05-Oct-2016 This centrally located residential tower takes inspiration from the urban form of Beirut. Situated near the Ring Highway that connects East and West Beirut, and overlooking the city center, Martyrs Square and the seacoast, this residential tower operates as an ‘observatory', composed of a smoothly rising stack of glazed-unit apartments, offering diversity while simultaneously creating a sense of unity. The project resolves the opposite demands of maximizing space use based on the plot area, while providing variation in the different apartments.
Cantilevering balconies and terraces take their cue from the typology of the existing urban fabric of Beirut, transferring the previously horizontal spread into a vertical composition, with panoramic views of the city and the sea. Shading louvers protect from the excessive eastern and western exposure while adding privacy and providing an opportunity for a vertical ‘green' screen that acts as a unifying element on the façade. This tower synthesizes between the complexity of details and programs, while avoiding the unnecessary display of architectural gymnastics, which have become a cliché of some contemporary works.
19-Aug-2011 Adjacent to a central transportation artery for the city of Beirut, and situated at the nexus of two urban fabrics, this design negotiates issues of scale, unit diversity, views and zoning regulations. Stacked glass boxes emerge from a massing, which is positioned to maximize buildable area.
Cantilevering balconies and terraces take their cue from the character of the old urban fabric while creating a vertical neighborhood rich with panoramic views of the downtown, the city and the sea. Shading louvres provide relief from abundant east and west sunlight while creating zones of outdoor privacy and facilitating a green screen. Located at the edge of development and demarcation, the project blurs lines while innovating on the Beirut high-rise typology.
