URBAN  HIVES  V.02 X BMW

Year 2023
Dubai Design Week


Urban Hives is a low-cost, lightweight, modular structure, erected above car height, providing a shaded area for parking beneath and garden space above. Its modular structure is designed to be easily assembled and disassembled, reducing waste and preserving cost and waste efficiency.

The project was initially designed to respond to the urban fabric of Beirut, where green spaces occupy only 0.8% of the land compared to 7% for parking. The Hives have proven adaptable to various cities, as parking lots are easy to transform and show potential for regenerative communal practices. The insistence on modular structure and materials responds to this transformative nature; should a parking lot transition into a construction site, the structure can be relocated or repurposed for continued production.

In 2023, Urban Hives was showcased at Dubai Design Week, commissioned by BMW Middle East. This collaboration highlighted the project's adaptability and potential for integrating green spaces into urban environments.

By transforming underutilized urban spaces into community gardens, Urban Hives not only addresses environmental challenges but also fosters social engagement, building community spirit and encouraging the preservation of public green spaces—key components of a sustainable city.



Land Inventory





Concept and Design: Nathalie Harb

Project Development: Gabriele Pascolini

Assistant architect: Alex Tzortzis de Paz 

Activation Program Curator: Joanne Hayek

Project management: Sosai Events

Construction: Simple Solutions GCC

Visual communication: Joseph Kai

Consultancy: Dietmar Üeberbacher

Photography: Rami Mansour


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