The German Jordanian University (GJU), in collaboration with the Lebanese University successfully concluded the workshop “Reclaiming Urban Connectivity: Designing Safe and Green Public Spaces.” Held in Jabal Amman, the workshop brought together students and academics for an intensive week of fieldwork, design, and community engagement.The workshop was organized by Dr. Farah AlAtrash (GJU) and Dr. Nina Zeidan (Lebanese University), strengthening cross-border academic cooperation and advancing GJU’s commitment to applied, community-centered urban regeneration.
Focusing on the Zajal Stairs, participants explored how pedestrian corridors can be reactivated as safe, inclusive, and climate-responsive public spaces. Activities included spatial and environmental mapping, behavioral observations, participatory surveys, and design studios that proposed innovative micro-interventions to enhance accessibility, visibility, and ecological value. The workshop also featured presentations and fruitful discussions with colleagues from SABE and key figures from the Jordanian architecture and planning sector, including Arch. Belal Hammad, Arch. Mohammad Khaled, Arch. Thaer Quba, and Dr. Rami Daher, enriching the dialogue on safe and green mobility within steep urban contexts.
Design proposals reimagining stairways as inclusive, ecological public spaces, A joint academic publication documenting the workshop’s methods and findings, A field-tested analytical matrix for assessing safety and environmental performance and A student-produced guidebook titled “10 Steps to Safe and Green Stairs”