BIRUTA
Founder / iOS Application

Founder
Collaborators: Alex Chaaya,
Ole Densted, Bassel Fatayri,
Sion Fletcher, Syma Kahil,
Jeremy Keenan, Farah Merhi,
Twig Collaborative
Year: 2015 - 2018

Biruta - The first appellation of Beirut's name is rich with many underlying narratives. As the city is subjected to destruction and reconstruction this leads to misconceptions of a dominant narrative. How can one reconnect with the city of Beirut? 

Biruta is an invitation to develop different ways of thinking about Beirut in order to build a new relationship with the city. The audio walk guides the visitor through the seven sections of the city, blending fictional and factual narratives. Experiencing the multifaceted soundscape overlaid with their individual exploration of the urban environment, the user’s view of their surroundings changes, making them see and read the city afresh.

The guiding principle for creating Biruta’s mark identity was to depict human relations and consequences of interaction. The mark exploration involved mass copying techniques to manipulate the original input of information. A mix of brush strokes and distorted copies create a new reading. 

The process of distorting and scanning black and white patterns, produced unexpected organic outcomes. This distortion communicates movement and rhythm.