CREATING WALKABILITY WITH WAYFINDING TECHNIQUES THROUGH ADAPTIVE REUSE FOR HISTORICAL SITE

Wayfinding refers to information systems that guide pedestrians through a physical location, enhancing their understanding and experience of the space. Wayfinding is especially crucial in complex urban environments, healthcare and educational campuses, and transportation systems. An effective wayfinding system ensures that such situations remain less stressful and allows individuals to feel safe and secure. Adaptive reuse, also called building reuse, is basically a process in architecture where old structures get refitted for different uses. Adaptive reuse renews old buildings, making them assets to the local community, be it low-income housing, student housing, community centers, or mixed-use creative venues. The process of turning a historical site into a functional site makes one enable new applications and benefits, creativity in making existing structures more efficient and sustainable. This also generates fresh job opportunities in the local community, driving economic growth while keeping the need for additional building materials to a minimum, saving costs and focusing on repair and revitalization. Now, this paper will focus on two problems in the historical site, particularly the old area of El-Mina district in Tripoli, North Lebanon. First, the problem is how to improve and revive pedestrian flow into the deserted narrow passageways around Khan Al Tamathily, which lacks integration and connectivity. Space syntax tools are employed to assess the current state of the region and present the results of proposed solutions generated during the design phase, ultimately identifying the best one. Additionally, the paper explores the potential for adaptive reuse, focusing on historical buildings, particularly those of high value along the proposed pathway. This new approach to urban planning seeks to promote pedestrian movement in areas where accessibility and wayfinding continuity are lacking. It is presumed that the presence or absence of activity can influence pedestrian flow and walkability in a specific zone. Thus, this study utilizes Space Syntax analysis to examine the chosen case study and understand how pedestrian movement can be enhanced through user segregation. DepthMapX is used to analyze the current human flow pattern in the study region. In response to the identified low connectivity, a new suggested pathway is proposed to reinvigorate pedestrian flow in this historical region. Post-design simulations are conducted to assess the impact of these proposals on the region.