Saifi Village
Coordinates: 33°53′39.46″N 35°30′29.57″E / 33.8942944°N 35.5082139°E
Saifi Village, commonly referred to as Le Quartier des Arts, is a residential upscale neighbourhood in Beirut, Lebanon. Saifi Village is located at the southeastern periphery of Centre Ville. The village is bordered by Rue Charles Debbas to the south, Rue George Haddad to the east, Rue Gouraud to the north, and Rue Ariss & Kanaani to the west.
The neighbourhood was completely destroyed during the war in Lebanon. However, Solidere has rebuilt the neighbourhood and restored its historic, French-colonial buildings and winding cobblestoned streets. The buildings are painted in various pastel colors.[1] It was initially planned by French architect François Spoerry, and includes buildings by prominent Lebanese architects such as Nabil Gholam. Saifi Village is a perfect example of a New Urbanist-style neighbourhood with apartment buildings, town houses, and shops.[2]
The neighbourhood is also known as Le Quartier des Arts due to its numerous art galleries, antique store, artisan shops, and speciality boutiques.[3] Every Saturday morning, farmers sell their fresh organic produce and other products at Souk el Tayeb in a little square in the village.[1]