Beirut House of Art and Culture

The development of Lebanese arts and culture is premised on the movement of free creativity. Throughout Beirut's turbulent history the region's poets, composers, artists, painters, writers and translators have met to debate, reflect and develop work and ideas. For the new House of Art and Culture to be a success it must first and foremost promote and sustain this tradition.

Our proposals for the Beirut House of Arts and Culture centres not only on providing a place for the production and display of arts and culture, but also on the creation of a new Forum that will promote the continuation of the spirit of free enterprise, exchange, debate and interaction.

The building is organised into three strata - Performance, Forum, and Exhibition - with performance at the lowest level, exhibition on top and the forum occupying the open space between. Car parking for the building is located discreetly in basement levels. This stratification of programme allows the building to be easily navigated by visitors, guests and users alike, while efficiently operated by staff. Yet from this organisational simplicity stems an architecture of engaging complexity.

Client: Ministry of Culture, Lebanon

Cost: $30 million

Area: 16,000sqm

Status: Competition