Urban forests are scientifically proven to be an effective and cost-efficient solution for cities to fight climate change and the many urban challenges that we face as society. 

In May 2019, theOtherDada planted over 1,200 trees from 16 different native species in Beirut. Utilising the innovative Miyawaki Technique, the forests created will be 100% more biodiverse, 30 times denser, growing 10 times faster and absorbing noise and pollution 30 times more efficiently than conventional man-made forests. The first site of this intervention acted as a response to the concrete walls that were built in 1968 to enclose the river, blocking access to the local community and transforming the site into a heavily polluted dumping ground. The aim of the urban forest is to clean the air, radically reduce flooding, recharge groundwater, reintroduce nature and become self-sufficient within three years. 

This research project documents the afforestation project carried by theOtherDada and explores the potential of nature-based solutions to address climate change in cities.

Adib Dada is the founder of theOtherDada Regenerative Consultancy & Architecture, whose mission is to activate projects across architecture, design, and art by creating unconventional links at the frontier of science. Going beyond traditional architecture, his work employs a holistic and biomimetic design approach with nature and people at its core.