Steampunk Railside Village Part 2 Project 2024 Rawan Nashi Beirut Arab University - Debbieh campus | Lebanon “From now on, I shall only travel in my imagination.” - Assaad Namroud, Lebanon’s last train driver.Before Rayak train complex (station and foundry), Rayak did not exist; the complex transformed it into a thriving village, with over 500 families working there, until its destruction in the war. The challenge was preserving this beloved, steam engine-reliant site while revitalizing its essence.The project envisions a world where steam technology dominates. This alternative reality unfolds underground, preserving Rayak's historical buildings, as a fictional dimension parallel to the above reality. The project completes Rayak’s industrial and agricultural legacy, offering a touristic journey through existing and steampunk areas, leading to an underground pit with a vocational school, mechanical workshops, and a foundry. The village also operates on a closed-loop economy, utilizing byproducts efficiently.An eight-hour clock strikes start of the working day. The new furnace, layered above the old one, powers a boiler, train gears, then equipment, symbolizing the project's heart and mirroring Rayak’s original growth around the complex. Students and workers engage in tasks. Some have jobs come to them in train compartments. Others explore the blend of historical and futuristic elements.This project celebrates people’s ingenuity, ensuring Rayak’s legacy endures. Tutor(s) Hassan Abdel Salam Hesham Al Arnaouty Shadi Al Khoury Samer Al Siyari Khaled Sadek