Quick Facts
- Location: Beachpark seafront, Tripoli
- Floors: 3
- Labs: VR, AI, Robotics & 3D-printing suites
- Event Space: 300-seat hall
- Start-up Offices: Glass-walled suites + maker workshop
- Status: Build start post-approval; 8-month programme
Concept & Purpose
Housed in the restored Beachpark rotunda, the Tripoli Youth Center is designed as a beacon for Libya’s new generation of creators. The circular plan, once a dormant landmark, is opened toward the sea to flood interiors with daylight and frame sweeping Mediterranean views. A lightweight lattice canopy floats above the original concrete ring, echoing mashrabiya screens while delivering generous shade. Inside, movable walls transform the building from hackathon arena to exhibition gallery overnight, proving that adaptive reuse can power twenty-first-century innovation without erasing local heritage.
Learning Spaces
The interior unfolds as a continuous “tech runway.” Entry zones focus on digital-literacy basics and e-sports; deeper inside, specialised labs support VR exploration, AI experimentation, robotics, and small-scale fabrication. A glass-lined incubator crowns the sequence, giving entrepreneurs room to prototype ideas and meet mentors in person or online. All labs connect to an open-source learning platform, so expert guidance can stream in from anywhere, while acoustic baffles and recycled finishes keep the atmosphere calm and focused.
Community Activation
Beyond classrooms, the centre acts as Tripoli’s new living room on the sea: an amphitheatre reaches out over the water for film nights and talks, rooftop running paths encourage fitness alongside creativity, and weekend craft markets pair local artisans with young designers. At dusk, the façade becomes an ever-changing media canvas driven by students’ generative art, turning the building itself into a public broadcast for optimistic youth voices and drawing families to the waterfront long after class hours end.
Project Status
Concept design has received backing from the Ministry of Youth and positive feedback from heritage authorities thanks to its light-touch approach. Detailed design is under way with an international-local architect team, while structural surveys confirm the original shell can be upgraded through targeted carbon-fibre strengthening. Procurement will roll out in phased packages retrofit works first, followed by interior fit-out and specialised equipment ensuring the historic rotunda is stabilised before new technology moves in. Community workshops continue in parallel to fine-tune programmes and guarantee the centre remains anchored in local needs.