Beirut Exhibition Center / L.E.FT
Courtesy of L.E.FT
Beirut Exhibition Center (BEC), is the first structure dedicated to contemporary art in the new waterfront development area. Designed by L.E.FT, the BEC responds to its location, a constantly shifting context, and contributes to a new skyline for the city. Simultaneously the interior is in constant motion with the shifting of exhibitions and as L.E.FT described, “the architecture is trapped in a dynamic state of limbo.”
Follow the break for photographs and design description by the architects.
Architects: L.E.FT
Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Team: Daniel Colvard, Makram el Kadi, Karine Yassine, Ziad Jamaleddine, Cindy Moon, Mahdi Sabbagh, Karie Titus
Landscape Architects: Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture
Contractor: Target Engineering
Client: Solidere
Project Area: 1,200 sqm
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Courtesy of L.E.FT
Courtesy of L.E.FT
Courtesy of L.E.FT
L.E.FT described the exterior skin and its corresponding interaction with Beirut, “The skin, designed in custom corrugated anodized mirror aluminum, becomes an index for the growth of the city, a place holder that derives its identity from that of the ever changing context. The city becomes a work of art, an abstract expressionist painting in motion. Beirut finally sees itself in the mirror. The mirror cladding refutes shadows to further accentuate the placeless nature of the building, and the emphasis on the surrounding, a heterotopian condition that provides a space for self reflection and a new critical view to the city.”
Courtesy of L.E.FT
Working with the topography, the building sits in a reflective pool of water that further reflects both building and context into an immaterial state, just like the city that will ‘become’, but ‘is’ not yet. A bamboo grove to the north and a sculpture garden to the south frame the building and with the wind create a constant movement of a second nature.
floor plan + elevations
site plan
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- site plan
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- floor plan + elevations
reflective folded metal exterior with a reflective pool. in what i assume to be a very warm and sunny climate. hmmmmmmm………
enough with the long concrete walls -with building’s name on it! enough!
building is fine though.
Dear Hovaard,
Lebanon’s climate is far different from other Middle Eastern countries (Gulf States) and which I believe you have confused it with. Lebanon lies on the eastern coast of of the Mediterranean sea and which makes its climate “mediterranean”!
4 distinct seasons prevail with the hottest being summer and with a maximum temperature of 35C.
who’s ‘Hovaard’?
The architects are from Lebanon; they know all about the environmental conditions. Hey missND: are you Miss Notre Dame (the Notre Dame in Louaize?)
i could be an effing hunchback maybe ryan, i dont know…but i know i’m not miss notre dame. =) i really dont know what you mean? some religious school? and whyy? =) i dont wanna put you into the position of a person trying to tell the meaning of the joke. =) but my english is pretty terrible as you see.
just sayin, to design a modern building doesnt mean you ‘must’ design a great wall of china with -letters 500 font size- building’s name on it, really REALLY doesnt mean the building is modern. i’m sick of it cause i see it in way too many competition projects, student projects and everywhere around. it is stupid.
ALTHOUGH, i mean, this building is fine. plans are ok, façades are nice. space is ‘oh so good’ =) i like it.
…except that 500 font letters! =)
6:32 PM Nov 29th
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