Massar Interactive Parks – Hasanen Architects

Set within the heart of Damascus on the site of the former Old International Fairground, Massar Interactive Park reimagines 170,000 square meters of public space into a dynamic landscape for learning, leisure, and cultural connection. The design weaves together the natural and urban corridors of the city, reconnecting the Barada River with a revitalized network of gardens, terraces, and public squares. At its core, the park is envisioned as an inclusive environment for children, families, and students, creating a place where education and recreation converge seamlessly within a living cultural axis.

The landscape strategy carefully integrates existing topography and water features, sculpting spaces that flow naturally between the city’s cultural landmarks. The Cultural Corridor forms the park’s spine, linking the National Museum, Discovery Center, and Opera House through a sequence of communal orchards, performance spaces, and water events. Inspired by traditional Islamic gardens and the memory of Damascus' ecological heritage, the terraced Banyas Gardens stabilize the site's southern cliffs, blending cascading pools and shaded retreats within a resilient, contemporary design language.

Massar Interactive Park embodies a vision of regenerative urbanism, transforming an underused site into a vibrant public realm that bridges heritage, education, and ecological restoration. The project celebrates water as both a cultural and environmental asset, reintroducing it into the urban fabric as a catalyst for connection, play, and renewal.