribute to the well-being and cultural development of a community, bridging the gap between industrial functionality and artistic endeavor.

The Wall-Less Gallery exemplifies how architectural innovation can positively impact local communities by providing accessible cultural experiences. It underscores the importance of converting underutilized industrial spaces into vibrant public amenities, fostering a sense of community and stimulating artistic engagement. This transformative project creates a welcoming environment for creative expression and intellectual growth, offering a powerful example of how design can contribute to social and cultural vitality.

CatalyticAction is transforming architectural practice by emphasizing collaborative design and enduring community involvement. This firm, operating between Beirut and London, champions an approach where buildings and public areas are not merely created for communities, but actively shaped with them, ensuring their relevance and adaptability over time. Their methodology focuses on building strong relationships and shared responsibility, making spaces that are deeply embedded in their context and can evolve with their inhabitants.

This innovative practice is structured around a comprehensive method that integrates design, construction, participatory research, community engagement, and advocacy. By consistently involving local communities in every project phase—from identifying needs to co-designing, implementing, and maintaining spaces—CatalyticAction ensures that architectural value is measured by continuity, practical use, and collective ownership, rather than solely by aesthetic form.

Community-Driven Design for Enduring Spaces

CatalyticAction's work prioritizes the active involvement of communities in every stage of design and construction, fostering a sense of ownership and ensuring the long-term relevance of their projects. This participatory model moves beyond traditional architectural practices, where design often concludes with construction, by embedding continuous adaptation and stewardship into the very core of their work. By working closely with local populations, employing local labor, and utilizing materials and construction methods appropriate to the context, CatalyticAction crafts spaces that are not only functional but also deeply integrated into their social and environmental fabric. This approach strengthens community bonds and promotes shared responsibility, viewing the built environment as a living entity that evolves with its users.

This philosophy has been consistently applied across diverse projects and scales. For instance, the Ibtasem Playground in the Bekaa Valley, co-designed with children and their families, transformed a precarious environment into a safe, culturally resonant space for play, emphasizing civic presence. Similarly, the Jarahieh School was created with students, teachers, and caregivers using local materials, functioning as an adaptable learning environment. In urban settings like Beirut, the rehabilitation of Public Stairs and the Mauj project along the El Mina corniche reimagined everyday infrastructure as shared spaces for encounter and interaction, fostering movement and gathering. These examples highlight CatalyticAction's commitment to creating durable, adaptable, and socially relevant spaces that respond directly to community needs and actively involve inhabitants in the design and maintenance processes.

Fostering Adaptability and Social Impact

The practice of CatalyticAction redefines architecture by considering projects as dynamic frameworks that persist and change through ongoing use, care, and community appropriation, rather than static structures completed upon construction. This perspective elevates maintenance, activation, and daily adjustments to essential design components, rather than mere afterthoughts. This continuous engagement ensures that each project remains pertinent and valuable to its users over time, promoting a sustainable model where spaces are living entities that adapt to evolving community needs and desires. The firm's commitment to this long-term view strengthens social cohesion and reinforces the idea that the built environment is a shared responsibility.

In the aftermath of the Beirut port explosion, the rehabilitation of Karantina Park exemplified this framework by transforming public space into a site for collective healing and resilience. Through co-design, residents, schools, and local authorities collaboratively shaped a park that supports gathering, play, and everyday activities, restoring a sense of continuity in a fractured urban landscape. Durable steel and concrete structures, along with new play elements and shaded seating areas, were implemented to ensure longevity and reflect the community's previous use of the space. Furthermore, the Safe Spaces for Girls project in Karantina utilized co-design to understand and address adolescent girls' experiences of the city, translating their insights into murals, shaded outdoor living areas, and streetscape installations that enhanced their safety, visibility, and sense of belonging in public spaces. These projects underscore CatalyticAction's dedication to creating environments that are both physically robust and socially empowering, showcasing how design can amplify existing community dynamics rather than imposing new hierarchies.